Update and Album Review; Star-Crossed by Kacey Musgraves

      First of all, I have been gone for a few weeks. Instead of uploading once a month, I did have a spell there where I uploaded every week! I was proud of myself for doing this, but it wasn't hard! This blog is my safe space and I loved to update. However, as I mentioned in my last post, I lost a lot of motivation for it due to recent life events and disappointment in my own content. 

      As a quick update; I know you came here for the album review and not my baggage, so I apologize in advance, but I am in the process of rehoming my cat, as you can see via my Instagram, so I have been down about that. My last piece was a video of me reacting to the accompanying movie to this album and I was not allowed to repost any of the content from the movie for copyright purposes, so you would have no clue what moments I was reacting to when I posted it. That and the lighting was bad and I just felt too awkward in front of the camera at times. I decided to scrap it and come up with something better in the future, so at this moment in time, I am planning on posting other content. 

      Now, without further ado, Ladies and gentlemen, Kacey Musgraves; Star Crossed;

    Before we get started lets do a short introduction and my previous knowledge on Kacey. Star-crossed is Kacey's fifth studio album after her debut EP Same Trailer Different Park (Actually not her first EP), Pageant Material album, her Christmas Album, and the beloved, award winning, Golden Hour. This album is seemingly a foil to Golden Hour, an album all about finding love where you least expect it and when you had given up beforehand. This album is the heartbreak opposite. Both albums were on the artist marriage and divorce to fellow country star, Ruston Kelly; but I am not here for the news, I am here for the art that is born from it. 

      I think the first time I ever saw Kacey Musgraves was when she performed "Follow Your Arrow" on the CMTs. I fell in love with the song and started investigating immediately. Following that, I saw her open up for Lady Antebellum and went home that night and bought her entire EP. I have been a super fan ever since, and even got to see her on her "Oh, What a World" tour in early 2019, which was such a fun experience. I made the three hour trip to Nashville to view her exhibit. I awaited her Christmas special with excitement, and anticipated this album with baited breath. The question is; Was it worth the wait? Read on, and we will dissect this piece of work and find out. (Keep in mind that I am not any kind of music professional. All of this is personal opinion and the perspective of a Musgraves fan).

1. Track One; Star-Crossed 10/10 

       I loved this song as soon as I heard it, as I heard it prior to the movie/album drop. I believe it certainly serves its purpose as an opening song. It sets the scene for the aesthetic and tone of the movie. It presents the events within Star-Crossed as exactly how Musgraves previously described them in her Rolling Stones interview; a modern day Greek tragedy. The harmonies open up to tell a story of  something angelic and otherworldly, yet also incredibly painful. Kacey Musgraves heard someone say "romanticize your life," and she took that personally. 

2. Good Wife 10/10

     Even music reviews I saw that painted this album in a negative light, one that I do not quite agree with, stated that this song was a stand out song. The song begins in narrative form stating "Let's go back to the beginning..." in a disembodied voice that makes it clear that what has taken place happened in the past. The beginning of Kacey's disaster bound marriage. The song speaks of societal conditioning of what a wife is and should be. The entirety of the song Kacey says that she only wanted to be a good wife and did not want to end up alone. It begins to become somewhat clear that the decision to be married may have stemmed more from this feeling than initially thought. This song clearly conveys a message that has been prevalent in Kacey's discography since her first single "Merry Go Round." Marriage is just a concept, and the worth placed on it within society is confusing and possibly irrelevant. 

3. Cherry Blossom 8/10 

     I like this song. I love the production and think it fits in beautifully within the album. It seems to actually have been a love song from the relationship. Which I enjoy. As Ms. Taylor says "...there is happiness in our history..." It does lack the lyrical seriousness of the other songs but I do not think that necessarily takes away from its appeal. It did dock a few point for me though. 

4. Simple Times 7/10

    I enjoyed this song. However, I do think the beginning production was more proficient than the rest of the song. In this song Musgraves recounts how she wishes to escape her turbulent reality and return to her youth in what she viewed as more "simple times." She frequently references to video games and going to the mall with her friends when she was younger. I think this song was nice, but left much to be desired as compared to the others. I did really enjoy the color coordination within the video though. #squadgoals  

5. if this was a movie... 6/10

    I actually frequently skipped this song on my initial listen. I have gaged some public reactions and it seems I was not alone in my initial distaste. I did come around to the song after a few listens. I really enjoy the small details, such as the car pulling into the drive. This song likely went up a whole number score for me just due to the production and lyrics "If this was a movie, Love would be enough, to save us from the darkness, That's inside both of us, (And we'd get away) and we'd be okay." The entire song continues the initial story and disbelief Musgraves feels at the relationship failure. She states that if this was a movie, her partner would be returning to her and repairing their relationship as if nothing ever happened. But this isn't a movie, and her partner is long gone. Leaving Kacey to pick up her own pieces in the aftermath of her relationship with them. 

6. Justified 7/10

    When this song came out I enjoyed it. Not as much as star-crossed but definitely up there. This begins where the story left off in the last song. Kacey is recounting her healing process. The best way to sum it up is that healing is not linear. Musgraves says "If I cry just a little, then laugh in the middle, if I hate you, then I love you, then I change my mind...then I am more than just a little Justified." In the song she talks about the aftermath of continuing her life without her partner and how they are both responsible for the failure of their marriage, actively working against their own human nature to point fingers. It was a team effort. At this point in the movie/music video you can see Kacey begins to cry, and despite the fact that this is a movie, I always feel really sad when I see that scene. Its a reminder that this entire album is based off of a true experience and that must have been really painful to go through. 

7. Angel 10/10

        This is hands down my favorite song on the album. I love the angelic nature of her voice on this track. I love the tiny angel wings in the movie paired with converse and a sheer gown. I think it showcases a lot of vulnerability, as does the song. The song is about Musgraves taking accountability for her part in the active failure of the relationship as well as her regret for the person she is that led to the event. She sings that she wishes she was an angel who never said things that hurt, got angry, or took things for granted. She iterates that she wished she was able to "save" her partner and that neither of them would have to change. The song seems to be another "What if..." situation in which neither of them would have to compromise for their relationship, but unfortunately, "...somethings got to change."

 

8. Breadwinner 9/10

     This song is a warning from Kacey to other successful women. In the song she recounts a story of a man who is just not treating a woman very well and/or taking advantage of her for her success and using her to boost his confidence. In this song Musgraves also seems to forgive herself for her past mistakes and instead decides to give her partner their share of the blame because it seems as if they deserved it.  This story may or may not be about her partners flaws within their relationship. It was certainly a fan favorite. I love the production and bubbly harmony. The lyrics as well, of course. It does seem to lack the seriousness of most of the other songs, and was omitted from the movie, but it may be a fun and much needed break from the other heavier tracks. 

9. Camera Roll 3/10

     This is certainly an unpopular opinion but I did not like this song. Everyone else seems to really enjoy it, so I would still recommend checking it out. You may like it more than I do. This song is about Musgraves hesitancy to revisit her camera roll as it is full of pictures of her ex-partner, and she does not want to be reminded of the happy memories because it makes her upset. I understand the theme and find it relatable but I think I also find it a little goofy. I also don't enjoy the harmony or production, as it sounds about as awkward as the lyrics. I guess a part of me wishes that Musgraves had used a metaphor that was a little more timeless than, "You popped up in my Facebook memories and now I am sad :(" I am sorry Kacey, Please forgive me, I am still a big fan </3.

10. easier said 6/10

     This is another song that did not seem to be very popular, but I enjoyed it. I think it was a good closure song. This is where Kacey's disassembled person is put back together in the movie, symbolic of her healing from the relationship. She sings that her and her partner have discovered that loving someone is a lot "...easier said than done" I really enjoy the production as it matches the album, and recounts Musgraves feelings on relationships moving forward. 

 

11. hookup scene 6/10

    This is yet another unpopular opinion. A lot of people really enjoyed this song. Me and this song just did not vibe. It seems a tad bit out of place with its acoustic guitar and more country sound as compared to the ethereal production of the rest of the album. It is sad and heartfelt. In this song Kacey sings about how she feels the hookup scene gives a very hollow excuse for love and how she misses her relationship and struggles to accept that it is truly over. She gives a message to the listener to appreciate their relationships despite the hardships within them. The ending harmony is nice and of course I do appreciate it lyrically. 

12. keep lookin' up 7/10

    I love this song. It makes me feel so powerful. In the movie when this song plays, Musgraves starts running alongside a horse and it reminds me heavily of the Greek myth of Atlanta. The production fits back into the narrative and speaks of a resilience and positive mindset taught to Musgraves by her father. It fits into the story, showing Musgraves own resilience and strength as she overcomes her present day trials and tribulations. I appreciate the song and its message. This seems to be a recurring theme in the last few songs. 

      

13. What doesn't kill me 8/10

     I really enjoy the rendition of this that was done in the movies. What a creative way to incorporate the track! I also enjoy the original of course. This song has a similar poppy and ethereal production that is incredibly favorable. It reinforces the confidence that Musgraves has within herself and her emergence from the relationship in one piece. Its another song that gives me a lot of confidence within myself as well. Like "What doesn't kill me better run."

14. There is a light 6.5/10

    This is a good song to end on. The trials are over. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and Musgraves has prevailed over her heartache. She states not only that there is a light at the end of the tunnel but also within herself. The production of this song really has me torn, on one hand it is fun but I don't know how I feel about the long flute instrumental or the slow nature or the strange talking part. There were a lot of decisions made but at this point in time I cannot tell you their nature. 

15. Gracias a la Vida 3/10 

    This was a very dramatic song to end on within the movie. I like the song, but it is not Kacey's and I find a lot I just don't favor about her cover. I do like the record sounds, but she suffers pretty greatly from not being a native Spanish speaker or having a convincing accent. I am not even a Spanish speaker but her accent sounds distractedly off even to me. It is an overdone cover as it is "one of the most covered Latin American songs in history." I do like the last industrial sounding bits of the song, but other than that, I do not find it to be anything special, and wish the album had ended with "There is a light." Mercedes Sosa has a very, rightfully so, popular version of this song, and it, in my opinion, is more convincing than this one. 

       That is all for this week's blog post! I hoped you enjoyed it, I certainly enjoyed writing it! Join me next week for other fun ideas and reviews~! Thank you so much for the read.