If you don’t already know who Kacey Musgraves is, have you been living under a rock? With seven Grammy wins and 26.6 million monthly listeners on Spotify under her belt, there is no doubt that she is able to deliver a little something different than every other country artist out there. While she is most known for her hit album Golden Hour, her last album, star-crossed, was deemed ineligible by The Recording Academy for all of the country categories last time around (NYLON). While it is evident that Musgraves has pushed the boundaries of country music, she returns to the classic sounds of banjo and acoustic guitar with Deeper Well.
Many might be familiar with Musgraves from her recent collaborations with other country and pop artists. Junior Abby Hendrickson shares, “I first heard of her when I listened to ‘I Remember Everything’ which she collaborated on with Zach Bryan. I really liked how their voices paired together in that song.” With over 450 million streams on Spotify, the song has been well received by both Zach Bryan and Kacey Musgraves fans!
In 14 songs and 42 minutes, Deeper Well tells the story of observing both humans and mother nature. Through themes that are seen in both natures (like growth, beauty, and dependence), Musgraves uses niche imagery and spiritual references paired with her echoey voice to build an imaginary world full of sunlight and green grass that you can see when you close your eyes. This creation of an otherworldly world happened in Electric Lady Studios in New York City, a place where a number of musical greats, from Steve Wonder and David Bowie to Rosalía and Taylor Swift, have recorded their music (New York Times).
Ramapo’s own Mrs. Manzo, for one, has been a Kacey Musgraves fan since the pandemic. In a time when everyone was stuck at home and the world seemed to be ending, she and her daughters found enjoyment in Musgraves’ optimistic songs, such as “Rainbow” and “Space Cowboy” from Golden Hour. Unfortunately, this time around, Deeper Well hasn’t quite struck the same note. Mrs. Manzo admits, “There is not a song that stands out yet, but I have to listen to the lyrics to see if I can connect with the songs more that way.” When asked to pick a favorite song, she chose “Too Good to be True,” so I guess you’ll have to check it out to see if you agree!
Whether you like country music or not, give Deeper Well a listen! If it’s not your cup of tea, that’s alright. As the title track says, “No regrets baby/ I just think that maybe/ you go your way and I’ll go mine”!
Works Cited (links): https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/14/arts/music/kacey-musgraves-deeper-well-review.html
https://www.nylon.com/entertainment/kacey-musgraves-star-crossed-best-country-album-grammy
