Kacey Musgraves - 2013 Anticipation

that's why I prefer the Ashley Monroe album: it's more interesting musically.

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To pick it up from a different end, I'd be interested in hearing more about what people like about the way this music sounds. Maybe I've missed it. I know there have been some specific (but general) comments on what's special about Musgraves' delivery.

inspired by talking with a young aspiring country singer I know

A very young, not unattractive aspiring country singer, tbf.

I'll be honest, I came to Musgraves as mostly an outsider to modern country music, like besides T. Swift, Miranda Lambert, etc., so I don't really have a lot to go by besides lyrical content.

Well, the music doesn't sound like Def Leppard, so that's something that sets it apart from a lot of radio country. It's not afraid to be quiet or sound like people playing in a the same room. It's not afraid to be thoughtful or sensitive or sound like something other than the soundtrack to kegs being loaded off the back of a pick-up because Friday night woooo! I mean, it's no avant-skronk boundary pushing fusion or anything but Musgraves seems to recognize that there are various boundaries in country music just as she recognizes that there are subtle and smart ways to sneak past them.

Well, the music doesn't sound like Def Leppard

And xhuxk still likes it?!

it's an interesting question. i normally don't put a ton of importance on lyrics -- a lot of my favorite songs i still don't know the lyrics to, and i'll just sing along in some soundalike gibberish if i'm so compelled -- and yet i do think the lyrics on this album are especially tough to separate out from its sound (and indeed, at her recent show, i found myself singing along to every single word). sometimes what i love about the way the record sounds is how well it evokes the lyrical content: the guitar solo at the end of the "i miss you" chorus as a lonely call; the carefree lazy sound of the plucked banjo at the beginning of "it is what it is" like a resigned shrug of the shoulders. and sometimes it's in contrast: the warm, softly atmospheric shimmer of "keep it to yourself" only just hinting at the sympathetic subtext underneath her harsh words. but the lyrics are the center of it all -- there's nothing about the sound that's inherently new or exciting or hip, but it works so well for me.

I caught her live show the other night and was impressed. She has a new song called "High Time" that I like quite a bit.

i like that her songs are often about smoking weed

A friend of mine noted how often that seems to be popping up in country. Part of it is a continuation of the hip-hop-to-country crossover.

i can only think of like two musgraves songs that mention weed and one of them is not on the album

i can think of at least two on the album

"merry go round," "follow your arrow," probably others - i feel like "blowing smoke" might ref it too?

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/dc9/2013/03/kellychristinephotocomwhere_th.php?page=all

Mentioned in the piece: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxWjtWONuGc

Oh, here we go:

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2013/05/marijuana_and_country_music_kacey_musgraves_pistol_annies_and_other_weed.html

"High Time":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDFNy89jkls

I guess you can interpret it as being about weed: "It's hi-i-i-i-i-gh time / to slow my roll" ha ha, but it's a pretty ballad that I hope makes the cut for her next album.

There are live videos from a few years back of her performing an early, shaky tune that’s nonetheless saved by its refrain: “I’m not good at being careful, I just say what’s on my mind/ My idea of heaven is to burn one with John Prine.”

that's the other one i was thinking of. i forgot merry go round lol

http://galesofnovember.tumblr.com/post/68418888607/i-aint-one-to-knock-religion-though-its-always

seems to be a studio version of the song josh mentions. it's pretty great

there's nothing about the sound that's inherently new or exciting or hip, but it works so well for me

Novelty is overrated anyway. Craft and charm are underrated.

DLOTM.

also think that if you're insistent that lyrics a priori don't matter to you, there's not much i can say that'll convince you kacey is great because she probably isn't for you

Wrote an end of year summary piece for Crack magazine on sincerity in 2013, KM is a pivotal part of it. I'm never not crushed by "I got a big smile on my face/It's the best one I can fake
I'm as happy as half a heart can do"

Kacey is also by some distance the most WKIW pop star of the year. The album makes her sound like she would be great fun to get drunk with.

Absolutely. She's the most likeable pop star around. That's the genius of Follow Your Arrow for me - subversive (in country music terms) sentiments delivered in the most winningly casual way, with nothing strident or self-congratulatory about it. I played it to a class I was teaching about protest songs the other day and they were all instantly won over. The "whor……ible person" line does it every time.

I heard part of an interview with Linda Ronstadt yesterday. In it, she recalled the first time hearing Emmylou Harris, being in almost total awe, and having to decide, split decision: would I rather be her friend or be her rival? She chose friend, and it benefited them both. Which is a sideways way of saying how glad I am that this particular group of writers and singers, the dudes (mostly writers) and the girls, are so in sync. Musgraves, Clarke, Monroe, Lambert ... It's amounting to a real satisfying body of work accumulated over a short time. When is Angaleena Presley releasing a record?

Oh hey, a video for "Follow Your Arrow"!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQ8xqyoZXCc

Ha, that must be the cheapest video ever made. Way to budget, Kacey!

Anyone know anything about the dudes in her band? They seemed like a really good match for her live, and it's nice that she's stuck with them.

they were definitely a good live match for her. i believe she is dating one of them as well.

Oh no, that never ends well ...

Love hearing "Follow Your Arrow" on the radio almost every day. Love the kids singing along with it in the back seat. Makes me feel like I'm living the ending of some whimsical indie dramedy.

do they edit out the smoke a joint line from the radio?

No, not on country music, at least. Surprisingly.

they don't edit out talk of getting stoned on Johnny Cash songs, or Hank Jr songs (prolly a bunch of others too) so I wouldn't expect country radio to edit Kacey Musgraves either

any guesses as to which would be the biggest vote-getter in 2013 polls, 'merry go round' or 'smoke' or 'arrow'?

last December I first heard "Merry Go Round" in the radio while driving through Nashville. today I heard on the same station again driving through, but this year the dj was effusive about her accomplishments this year. very cool year!

arrow was around longer and made the rounds on the awards show, so i'd guess that.

no, i think 'merry go round' was around longer - technically a 2012 single - and was nommed for awards etc., but 'arrow' is fresher, maybe more prone to attract votes?

my guess is that "blowin' smoke" will be mostly neglected, with "merry go 'round" and "follow your arrow" sharing the attention.

if we're talking pazz & jop, it's worth noting that "merry go 'round" already placed there last year (25th). i am guessing, since many didn't hear the song until she started getting lots of press in 2013 (i myself didn't hear the song until it was peaking at radio -- maybe january?), that it'll get votes this year as well. p&j does that thing where it includes a song's votes from the previous year if the number of new votes is great enough (i think at least ~half the previous total), so if that happens it could place again, presumably higher.

yes, that was my reason for wondering about the probable numbers

if only 'stupid' was a single, then i could vote my heart :/

kacey performed WITH MIGUEL at a carole king tribute concert and i am distraught that i can't find video anywhere :(

!!!!!!!!

i like this album!

Which Carole King song did they do (assuming they did one)?

Also Bob Harris (Time Out founder/Old Grey Whistle Test Presenter) put 'Merry Go Round' on his Desert Island Discs this week, which was pretty cool.

the article i saw says they covered the everly bros "crying in the rain". still doesn't seem to be any video out there alas...

https://community.focusonthefamily.com/b/pluggedin/archive/2014/01/28/a-real-low-point-for-the-grammys-and-it-39-s-not-what-you-think.aspx

yasssss this was always coming, RW xtian blog about kacey that basically calls her the ACTUAL DEVIL

it's true, she has a surprise guest appearance on the new behemoth even

Musgraves has bought into the same "apple," and would love to have music fans everywhere join her in the fruity snack

Follow Your Apple