RATING: 9.5/10
Since her brand new era has started, why not take a delve back into the album that brought Kacey Musgraves to the mainstream: Golden Hour (2018).
It's safe to say that Golden Hour was adored by fans and critics alike, with its country charm mixed with pop and electro-infused sounds. It won several awards including Grammys Album of the Year. And the reason for this? Because it's a damn good album.
Golden Hour encompasses exactly that feeling: the feeling of a warm hazy evening when you're generally content with life as it is right now. The title opening track 'Slow Burn' discusses this in great depth as it peacefully goes through different aspects of Musgraves' life and emphasises the need to not rush and be okay 'with a Slow Burn'.
In amongst albums that always talk about the trials and tribulations of life or the struggles you go through, Golden Hour is refreshingly positive and has a rose-coloured view on life. There's often a misconception that for songs to be deep and meaningful they need to be sad, but throughout Golde Hour Musgraves proves this isn't the case. 'Mother', the shorter interlude between songs focuses on Musgraves missing her mother, not necessarily in an overly melancholy way, and 'Space Cowboy' is essentially a break-up song but it's very peaceful and accepting with lyrics like "I know my place, and it ain't with you / Well, sunsets fade, and love does too / Yeah, we had our day in the sun / When a horse wants to run there ain't no sense in closing the gate"
The nature of this album is to feel and accept what you're feeling, but realise that the world is so big and beautiful that there's no need to dwell.
Every song on the album is based firmly in country with it's regular use of acoustic guitars and sounds you'll find all over the country genre, however, it feels much more modernized than you may be used to when you think of country. Not only does it feel like it's edging on pop, but it's clear the album also brings in the sounds of electro, dance, and almost rock at certain times with its use of echo, synth, and more solid beats in songs like 'Velvet Elvis' and 'High Horse'.
Overall, when Golden Hour was released it was exactly what the music industry needed, and now relistening to it in 2021, it's exactly what the world generally needs. It's clear to see the new single release 'star crossed' from the upcoming album of the same name, that Musgraves is not in this state of bliss anymore, so we won't see similar themes going forward. But, it is nice to sit and listen to Golden Hour and just forget about your worries, which arguably, is what music should help you do.