The Kacey Musgraves ‘Dry Spell’ is over with the release of her seventh studio album, Middle of Nowhere. Created during a long period as a single woman, it’s all about learning to love the in-between, from relationships to places. Country music lovers will adore this new collection. It boasts all the genre’s hallmarks, from winking lyrics and profound storytelling, to beautifully rich, organic instrumentation. Following Kacey on her journey of solitude, as she both seeks and rejects company from friends, lovers and everything in between, Middle of Nowhere is a timeless country album that highlights the artist’s honest, direct songwriting above all else.
Middle of Nowhere kicks off with the title track setting us in Kacey’s headspace. She’s singing to us from the spaces where nothing takes place. From the desert to the fields to the open road, she’s discovering how much she enjoys these liminal areas, and how there’s comfort “out there on the edge of the world”. Time signature changes from verse to chorus keep the listener curious, but never thrown from the song’s simple, natural sound.
Living in the ‘Middle of Nowhere’ frequently leads Kacey to question what comes after life, rather than her present reality. The record emphasises spirituality as a concept which is not necessarily tied to religion. It constantly juxtaposes heaven and hell against each other, pondering how these otherworldly ideas might also exist on earth now. ‘I Believe In Ghosts’ is an early standout, delving into how a lover’s absence can feel like a spiritual presence. Its vocal melodies move to unexpected places, as Kacey drops whipsmart lines like “You left your sweater but I needed a shoulder” amongst eerie supernatural imagery. Similarly, there’s a spirituality to tracks like ‘Hell On Me’ and ‘Coyote’, or the true country life documented on ‘Everybody Wants To Be A Cowboy’, where “It’s cold as hell and the work ain’t gonna do itself”. Still, the hustle and bustle of the lifestyle calls to Kacey as her own personal heaven.
Of course, Musgraves’ trademark sense of humour is all over Middle of Nowhere. The record’s lead single ‘Dry Spell’ is a punchy, wry song about feeling “Lonely with a capital ‘H’”. Its whipsmart lyrics overflow with clever innuendos and tight rhymes. The post-chorus guitar riff creates a purposefully seedy, dark tone “for a late night call, for a real good time”, setting the listener right where Kacey is, hoping to find some short-term company out in the wild west.
‘Horses and Divorces’ is another hilarious highlight, a collaboration which settles the long-rumoured feud between Kacey and fellow country artist Miranda Lambert. Their disagreement began in 2013 when label affairs handed Kacey’s co-written song ‘Mama’s Broken Heart’ over to Miranda, without Kacey’s knowledge. All these years later, Kacey reached out to write a duet about what the duo have in common, rather than what sets them apart. The result is a witty number where they bond over their love for Willie Nelson, their shared hometown of Texas, and their desire to “smoke and cuss and drink”. Nelson’s shout-out comes right before his own appearance on the album, ‘Uncertain, TX’, his third studio collaboration with Musgraves to date.
Elsewhere, Kacey becomes a traditional folk storyteller on several songs which appear less personal and more fictional. ‘Abilene’ harkens back to the country genre tradition of storytelling and structure, following a mysterious woman who escapes her small town after tiring of its people and gossip. This track’s moody tone makes every line hit hard. Another seemingly fictional cut, ‘Back on the Wagon’, is a tongue-in-cheek track about believing an addict can recover through the power of love. Kacey’s purposefully naive lyrics paint a heartbreaking picture, as she insists her partner is sober now, but also mentions anecdotes of his gambling and partying that whittle away at their relationship’s longevity, though she still pictures a comfortable and likely unattainable domestic life with him.
On deep cuts like ‘Mexico Honey’, Kacey nudges conventional country sounds into new territories. This sexy, fun narrative about a whirlwind night with a lover dives into Mexican instrumentation, blending elements of their rodeo culture with Kacey’s own Texan energy. Its sticky sweet melodies match the lyrics beautifully as she describes herself getting dolled up for a magical night in, getting “winedrunk” and dancing in the bathroom. This number is romantic, innovative and sincere in all the right ways.
But for fans of Kacey’s more classic direction from her Grammy award-winning album Golden Hour, there are also plenty of cozy, summery tunes. ‘Loneliest Girl’ is an instant high, celebrating her solitude over crisp acoustic guitars. It parallels 2018’s ‘Lonely Weekend’ beautifully. Where Kacey was once mourning the absence of her friends and family, she’s now revelling in the comfort of her alone time and freedom. ‘Rhinestoned’ will also likely connect with long-term listeners, as Kacey’s insistence that to get over her most recent break-up, she’s got to dress up and go socialise, feels perfectly suited to her often blunt, wink-wink nudge-nudge persona. Much like ‘Everybody Wants To Be A Cowboy’, it also functions as a clever nod to the rising popularity of country culture, this time noting the trendiness of finding a rhinestoned get-up for a night out, and celebrating that fashion choice for its personal power and enjoyment, rather than getting into the weeds of who deserves to wear it.
By Middle of Nowhere’s conclusion, fans will have realized that the true beauty of Kacey’s work is her intentional restraint. The album’s closer ‘Hell On Me’ is incredibly stripped-back and gentle, pulling the focus back from all of Kacey’s ideas of sonic exploration and unique narratives, to just Kacey herself. Backed by little more than a guitar and a lap steel, Kacey reminds us that the true magic of her work lies in her stunning voice and words alone. She believes in pioneering the country music genre forward. And sometimes, all that takes is basking in the glow of what country music already has.
