Golden Hour (2018)
I don't know enough about music to write about an album using musical terms, so I'll start with a simple declaration:
I can't stop listening to Golden Hour, Kacey Musgraves' captivating fourth studio release.
And I realize that I'm a little bit late to the party: the album was released back in March, Mr. Plow played it as background music during a Sunday lunch with my mom (who was so taken with it that she asked who was singing), and several glowing reviews popped up in my Feedly. I went to Spotify, hit download, and the album has been on repeat during my commute for the last two weeks.
The first song, "Slow Burn," provides an apt description of the effect of the album as a whole: it's a soothing, ethereal slow burn of a recording that effectively kindles a comforting warmth. She sings, "I'm alright with a slow burn - taking my time - let the world turn" - and that's a proper way to experience the next twelve tracks as they slowly and beautifully create a mesmerizing, satisfying confidence.
Even when Musgraves, who co-wrote all thirteen tracks, is expressing feelings of frustration - with solitude ("Lonely Weekend"), with romance ("Space Cowboy"), or with humanity ("High Horse") - she's always in control of her emotions, reassuring the listener that with the proper pluck and perspective, everything's going to be alright.
"Space Cowboy" and "High Horse" both warrant further mention. In "Space Cowboy," much to the delight of English teachers everywhere, Musgraves highlights the power of a well-place (albeit implied) comma - "You can have your space [well-placed, implied comma] cowboy. I ain't gonna fence you in." (Mr. Plow is so taken with "Space Cowboy" that he has declared it his top song of 2018 thus far. Give it a listen and you're likely to agree.) "High Horse" shows up near the end of the album and synthesizes astute lyrics ("Everyone knows someone who kills the buzz every time they open up their mouth") with a retro country-disco sound that allows Musgraves to cheerfully invite all persons riding high horses to head "straight outta this town."
So many delights abound on the album: the plucky romance of "Butterflies," the transcendental awe of "Oh What a World" (which starts with a futuristic sound reminiscent of Daft Punk and ends with a down-home banjo riff), and the sheer beauty of the title track, "Golden Hour" - ("You're my golden hour, the color of my sky. You set my world on fire and I know everything's gonna be alright").
My two favorite tracks - "Love is a Wild Thing" and "Happy and Sad" - perfectly combine everything I love about the album: moving lyrics, subtle instrumentation, and Musgraves' silky vocals, all building to form a rich, emotional musical jewel. "Love is a Wild Thing," with its perfectly placed guitars and drums, recalls the unexpected pleasures of a newfound relationship while "Happy and Sad," in which Musgraves reveals "I'm the kind of person who starts getting nervous when I'm having the time of my life," expresses the juxtaposition of the giddy glee and doubtful disquiet that a new relationship can cause. It's my top song of 2018.
More Musgraves
Pageant Material (2015) - The title track is a contemporary country classic, offering such astute observations as "And it ain't that I don't care about world peace, but I don't see how I can fix it in a swimsuit on stage" and "I wish I could, but I just can't wear a smile when a smile ain't what I'm feeling."
Same Trailer, Different Park (2013) - The feature song here is "Follow Your Arrow," a worthy nominee to become an anthem for the entire contemporary world: "So make lots of noise, kiss lots of boys, or kiss lots of girls if that's something you're into. When the straight and narrow gets a little too straight, roll up a joint - or don't. Just follow your arrow wherever it points."
Related Artist to (Re)Visit
Nancy Griffith
Alison Krauss
Dixie Chicks
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