Kacey Musgraves has done everything from traditional country to country pop, then solely pop, and now returning to country folk. On March 15, Musgraves marked a new era for herself: one full of self-preservation and recovery.
The 35-year-old singer has been releasing mainstream music since 2013 but only became one of the most prominent present-day country artists with her 2019 Grammy-winning album of the year “Golden Hour” released in the year prior. The album follows Musgraves through her experience falling for the love of her life. Then, after divorcing Ruston Kelly, a popular country musician, she released “Star-crossed,” a melancholic, angsty, turn for her work in 2021. Thus, with the title track releasing as her first single for “Deeper Well” on Feb. 8 and her second single coming out three weeks later, fans didn’t know what to expect. In an interview with TODAY, Musgraves describes the album as being the key to “ruthlessly removing resistance to growth,” and the tracks can definitely attest to this.
The album begins with “Cardinal,” a song that describes an eye-opening journey that Musgraves found herself on. She proposes a more ominous and mystical approach to her answers which sets the tone for the rest of the album. Because the album can be categorized as country folk, it carries a tame guitar as the constant throughout each song. The melodically pleasing tunes are sweet and simple, but listening to Musgraves and several other songwriters’ lyrics creates the most beautifully complex journey to follow along with.
Track 10, “The Architect,” was a personal standout as a listener because of its well-crafted songwriting. The song philosophically questions the world and how it was conceived, bringing it back to asking the all-knowing figure, the Architect. This specific song was a highlight because it encapsulates what Musgraves was going for with her expedition of asking questions whilst listening to the world around her for answers.
But don’t get on your ‘High Horse’ yet, Musgraves does include traditional love songs even after her divorce. “Dinner with Friends” plays on the simple joys of life, then she dives into the positives of romantic love specifically. Outside of that, she consistently praises human love through care and platonic love. “Heart of the Woods” feeds into Musgraves’ beliefs on human connection and empathy. Collectively this album does a fantastic job of promoting self-care, which is heavily relatable to fans, regardless of their age.
After having a ridiculous amount of anticipation without any expectations before the album was released, I was extremely satisfied and inspired by these tracks, even going as far as recommending them to my friends and peers. Musgraves’ music lets long-time fans grow with her while also allowing new fans and local listeners to enjoy her music as well.
It’s understandable that coining the term “country” may be a repellent to many regular music listeners, but how Musgraves does country is like no other. With a recent wave of traditional country music returning, “Deeper Well” can be your entryway ticket without sacrificing thoughtful lyrics and a pleasing melody.
