By Julia DeFoe, April 9, 2024
Kacey Musgraves has reminded those willing to brave the vulnerability that comes with “living and learning” of the importance of knowing one’s roots. The American country singer and Grammy Award winner released “Deeper Well” March 15 as her fifth studio album. The album features 14 tracks, each with artistic lyricism and homey music in the style of country folk and soft rock.
“Deeper Well” being her most recent work has accurately illustrated the reality of rediscovering oneself after losing the possibility of a life they had previously believed was promised. The album kicks off with “Cardinal” a folksy and Fleetwood Mac-esque approach to discussing the experience of receiving possible signs from the world beyond in the form of a cardinal bird.
She writes, “Cardinal / are you bringing me a message from the other side / cardinal / are you tellin’ me I’m on somebody’s mind? / don’t leave me behind.” She describes the battle between this universe and an “other side,” despite it never being clearly defined. She alludes to the “other side” being translated to life after death and continues to mull over the concept in track seven, “Dinner with Friends.”
“The shape of his heart / and my shoes by his door / he loves me in all of the ways that I never felt love before / things I would miss / from the other side,” she writes. She begins to list the simple and mundane things in her life she would miss if she were to cross the metaphorical bridge.
Musgraves began her music career in the early 2000’s but reached established stardom in 2018 after the release of her Grammy Award winning Album of the Year, “Golden Hour.” In 2020, she divorced American singer-songwriter Ruston Kelly whom she had married in 2017. This sparked the creation of her preceding album “Star-Crossed” in 2021 which highlighted the ups and downs of marriage and revealed what had gone on behind closed doors.
Musgraves has succeeded alongside the ability to step out of her “musical wheelhouse” and take a stab at various genres of music. The release of “Deeper Well” has perhaps redeemed her authenticity considering she has been rumored to follow in the footsteps of other big-name singers who have made the transition from country to pop, such as Taylor Swift.
After releasing her preceding album “Star-Crossed,” it appeared as though she was resonating more with the instrumentation used in pop music. However, “Deeper Well” certainly made the leap to strip her music down to its bare bones featuring her vocals and the acoustic guitar. The choice made the album a soft and easy listen for fans, giving them no choice but to absorb what she is trying to describe and relay.
A common theme throughout the album is the idea of grounding oneself and regaining the ability to grasp onto a sense of self.
In the track, “Deeper Well,” she writes, “But you’ve got dark energy / something I can’t unsee / and I’ve got to take care of myself / I’ve found a deeper well.” She describes the difficulty of cutting ties with a beloved former partner who is no longer good for her and investing in the deepest relationship she will ever have: The one she shares with herself.
Not only does she showcase the more existential and heavy matters in her life, but she also outlines to listeners the excitement and lure that comes with falling for someone new. The third track on the album, “Too Good to be True” describes the butterfly feeling she experiences as a result of the clash between enchantment and unease.
She writes, “Please don’t make me regret / opening up that part of myself / that I’ve been scared to give again / be good to me and I’ll be good to you.” Musgraves describes the internal battle one comes to face when contending with yet another who will provide her with love, or just another lesson to learn from.
She does her best to get the point across that “less is more” and the true victories in life are not measured in money and fame. Rather, it is proven by the kind of person we are to others and our devotion to being down-to-earth in all senses of the phrase.
Track 11, “Lonely Millionaire” stands out among the rest in both instrumentation and lyricism. It starts with a muffled piano leading the melody while being counted in by the soft yet sharp tapping on a drum rim. Musgraves goes on to describe the lavish luxuries that those in a similar tax bracket tend to enjoy such as gold jewelry, private drivers, diamonds, etc.
She writes, “Be careful what you wish for, I see it all the time / the money and the diamonds and the things that shine / can’t buy you true happiness.” From this track it is safe to say that she has a “take it or leave it” attitude toward fame, and that it is humbling to experience, having grown up in a small Texas town.
She finishes with “Nothing to be Scared Of” which highlights the struggle of resisting the urge to overthink and worry about life’s natural course.
“I made a list of everything that I’ve been busy chasin’ / but if a train is meant for me / it won’t leave the station and pull away,” she writes. She goes on to describe the experience of letting her guard down after being so careful for so long, as if to remind listeners that the good and the bad are all a part of the experience. Life will naturally execute its ebb and flow, but to try and interfere with what is meant for you will only complicate the process.
“Deeper Well” serves as an accurate representation of Musgraves being in the spring of her life while feeling the frigid winter air on its way out.
Feature image courtesy of Kelly Christine Sutton
