Reviews (page 3 of 8)
Of course I know this one well. Has some real gems! Shocked it made the cut. Both because it’s new and because well… star-crossed biased me against her and bleeds over to her other work. On this listen, though, reminded me it is a good one. Four stars because I think it’s great - but hesitantly because my familiarity gives it an unfair boost. Other 3 stars are more musically interesting but hard to fully appreciate in one listen.
I really enjoy this album. Something about her voice that is just incredibly fun and interesting to listen to for me. This is probably her best album. 4/5.
I liked this album a lot more than I should have. Really not a fan of country, but it felt more pop with country elements. I read that Kacey wasn't a fan of making loves songs, but I found this album a lot more down to Earth and relatable and didn't feel over exaggerated sappy love like most do. There were two songs with a a banjo in the background, Slow Burn and Oh, What a World that really reminded me of another album from the 70's that I just cannot place. That's kind of the problem with doing this list. Listening to an album every day, I can't remember them all. But I liked these songs. High Horse was fun and has a good disco sound. Overall a great album that was quite emotional, optimistic and appreciative, which is a breath of fresh air.
Sehr wohlwollende vier Sterne... drei hätten es aber wahrscheinlich auch getan. Schönes Album.
Tolles Album und der Albumtitel passt perfekt. "Butterflies" der Über-Hit, aber auch ansonsten durchgängig auf hohem Niveau.
Ich schwanke zwischen 4 und 5, weil Country Pop jetzt nicht wirklich kein Genre ist, aber das ist schon eine verdammt gute Songsammlung, die hier geboten wird. In Summe gefällt mir das auch deutlich besser als die Country-Sachen, die ich von Taylor Swift so gehört habe.
Das ist zwar nicht meine Musik, aber versuchend, die objektive Brille aufzusetzen, kann ich eigentlich nichts wirklich Negatives daran finden (außer, dass es zum Ende hin dann doch wieder etwas redundant klingt). Hab's im Auto gehört und fand's echt ganz schön.
Despite my initial disappointment that her song "Velvet Elvis" was not a Cover of the Weird Al song, I found this album highly enjoyable.
Beautiful album. Did feel like it dragged a little. No bad songs on here. Female country singers are definitely better than male country singers.
I like this album, I think it's very good, but I genuinely do not believe this to be a record you must hear before you die.
Kacey Musgraves' Golden Hour seems to be a shining example of modern country music done right, and honestly I couldn't agree more. This project is sweet like honey and colorful like a bed of flowers, and doesn't hit any of the stereotypes most people associate with Country music nowadays. Instead Golden Hour embraces the uniqueness of Kacey Musgraves with her country twang added on as an extra flavor to the music. I think the Daft Punk like vocals on Oh, What a World did take me out of the album, but only slightly to question why they were there in the first place. This album sounds great otherwise with Kacey's vocals carrying the listener through the 45 minute runtime with such ease. It is a soft country pop album that I think deserves the praise it gets.
I’m gonna go on a tangent here - I’m not American and as such it wasn’t like country music was always around. Whe I tried to get into it the older stuff was boring and flat and the newer stuff just didn’t feel like it was for me. It seems that about a decade ago something shifted in country music, some artists drew deeper into the music’s roots like Tyler Childers, others refreshed their sound with influences from indie rock and modern folk like Kacey Musgrave. This makes for some great music driven by Musgrave’s excellent songwriting. Totally deserves a spot here and bumping it to four since I really enjoyed it.
Some really pretty songs, but got grating as it went on.
Oli kiva kuunnella! Todella miellyttävä ääni Kaceylla.
I was pleasantly surprised by this, not really into country music and I thought this chick was a pop star but this was pretty good.
4 Albums in a row that actually weren't in the 1,001 book. My playlist is incorrect!!
that was great. my best friend loves kacey musgraves but i've never sat down and listened to a full album of hers. oh what a world was awesome
Very pleasant listen
Genuinely surprised how much I enjoyed this!
I like pop, I like some country/folk, and I like some pop mixed in with country and folk. That being said, if she dialed down the pop by 10% I could’ve seen this as a 5. Solid 4. It was enjoyable, artistic, passionate, skillful and catchy. It’s hard to explain because repetition is the entire point of a song, in some form or another. But I found a few of the songs to be slightly dulled by what I would consider gratuitous repetition. Especially for someone who clearly can write a good lyric or tell a story.
There’s something to be said about the simplicity of this album. Mostly acoustic, not too many frills, beautiful voice, and just good old fashioned songwriting. I would definitely understand arguments against it but I just really liked it. Also, a rare album to have the last song be the best. Rainbow is just so good. Beautiful piano ballad.
I really like this album! I think a lot of problems people have with modern country music is the simplicity of its lyrics i.e. beer, trucks, and freedom. One thing I didn't think about is changing up the perspective from male to female. A country song from the female perspective feels much more meaningful. It's more of a singer songwriter who happens to have a country accent, rather than stereotypical pop country. I enjoyed the whole album from front to back. I'll be looking out for a copy on vinyl. I could see myself rating this a 5 with a few more listens.
I've never listened to any of Kacey's catalog at all, as I am not a country fan, so color me surprised when I really liked this album. I get why some would be turned off by this, in part because it is a country album at heart, or the fact that if anything it is bordering on adult contemporary music, but I found this pleasant to listen to. The first half of this album is packed with good songs, including Slow Burn (which was my favorite), Lonely Weekend, and Butterflies. Even Mother, which was a bit of a throw away given how short it is, was a decent tune. The second half isn't quite as good to me, though I think it is more diverse - e.g. wouldn't expect a dance song like High Horse on here. What keeps this from being a 5-star album to me is that I think the song writing lacks at times. It's just too simple and/or disconnected in the lyrics for me to think this is an amazing album. That said, the song structure is solid and the songs are generally catchy, even if they are a leisurely stroll. I see in Wikipedia that she is credited for throwing in yacht rock, electronic, or disco elements, but if anything this feels like a mid 90s album that calls back to something that could have been created by Sarah McLaughlin or Natalie Merchant. All in all, I understand why this was so well received and it's included here. A 4-star record.
I’m not a country fan at all, but Kacey Musgraves is one of the few artists I actually enjoy. You can hear the pop influence in a lot of these tracks, and that definitely softens the country edge, but honestly her voice is what makes this album work. She sounds smooth and effortless on every song. The whole album just has this warm, floaty vibe that’s really easy to sink into. Even when the production leans more country, it never turns into that twangy stuff that usually makes me check out fast. For someone who normally avoids the genre, I ended up liking this a lot. Kacey just has a way of making everything sound better. Favorite song: Happy & Sad
This is produced and mixed very oddly. Weird panning and odd placement for the vocals. I expected this to be more country, but it ended up being more chill indie. I can see the Taylor Swift comparisons, but this is more relaxed.
7/10 Favorite: Velvet Elvis
Rainbows, butterflies are my favorites. Beautiful lyrics
I'm pretty out if it so while I had heard of her, I never consciously heard her before. What a delight! I'm in.
enjoyable
Great country album. Good lyrics.
Pretty good
4.3 Ive always had kind of a soft spot (and a hard-on for that matter) for Kacey Musgraves without really listening to her stuff. In what I have heard in passing, I thought she had a great voice. The album was really fantastic with a couple of caveats. The great voice; yeah its there but there is ALOT of autotune throughout especially on the the double tracked vocals. The lyrics; are they the most deep and impactful thing I have ever hear, no, but they are fun enough for a pop/country album. For me the production (aside from the vocal manipulation) is a masterpiece. Daniel Tashian and Ian Fitchuk deserve alot of the credit in the arrangements. Nashville guns for hire. This will be my guilty pleasure when we are through the 1001 (1084 and counting) albums
This album is so chill! 420 LFG.
4.5
This one surprised me. Beautiful, understated songs. Her voice is great. Maybe the production was a little too “slick,” but this was a very nice album.
I'm not usually a fan of country music, but this is truly excellent. It has that mix of sincere-almost-wholesome and brutally-real, which reminds me of Dolly Parton.
Not many thoughts, but it worked very well as background music while working on some coding. I really liked Velvet Elvis and Space Cowboy, but can't really put into words why.
Great. Really enjoyed
Lovely album. Her voice is very easy on the ears. I like the mix of country with modern sounds.
This is actually fourth out of her five albums for me, with *star-crossed* being my least. My favorites are truly her first two albums which really have an earnest charm to them. Her writing even somewhat reminded me of John Prine in its matter of fact style lyrics and aiming straight to the point with a humorous wink. (*Same Trailer, Different Park*, *Pagent Material* and *Deeper Well* I have all at 4½★s) I guess what gets me about this album is I think she traded some of earnestness in for a glossier more modern production. In fact the production of this album really reminds me of Jenny Lewis's *Voyager* album from four years earlier, for some reason. That's not to say this album doesn't work it actually works pretty well and it is a gorgeous listen. Both the opening "Slow Burn" and closing "Rainbow" are as good as anything she's done. And I still love her turn of phrase (I really dig the coy comma in "Space Cowboy") But then there's the disco fuled "High Horse" and the not even fun goofiness of "Velvet Elvis". The rest of the album is fine, I just wish the sonics focused on her and her writing rather than the shine around it. (8.65) ★★★★
# Album Name: Golden hour # Artist: Kacey Musgraves # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: Quite surprised by this one. Good voice and some pretty good tunes. First 4 songs a good and the last three. Lulls in the middle. Low 4. # Top Tunes: First 4 songs a good and the last three # Would I listen to it again? Yes
Unexpectedly great. This has emotional depth that I just wasn't ready for, but very welcome here in the streaming era. Sweet voice and good songwriting that hits the sweet spot between rock and country. In a sea of negativity on this list, here's a rare work of sincerity and optimism. Real.
For country music, this is really good. I could see myself listening to this again for sure. Very pleasant. 3.5/5
Country music rarely sounds like this nowadays.
Radiant & authentic country-pop album, surprised myself that I enjoyed this as much as I did. “Slow Burn” is a brilliant opening track & the general flow of the album never loses pace or appeal, despite a couple of fillers.
Can’t call this country. This is a pop album. And it’s a good one. Great voice, good lyrics, and good production. Worthy of a relisten and then some.
Very nice - more folk that I thought it would be. Good tone, songwriting. Look forward to hearing more from her.
Not really a country fan, but this album holds a special place in my heart. My wife got well into it during Covid Lockdown so I heard it quite a bit and because she likes it so much and was singing along I have a fondness for it. So this country album bucks the trend for me for those reasons.
I love her earlier, cheekier country & western style albums, but this album is still great. Much more pop-oriented and straightforward.
A delight! Came close to 5, but didn't get all the way there (not enough range). Hope to return to this many times in the future.
I think this album is awesome.. I remember listening to it the first time, being pretty blown away by Slow Burn and not totally gelling with the rest, but it’s really solid, nicely layered country pop! A really good collection of songs!
huge album that gets an incredible amount of play of play in our house... i really don't like the wonder woman song but i enjoy everything else! How could I not like my nephew's fav album...
Maybe a little delicate for my taste, but there are some terrific songs on here. It's cool when a relative unknown hits a wave of genius.
I saw Kacey Musgraves on tour, opening for Harry Styles, to promote this album. What a fantastic show that was! Butterflies is my favourite song by Kacey.
Fav: Lonely Weekend Least Fav: Mother Another lovely surprise, this album helps prove to me that country sounds best when it barely sounds like country (there are some exceptions however)
yee- and i cannot stress this enough, haw some of these songs remind me of Goldie POV Scroldie too, maybe thats a good point of inspo for future fics xd But yeah this album is good and Kacey hones in a good mix of pop and country where her voice enchants me on what love feels like.
Dont listen to much stuff like this but i appreciate a lil variety. Realized i kinda liked kacey musgraves from a couple christmas songs so i was excited to hear the whole thing. Theres some hits and misses, its not very consisten interms of how much i like the songs but is consistent in vibe. She does have such a soft like passive voice and at times it has a "go with the flow" fun ethereal vibe to it but in some songs it sounds yearnful in a way that feels like youve given up. Not sure how to describe it any way else.
4.5 stars. Pop take on country done really well. Talented songwriter and singing voice has just enough twang to match the music. Favorite is leadoff "Slow Burn". No weak tracks across the board. Last three are more overtly pop.
It was okay, I don't personally groove with what she says but I honestly can't say any flaws in the album. It's objectively 4/5
8/10
For an album that made me roll my eyes when I heard the singer's country twang in the first seconds, I ended up enjoying it way more than I expected and I was left very impressed on my first listening. The charming aspect of this record relies in its instrumentation and production, as I do believe it sounds gorgeous. These traits are what mainly carries a lot of the album, as I found the lyrics to be very mediocre when I gave it a more in-depth listening. What I found interesting about the instrumentation, which makes this album set apart from other country music, is that it borrows a lot of elements from pop. It has a lot of details and chord progressions that I didn't find in other country releases that I've heard, and I think the greatest example would be the song 'High Horse', having that distinguishable pop rythm and style of singing mixed with a very catchy chorus. Overall, I did quite enjoy this album and I think it is very consistent.
Sweet and mellow sound, good stories
This album caught me by surprise.
Album #23 of my 1,001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die list Kacey Musgraves - Golden Hour This album isn’t a new one for me, as I listened to it for about 3 months straight when it came out. I had already been a fan of Musgraves, but this album probably tripled her fanbase, if not more. It’s a very sleek blend of country-pop. The kind of sound country music radio loves these days, except Musgraves is a woman & isn’t talking about getting her teenage queen liquored up in the bed of her pickup. I’m not sure how the song Rainbow wasn’t a huge smash crossover hit, & maybe it was, but it should have also won all the awards because it’s just beautiful. Space Cowboy & High Horse are also great jams. Even if you don’t like country music, you’ll dig this.
This album is real good
So I'll start this off by saying this is the music Taylor Swift thinks she writes. Actual artistic, Americana ripe with allegory, heartful stories and just b e a utiful melodies and voicings. Ive been quietly following Kasey from about 2017, pre-grammies. And have enjoyed her throughout. My only gripe is this... While her music had touched the souls of many and have reached those who swore off country forever. Its fallen into the hands of the Coachella/Target/Labubu/Crumbl cookie demographic. Thus forcing actual country western and americana fem fatales into obscurity. The biggest crime about the alt country genre is that for the last 10-15 years its been the only good country to exsist. Please if ur reading this and like this album go listen to; Christina Vane, Riddy Arman, early Sierra Ferrell, Molly Tuttle, Esther Rose, Noeline Hoffman, and better yet get your ears on the the youtube channel "Western AF".
This album was somewhere between a 3-4, and I've decided to give it a 4 because there wasn't anything I really didn't like about it (other than the fact there wasn't anything I really liked about it). I was really surprised to find that this album appears in 'Apple Music's 100 Best Albums of All Time', and similar lists written in the last few years. I can't help but feel like this is a product of recency bias, in much the same way that 'Robbie Williams - Life Thru a Lens' was considered one of the greatest albums of all time in it's time. I'll be happy to be proven wrong, but I only listened to it yesterday and I've forgotten it already.
Favourites: Lonely Weekend; Butterflies; Oh What A World; Wonder Woman; High Horse; Golden Hour
Country
Knows exactly what it wants to be and executes it well. Very pleasing to listen to pop country album, and sometimes that’s all i need.
very very good!
Very nice balance of country and pop with a decent variety of sounds, immaculate production, and great hooks.
Good but not more
This is modern country-pop to a T. As of the past couple of years, this kind of music (but even more "canned industry faux") has frustratingly populated the charts. THAT BEING SAID, this is certainly better than that bullshit, even though track-to-track it's a bit samey. Take it from a certified country hater.
I have loved this album from Day 1. So many smart songs! “Space Cowboy” is an all-time fave for me. And Musgraves’s delivery is engaging and absorbing. This is probably close to a 4.5 for me.
I actually found this to be quite nice.
Really nice.
Well made pop
After years of having one foot in the door of fringeness and one foot out the door towards ubiquity, Kacey Musgraves broke through for good with Golden Hour, the country album of the moment that seeks to stand the test of time. While not exactly achieving that, Golden Hour still remains a solid collection of songs that encapsulated Kacey's trajectories and how it informed her music. When it is all said and done, Golden Hour could rank as Kacey's finest hour. Favorites: Slow Burn, Lonely Weekend, Butterflies, Oh, What a World, Love is a Wild Thing, Space Cowboy, Velvet Elvis, High Horse, Golden Hour.
Oh my wow, she cooked on this one. I grew up listening to country radio and I had to endure afternoons full of the same Florida Georgia Line bullshit. This is a game changer. I remember hearing a lot about it when it was around and it winning Grammys and all, but I wrote it off as country I wasn't going to understand. I was a bit skeptical about it when I started it this morning, but I am so glad to be wrong. Some of the tracks here are brilliant and though I am not a fan of this "big pop production" style and a lot of the songwriting cliches, I don't care. It's a well crafted album that pushes beyond the boundaries of country at a time where it was mostly beers, bros, country girls and the usual crap. The cowgirl gets it done alright. (I also drank a shit ton of caffeine during this listen and when High Horse dropped, that took me to another place. 8/10, 4/5)
Beautiful, ethereal contemporary country music. I love this album.
this is horrible. It sounds like construction noise. Is that why the genre is called industrial?
i really enjoyed this one! she's got a nice voice. this reminds me a lot lyrically of female-led country from the early 2000s. nice to see a woman on the list.
i enjoyed this album overall. pleasant vibes, solid songwriting, and a nice change of pace from the average album on this list. my biggest critique is that it was all a bit too mellow and quit feeling so unique and special once all the songs started feeling similar. still, i'll come back to these in the future, especially the second best song ever written about a velvet elvis. favorites: slow burn, butterflies, love is a wild thing, space cowboy, velvet elvis, rainbow
Skön singer song writer med lagom mycket personlighet. Fina klassiska arrangemang. Fyra
I really liked this!
Quite enjoyed. 4/5
i was pretty into this album at release but had the distinct displeasure of working in retail at the time and had to hear High Horse about 5 million times, which really killed my enthusiasm or really any positive feeling towards the album. given some space (cowboy) though, I'm right back to thinking it pretty much slaps
Rento
Tykkään tästä. Perus popbanjo-biisejä, kaunis perus laulu, kauniit perus sanat, kaikki tehty taiten niin, että on miellyttävä kuunnella mutta ettei musiikki kuitenkaan jää miksikään äänipankkibulkiksi. Mikä on wikiartikkelissa mainittu yacht rock? Kesältä tää albumi kyllä kuulostaa.
Altid lækkert at genbesøge den her!
Very well produced. Great voice, great songs, country pop all the way! High Horse 🐴💨
A solid, thoughtful, interesting record. My daughter loves it. As a person who’s been through a divorce, I could not listen to it twice.
I liked it better than I thought I would.
Kacey has a wonderful voice. I like this more than I thought I would. Very easy going music and feels different than most generic pop country now a days for the mouth breathers. I don’t know if Id personally come back to it but I wouldn't shy away from telling people its a decent to listen to as well. 3.5 gonna round up.
Love this album
4/5. "Oh no! An album that released after 1990! How will I handle new information!" That's how some of you all sound. Chill, make your own list if you don't like this one and explore something new for once. Some of you just want validation for records you like to be on this list. For the review, it took me some time to get into the album at first since Country is not my go to genre but letting it play slowly, and letting it just trail off, really allowed me to appreciate the calmness and sweetness of the record. I don't think it's a perfect record but there is some great songwriting and singing on this one. The lyrics are a little simple at times and some songs could be passed in the run time but overall, a great indie country album. Best Song: Space Cowboy, Rainbow, Butterflies
Amazing album. The songs in the middle feel kind of forgettable, but the last quarter of the album is banger after banger. Big fan of the way Kacey printed her sensitivity into these songs.
Not a Kacey fan but this is awesome. I get the complaint about how it can be boring, or songs sound similar, but IDGAF I really enjoy this Best Song: Rainbow Rating: 8/10 (Excellent) Stars: 4/5
Pretty chill!
Has a voice I would love to wake up to. A sweetness that doesn't overwhelm
Cheesy in a good way
Just lovely, bringing joy to the new day
The melodies, the harmonies are all gold. If you take out the country twang this would be a solid 5 but alas it’s a 4
This is the most recent album I've received so far. Even though I usually hate country music (especially modern country) I've always had a fondness for Kacey Musgraves. Her music is so sweet and more poppy like early Taylor Swift music. I don't think Golden Hour is Kacey's best album but I understand why its included on this list. Favorite track: Rainbow 3.5/5
High Horse is a banger Everything just sounds like a hit Its not super my thing. But its definitely enjoyable. This is the only way I can enjoy country music, when it's barely country music The closer Rainbow, is like a beautiful billy joel ballad, and I mean that in the most complimentary way possible. It's beautiful
8/10
pleasantly surprised at how much i enjoyd this
she really knows how to make melodies, oooh boy. It’s so stunning, the notes, the vocals, the warm, dreamy instrumentals. Every sound feels like sunlight hitting your face after a long winter. The production is so clean yet so comforting, blending country and pop perfectly. The themes she touches: love, self-reflection, peace... fit her voice and the instrumentation beautifully. There isn’t a single bad song here; everything flows like one beautiful dream.
A name I know, but don’t think I’ve listened to before. Diggin: Love is a Wild Thing, Space Cowboy, Happy & Sad, and Velvet Elvis I like her voice and I always love a good banjo. I can see myself liking the album more with another listen. 3.5 stars, but I’ll give it a 4 on here for the future potential.
I don't like country. But I really liked this album. Started with instant recoil from the typical country twang and is that freakin' banjo? But then...hey, these lyrics are pretty interesting. Hey, I think I like her voice. Hey, that's an interesting chord progression - very different from basic country. Hey, that's a really catchy track. Hey, I've been listening to these songs for days and they are completely stuck in my head. It's still a little bit too much country which keeps me from calling it a 5, but this is really good country. Favorite tracks: Slow Burn, Lonely Weekend, Oh, What a World, Love is a Wild Thing, Happy & Sad, High Horse.
Nice introspective love songs with some very sharp hooks. There are a few songs that are noticeably weaker than the others but no matter what, the vibes are nice and it’s a lovely album
Really liked this one.
Lemppari: oh, what a world Vähiten lemppari: high horse
This is definitely more like a pop album with a country twang than it is a country album with a pop twang. I think there's a difference. There is in my head anyway. There's some unique production things going on that make more than a few songs pretty atmospheric and it really tiptoes the line of pop and country. It's a really nice mixture of both and hits a good sweet spot. The added synth and strings really elevate the tracks. Kacey has a really lovely voice with an ever so slight southern drawl that makes it very appealing to listen to. She has some catchy vocal lines and the more pop influenced tracks are ear worms in themselves. 'High Horse' is the catchiest track and also my favourite on the album. It's nothing mindblowing, but it is a very pleasant listen and I would happily stick it on at any time. A generous four from me.
Fröhlicher Country Pop, nicht zu kitschig.
First album from modern era (2018) and the first pop album. I can appreciate this is C&W but sounds like more of a pop crossover to me. Either way a welcome break from the endless heavy rock male dominated albums that predominate the albums so far. 4 stars.
Oof... I mean... within the first few milliseconds I was more inclined to Ugh... Here we go, some kind of country cross-over. Banjo, horse, truck, warbley slide guitar, more banjo, cowboy, Tennessee, bard on the street, mandolin, John Wayne... And then so many pretty chord changes, Daft Punk vocoder, Tame Impala grooves, heart-dissolving Daniel Lanois washes. I mean WTF!? FFS I hate country and Taylor Swift. This record confounds a lot of hate. =]
Love the vocal texture on Slow Burn. Butterflies is a pretty on the nose country love song that does a good job with its earnestness. It's almost cloying but some clever lyric play keeps it just shy of it for me. Space Cowboy walks a similar line for me. Kacey is a very clever lyricist.
This has some really lovely songs on it, perfect for a sunny day. I thought I would hate it as the lyrics to the first track are spectacularly inane but got into it, Oh, What A World, High Horse and Golden Hour are my favs
I love this. It’s wispy country folk from a woman’s perspective. I got the chills from her voice and simple yet impactful songwriting. Slow Burn and Wonder Woman are two standouts for me.
Enjoyable. I thought I was gonna hate it since I'm not very keen to modern pop and country. Would listen to it again.
I really liked this - I can sometimes find country a bit twee but this doesn't really feel like that. Her voice is so captivating - I could listen to it for hours. The musical backdrop is a somewhat "easy listening" but she has an ear for a melody Props also for using a metaphor of a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis. Kacey knows her biology
Actually pretty good!
Nice blend of country and pop, kind of album that feels like a hug for the soul. Will revisit again with slowburn and space cowboy stand out songs
It’s not an incredible album by any stretch but as easy listening country albums go, it’s very beautiful and props to using the word chrysalis in a song to ms muzzy.
Poppy, nostalgic, beautiful and well-crafted — a nice surprise on Saturday morning.
Solidly good songwriting, but her voice! Very sweet. Will listen to more of her stuff. Mother, Slow Burn, Velvet Elvis, and Rainbow were faves.
A name I know, but don’t think I’ve listened to before. Diggin: Love is a Wild Thing, Space Cowboy, Happy & Sad, and Velvet Elvis I like her voice and I always love a good banjo. I can see myself liking the album more with another listen. 3.5 stars, but I’ll give it a 4 on here for the future potential
This was great. I’ve only listened once, so there’s not any songs that I can specifically point to for ones I’ll go back to. But I will definitely listen to this in full again.
I liked High Horse, Butterflies, and Space Cowboy, and generally enjoyed the overall album sound. No amazing tracks, but a consistent and pleasant feel.
Enjoyed this. Maybe a bit repetitive but I'm gonna be generous and give a four.
If the album started like it ended then this would have been a five-star album, also had the bonus songs from the Japanese version been on the main album I think it would have undoubtedly been a five-star
Started off really liking this, there are some bangers on here I'll listen to again but it trailed off a bit at the end which is a real shame because it was close to a 5.
I didn't exactly have the highest hopes for Golden Hour seeing as its a country album and I'm usually not a huge fan of those but it actually turned out to be a pretty nice surprise. The songs here are some of the most pleasant and relaxing ones i have heard from this project and the album still managed to be super melodic which is also another pretty decent plus for this album. The production here is also really good and the lyrics are also really good. Some of the songs could get a little samey but never enough to detract from my enjoyment. This album was quite a big surprise to me and it was certainly a good one. Best Song: Velvet Elvis Worst Song: Mother Side Note: Since this review is gonna go up on the first of the new year. To everyone reading this review, happy new year. May 2025 bless us all with great albums.
incredibly comforting, her voice is magic, and every single guitar, bass and drum tone hits like soft cushions
Moderne country?? Wel mooi ben fan Maar is dit nou 1001?
Actually worked very nicely as background for work
Cute ☺️
Definitely surprising. I haven't heard of this artist before, but apparently she sees a lot of radio play. Fun album. Feels a lot more genuine than other compemporary pop-country artists. The disco beat tracks, synthed drums and vocoder stuff is all wicked fun and gives this album a solid boost past "generically forgettable" into "hmm, that's kind of fun." Will probably re-listen in the future.
-wow this is actually lovely, she has a great voice! wasn’t really expecting to find something like this on here tbh. Kind of a mixture between contemporary pop and country maybe? A bit inoffensive but I still like it -fun fact the song High Horse would play CONSTANTLY at my old job and I hated it so much but never knew what it was… now I’ve heard it properly I actually kinda like it -Favorites are Slow Burn, Wonder Woman, and High Horse
Actually liked this much more than I expected to. There's something so wholesome and down to earth about this album. The songs are introspective and focus on common experiences of love and growth in a endearing and grounded way. Kasey walks the edge between sounding like a weathered country/folk woman and a bright eyed teenage country/pop singer songwriter. Something about this works in a way that means I can't hate it despite how I normally feel about over produced country pop. There are a couple of great songs I know I'll come back to but 'Slow Burn' is going on the regular cycle.
Really lovely voice. Songs are kind of repetitive/sound similar but found the album to be enjoyable
Good!
Really liked this, 4.5/5. Was familiar with some of the songs beforehand, which is always nice Feels like a weird one to listen to when you're not yet over a weird breakup for a relationship that never quite was. I think that's true of a lot of music though. Why is everything about love! Think I'll be less resistant to some of this album when things feel less raw, and that's okay - that's a me issue, not a Kacey one Loved the vibe shift on High Horse, that was a lot of fun Did enjoy this a lot. Thank you Kacey. Will be listening to more of you I think!
Very nice
I liked this one a lot more than I expected to! Her voice is great.
extremely precise and sentimental modern country, kinda washed over me but i deliberately let it do so. extremely good After Your Shower tunes, and would occasionally demand my full attention with an excruciatingly beautiful melody or delivery. what i caught of the lyrics always seemed extremely emotive and sweet and likable. im pretty disconnected from the resurgence country has seen in the mainstream recently, or well actually anything thats been popular recently tbh FSFHJSFHJSF. also this probably isnt exactly in that category esp cuz its pre-pandemic when pop culture seemed to Make More Sense lol. great and comfy record tho
Lovely country pop.
The the rest of the album was as good as the first amd last songs, this would be an easy 4 stars. But, the majority is more in the 3-star range. That said, rounding up because I'm having a good day, and this album fits it's vibe
A few of these songs were already in rotation on various playlists of mine (High Horse and Slow Burn) but in listening to the whole thing all the way through, I was struck by the sweetness of her voice (almost Dolly Parton-esque) and playfulness of her lyrics. The twee-ness wears a little thin with Wonder Woman, but otherwise really enjoyed a lot of the songs I wasn't as familiar with (Oh What a World, Space Cowboy, Love is a Wild Thing.)
I’ve been listening to Kacey Musgraves a bit this year, between “Blowin’ Smoke”, her duet with Zach Bryan “I Remember Everything”, and her recent album Deeper Well. It is only fitting that I get to check out her breakthrough album. Golden Hour is a good pop country record in its own right. I enjoyed Kacey's expressive charisma, as her vocals come out clear and layered well in the mix, with only a few touches of reverb and a bit of vocoder on "Oh, What a World" that never came off as obtrusive. The instrumental arrangements are similar to traditional country songs but with more languid grooves, which makes for an overall pleasing listen. There are some standout moments such as the stripped-down piano ballad "Rainbow", the key shift on the bridge of "Space Cowboy", and the keen touches of pedal steel, harmonica, and banjo on "Oh, What a World". I also dug that from a lyrical standpoint, while there is a fair amount of love and affection on display, there's also an underlying melancholy that lurked - the breakup on "Space Cowboy", the cold loneliness of "Lonely Weekend", the lingering feeling that the happiest moments don't last long enough on "Happy & Sad", and the acceptance of imperfections from a partner on "Wonder Woman". Yet for as much as I enjoyed Golden Hour, I don't consider it as lyrically deep or as genre-bending as it might have been marketed. I'll admit, I've been listening to indie country for a couple of years now outside of this journey, and I know other women out there who have made more compelling or experimental country music yet haven’t gotten the same amount of attention as Kacey has—Karen Jonas and Emily Scott Robinson, to name a few. Even Kacey herself has done better in the past; I think back to "Blowin' Smoke" from her debut Same Trailer, Different Park and that song had more sarcasm and wit in the lyrics that the songs on this album don't quite match. Not helping matters are certain percussive and melodic elements that are awkwardly blended, like the staccato piano and guitars that lead into "Butterflies" or the blown-out guitar solo of "Velvet Elvis". At the end of the day, I still consider Golden Hour to be an enjoyable record. Sure, there may be some missteps here and there, and it's not as ambitious as it was hyped up to be, but still a fun album that I can see myself revisiting. I'm glad for Kacey's continued success, and I hope that rings true for other up-and-coming country women out there.
I like the album. The lyrics are simple and the melodies are straightforward, but the songs hit notes on the emotions that make you want to listen over again.
Not my fave but very calming
nice blend of pop and country, one of the few modern country albums/artists i enjoy listening to
Good, sounds more poppy than the country that I expected.
Nice new Country sound
Golden Hour is the fourth studio album by Kacey Musgraves, originally released in 2018. Kacey Musgraves is a name I always hear in the Indie pop scene, but never got a chance to check out until now. Man, this is a near perfect pop record. It perfectly balances country, singer/songwriter, indie, dance, and more. The genre blending on here was way more varied than I expected. The songwriting is solid too. This reminds me of the 70s Laurel Canyon singer/songwriter scene, only a more modern version. I really enjoy when pop artists take influence from what came before them, and wear those influences on their sleeve. The only drawback for this record is the lack of vocal range presented on here, which can make some of the songs monotonous at moments. However, I think the musical ideas on here are interesting enough to make up for that for the most part.
Most, if not all of the songs on this album are of the same tone but they were pleasant, easy to listen to and I like her voice.
It really tiptoes the line of what I dislike about modern pop and what I dislike about modern country in a way that succeeds at avoiding both.
There are a few flat spots, yet the good songs more than compensate!
What a vibe, really good vocals
Really pleasant country pop that doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not. The lyricism is excellent even if there isn’t much variation musically.
This album hits at every genre it tries. Country, Dance, Pop, heartbreaking torch songs...This record has 'em all, and does very well at each one.
Quite fun
Really good stuff
Kacey Musgraves was a surprise on this list! I wouldn't have expected her here, though I enjoy her voice and her music. Golden Hour was utterly delightful. I listened with ease and the album flew by. Though Musgraves is not the lone songwriter, I felt there was a lot of autobiographical lyrics--which could also be clever, thus adding to Musgraves' charm. "Space Cowboy" and "High Horse" might be the best examples of that. Despite witty lyrics, she allows herself to be vulnerable. The lyrics to "Rainbow" or "Golden Hour" are beautiful as a result.
Bastante más ameno de lo que esperaría. Entiendo las comparaciones ahora. Igual kacey>taylor (en country)
Ok, so the title track played at my wedding as my wife walked down the aisle. So you’ll understand if I carry just a slight sentimental bias toward this album. The short of it is, this albums starts so, so strong, drags a little in the middle, contains one song that feels pretty out of place to the rest, and finishes really strong. In more detail, this album is generally wonderful. It stays consistent with its sonic setting, where every song feels like it belongs with the others. They exist in the same space and feel like they just stitch together nicely. Except “High Horse.” That’s the one that doesn’t feel like it fits very well, if you ask me. It’s a great song, but it doesn’t feel the same as the rest. That and the robot voice on “Oh What a World.” Other than that this album is so consistently good. It’s sweet, sad, sentimental, cute, fun, and thoughtful. Sometimes it borders on corny, sometimes it actually is. But it rarely fails to entertain and I’d only skip a few tracks. It carries this laidback sound that just makes it so easy to listen to, at times deceptively so. It’s easy to forget how deep the album can be from both a musical and production standpoint, which makes it easy to think it’s a simple album. That laidback vibe can lull you into a false sense of security. I had to listen twice because that’s exactly what happened. The production really shines in that way. Also, I know Kacey is considered a country artist, but I really do think she’s shedded that genre for the most part. This album is a transition album for her, like Red was for Taylor Swift. The country elements here are present but subtle for the most part. Lyrically they’re present more than musically, I’d argue. Songs like “Space Cowboy,” “Velvet Elvis,” and “High Horse” all invoke cowboy/country imagery, but musically I wouldn’t necessarily call them country. The rest of the album could be considered pop or pop rock. Considering what she’s done since this album (the ambitious, poppy and ultimately trying-too-hard follow up “Starcrossed” and her most recent “Deeper Well” which fell a little flat in trying to return to the “Golden Hour” vibe), I think we can say she couldn’t be confined by the country label anymore. I think this album set off the transition. Overall this is a lovely album that, if not for a few skips and if it were more my genre, would’ve been five stars. As it is, four stars. Standout Tracks: Slow Burn, Butterflies, Velvet Elvis, High Horse, Golden Hour, Rainbow
4.0
I dont know if this is one of a thousand records you must hear before you die, but I really liked this.
There are some real bops on this and it made me think about summer.
Sweet voice, catchy tunes and crisp production. Perfect for a summer day.
Light and cheerful music.
Wonderful enjoyable album. Great voice and lyrics. Don't let "country western" turn you off = this is a listen!
Slow Burn Butterflies Space Cowboy High Horse Golden Hour
Maybe modern country wasn't a mistake?
Not at all what I was anticipating today. It was surprisingly and unexpectedly pleasant. Kacey takes the best parts of country and pop and blends them perfectly to make the album transcend both genres into something special.
Really enjoyed listening to this one. It was a nice surprise to hear many genres melded into an underlying country vibe.
My one abiding memory of Kasey Musgraves was her killer Coachella 2019 performance that included this great bit of banter during the live rendition of "Velvet Elvis" "When I say 'yee,' you say 'haw.' Yee! (Haw!) Yee! (Haw!)" "When I say 'yee,' you say 'haw.' Yee! (Haw!) Yee! (Haw!)" "When I say 'yee,' you say 'haw.' .....! (Haw!) ... I didn't say fuckin' Yee!" Played them like a fiddle... Started real, ended weird, par for the course when you used to do shrooms at Bonnaroo I guess.
Beautiful, catchy, and emotional. I've been really enjoying this album, so I was happy to see it on the list. I will say that I didn't enjoy each song consistently, which is why I'm giving it 4/5.
I had never heard of Kacey before, but she has such a great voice. This was an awesome country pop record that I didn’t expect to love as much as I did. A couple of songs fall flat to me, but most are awesome.
It's similar to the Adele album -- a bit too many sad notes for me
Very pleasant and easy to listen to, liked it a lot.
Slow Burn is a pretty strong start. Am I crazy? Do I love this? What's happening right now? Certainly Taylor Swift adjacent, I guess. Maybe it's that quality of sounding like songs about where I grew up? I don't know. It all works for me, though.
Never heard of her before, but thanks 1,001 for the introduction. Absolutely loved the opener - Slow Burn - an exceptional 5/5. The gentle acoustic guitar mixes perfectly with her lovely voice. Production is excellent. Lonely weekend - simple, but catchy. A 3/5 Butterflies - as per Lonely Weekend. 3/5 Oh What a world - a bit twee. 2/5 Mother - too short to rate. Nice vocals though. Love is a wild thing - guitar, banjo, vocals. 4/5 Space Cowboy - too formulaic. Too C&W. 1/5 ... For the power of the first track, I'll give this 4/5. Must listen to more of her stuff.
It's a mood
This is just a lovely album. The influences are so interesting, from Dolly Parton to Paul Simon, to disco and ELO. I love the banjo in Oh, What a World; it's so assertive and unexpected, but fits.
I really like butterflies. I love country and Pop which this album seems to blend very well. Rainbow is a good way to end the album. Some songs did not feel so special but none were by no means bad.
Une voix splendide et sans affectation. Les arrangements sont étoffés, et de belles trouvailles dans les textes.
I wouldn't ordinarily listen to this sort of country-pop but I actually enjoyed it more than I was expecting. I had never heard of Kacey Musgraves before but this was a decent listen.
Moderne country pop, rigtig føler, men også pænt lækkert
Man, this ain't country. Pop Rock at best with a smattering of steel guitar. (Is that all it takes to have a "country" album? Probably.) But released by a country artist, so I guess it blew the socks clean off of the judges who had their expectations set by the utter dreck that is "New Country". It's a lovely album. I'm glad I listened to it. I've not found anything that I'm likely to go back to, however.
'Golden Hour' has won me over throughout the years as it stands as one of the most gorgeously executed country-pop records of the 2010s ... if not a definitive release in the genre for that time. I just find all the sounds here to be immensely charming yet spacious as it cautiously avoids all the worst late 2010s pop-music cliches while still boasting high levels of accessibility (when considering this album's popularity). Every song has something different to offer on the production end, be that a slower piano-driven ballad like 'Rainbow', or the faster banger pop track that is 'High Horse'. I love the waves of what sounds like pedal steel guitar on 'Space Cowboy' that give off the mournful sound that nicely contrasts the generally happy lead instrumental melody. The song 'Happy & Sad' has Musgrave's vocals as the highlight, with one of my favorite choruses - melodically and lyrically. While her lyrics here can be easily interpreted as shallow, there's a certain charm to the direct nature of her writing; especially on songs like 'Mother' and 'Lonely Weekend'. Her vocals have a distinctive twang to them and are largely enjoyable. This album feels like a cool breeze and I usually have a smile on my face all throughout its runtime. It's certainly not for everyone, but the way it effortlessly incorporates 2010s pop elements while still sounding so lush and true to its parent genre is something that'll continue to impress me. I just wish her other stuff resonated with me as much as this album does.
Nice
3.5
Slow Burn is an absolutely amazing song that will be added to my rotation for sure! I really liked Lonley Weekend too. Then it got a little too mellow for me until Happy & Sad. From there on I liked it more than the first half. I would probably give it like a 3.8, so I’m rounding up to a 4!
Love Kacey, she’s a true lady of Americana music! 💖
Kacey Musgraves’ Golden Hour is a really timey album. It feels like country, and is labeled as such, but the feeling is very deeply rooted in pop. I find this fusion of genres excellently executed and easy to listen to. My favorites are Lonely Weekend, Love Is Wild Thing, and Golden Hour. All in all, Golden Hour is a good album. Best Song: Lonely Weekend Worst Song: Space Cowboy
Nice!
Pop country executed to near-perfection.
Svo yndislega ljúft og hárbeitt á köflum. Elska þessa plötu!
soothing voice, relaxing tunes for a sunny morning. hand picked the best parts of country music for a great harvest
Country-pop, sweet voice, I liked it. Some songs were pretty cringe though. Stand-out: Golden Hour
Didn't think I'd like it but it's dope
Good shtuff
Really liked this. Thought I’d LOVE IT after the first song but turns out that was my favorite. Good album though.
I'm not a country fan at all, but his was such a refreshing album. I would call it crossover country/folk. Her voice is twangy as it comes but her songs are really good and not corny in the least. Beautiful voice and a slightly quirky take on things you don't usually find in country.
Here I was thinking that modern country was a desolate wasteland when this album was sitting around waiting to prove me wrong. I don't know that this is an album that I'm going to come back to, but it's cool to see someone doing something interesting with country while remaining true to the genre. Her voice is beautiful, and her lyrics have the kind of accessible emotional weight that I associate with the greats of country music past 4/5
Kinda liked it.
Did not expect to like this as much as I have, well crafted songs all the way through.
3.5
Own
Usually hate country music but this was so good for some reason. All the music blends well with the lyrics with calm undertones, also gives Taylor swift vibes Favorite songs: Slow Burn, Lonely Weekend Least favorite : none 4/5
really enjoyable listen! i thought she was more straight country but definitely more pop influenced country. and then that disco song out of nowhere which hit
Not usually a country listener, but this one was easy to listen to. Although it had some questionable lyrics at times
Her voice is really beautiful. A really easy listen. 4.5
Beautiful album with distinct imagery in thr melodies and lyrics
Some lovely, well crafted songs beautifully performed, especially the first half of the album. Slow Burn stands out as a song you could listen to time and time again. The second half of the album is not quite as impressive and the songs are a little on the bland side.
Tää on sitä, mitä aina toivoisin Taylor Swiftin olevan. Kantripop tehty oikein, säilyttäen kantrin letkeyden ja vaivattomuuden. Toimii mulle nyt jopa paremmin kuin julkaisuaikanaan. 4/5
Pleasantly surprised
I liked this! Good female led country album that sets a slower pace. My only gripe is that it can drag a little too much in some places. She has some great vocals and good lyrics, makes me think of a small town country darling singing her heart out at the local bar.
Outstanding songwriting and a timeless voice. Superb.
You know, I don’t generally expect myself to enjoy country music, especially modern country. But I really liked this. It felt more like pop with a country twang. Lots of solid songwriting and interesting musical ideas. I imagine a lot of people will give this a low rating simply because they’ve decided that they hate country. I’ll say, I would consider country to be one of my least favorite genres, but my summary on this site does not reflect that. I think this list probably has higher quality country selections than some other genres (for example, I love punk music, but there’s a lot of punk on here that I don’t particularly like, so my rating for it is relatively low). In any case, I think it’s a shame if people don’t give this album the time of day simply due to its genre.
It’s giving Taylor Swift in her country era. I actually enjoyed this album more than most that I’ve listened to since beginning this journey.
Enjoyed it
Not my typical style of music, I respect it but it's a bit too melancholy for me. She's a great singer and had some good lyrics though.
country vibes, good
This is pretty chill
Kacey Musgraves has a very pleasant, pretty voice. It's a really good country pop album. Maybe a perfect pop album. Not a bad song on it. That said, I am not sure why it is among the 1001 Songs. Credit where credit is due: 7/10
Great country album.
I remember being a bit underwhelmed by Golden Hour after reading all the praise from critics and fans. It just felt a bit too poppy for my tastes. But then 'Golden Hour' and 'Rainbow' arrive and closes out the album on a perfect high note - making the whole thing seem more coherent than at first listen.
I knew that this received a good amount of praise when it was released. I enjoyed some of the songs but never thought more of it. Sometimes you just gotta listen to the critics and fans though. The production is great, the songwriting a well mixed breed of pop and country with lyrics that are… Yeah okay, they are not all that good to be honest. I really enjoy the more upbeat pop songs like the fun “High Horse” with its iconic opening - but Musgraves also hits right at home on the mellower title track and “Slow Burn”. It’s as catchy as a cowboy with a notorious aim.
Conflicted as hell by this and feel like I need to listen again to really form an opinion but I cba and am behind other albums so let’s say 4
Be-ay-yoo-tee-ful
Country Taylor swiftish
I thought this album was decent. Kacey has a good singing voice, but I don't know if I would say it's album of the year (2018). Top tracks: Rainbow, High Horse, Golden Hour
Zeer mooi plaatje
Det här är jag ju svag för. Country without the twang. Det svåra med det här ör ju att det produceras så enormt mycket i staterna. Vad gör detta unikt? Jag vet inte riktigt, men det är vackra låtar och bra framfört. Är det ett album jag kommer minnas?
This is the type of music that you listen on blast on your way back from the beach, with your hand out the window, making that wave motion people do, hair flowing, with the sun setting in the distance behind you. There’s no denying her voice is smooth, clear, and harmonious but her lyrics aren’t great. Woman version of county men talking about their trucks type lyrics. Was sad when “Space Cowboy” wasn’t about a crossover of Space Dandy and Cowboy Bebop. Oh shit, I’ve heard “Golden Hour” before. Didn’t think I heard any of her songs, was quite surprised. “Rainbow” reminded me of “When She Loved Me” from Toy Story 2. I know Tyler would give this a 0/10 if he could and will probably say this is the white girl music I like, which he’s kinda right. 7/10
She has a wonderful voice. It’s too bad I don’t like country music because this was a tasteful album. I would have preferred more pop from her versus country. Still it was pleasant to listen to. The instrumentals were clean. It’s rare that I would rate country this high so that’s really saying something. “High Horse” was my favorite song. I wanted more songs that were faster paced pop like that one. Still a great album. 7/10
This was a pleasant surprise for me. I don't listen to this genre of music too often but u have to imagine this is near the top of country pop. She has an amazing voice and I love the production on most songs as well. I remembered hearing a song I liked thinking this must be the best song then another one plays that I would like even more. There are a couple of basic songs that I would probably skip on re listens but plenty of songs I looped back to back. 8/10
Really great album! Standouts: Slow Burn, Butterflies, Space Cowboy, Mother, Rainbow 4/5
I've never listened to Taylor Swift but I'd like to imagine this is what she sounds like. I might have cheated and listened to a recent song from 2021 (cherry blossoms), her earlier stuff was more country now it's more pop. Either way, really good!
Sweet soothing pop songs. Very generic but I don't mind, it's a nice sound. Especially liked Lonely Weekend and Velvet Elvis.
Really enjoyed it. Don’t like much recent country besides Sturgill but don’t really give it a try tbh. Rating: 4.4
Uh oh. I'm not even remotely close to a country fan. We will see how this goes. Surprisingly inoffensive compared to the typical modern country album. Well, I am sure there are country purists that will not classify this as country music, which is fine. This might be the first country album I've ever liked. Is this what will prevent me from saying \"anything but country\" when people ask what I like to listen too? Maybe. Someone phrased it differently for me and it makes more sense now listening to this. I had said I do not like country and they replied or \"you just haven't found country you like yet\". I think I do actually like this. Very surprised I do, but happy I gave it a chance. Maybe it's just I like female country singers much more than male? Anyway I wouldn't mind listening to this again. 4 out of 5.
This album is decent
Country. Pop. Muy dulce y tranquilo.
Beautiful voice! Hard to go wrong with an acoustic guitar and beautiful singing voice. Has a country twang but it is very slight and could easily be a indie folk record. She is a good lyricist. Has good dance beats sometimes too. Songs <3 Lonely Weekend Space Cowboy Happy & Sad High Horse
Pretty good voice
4.3 + A potent blend of influences - I hear the simple storytelling of Crystal Gayle, the melancholy of Lana Del Rey, the artful studio mastery of Taylor Swift. Musgrave's unadorned singing and songcraft on "Slow Burn" and "Oh, What a World" are deeply affecting - I well up almost anytime I hear them. The second half offers lighter fare with "Velvet Elvis" and "High Horse" before closing out with another stunner, "Rainbow." This is music that makes you miss your mom, want to hug your dog and squeeze your baby son's tiny foot.
знаю его) он милый и голос у неё хороший, но жанр не мой
Not a country guy but this was a pleasant listen.
A very Taylor Swifty country album. Nice simple, bare-bones compositions accompanying nice vocals. This is not innovative or groundbreaking, but it is a good example of a good genre done very well.
Really good country album. Standouts: Slow Burn, Rainbow, Mother, Lonely Weekend, Butterflies, Oh, What a World, Space Cowboy. High Horse is pretty good too, but a different sound from the rest of the album. 4/5
Great sounding album (love the snare sound) and the songs are good, but I wish her voice was more interesting to me. Favorite songs: Slow burn Wonderwoman Velvet elvis (cool groove reminds me of happy pills by Nora Jones) Golden hour Space Cowboy lyrics are kind of cheesy but they work for me Least favorite: High Horse 3.5
Lovely and chilled
Really liked this, nice chilled country vibes
Really really good!
Like the country sound. Nice and summery very good for listening to in the summer
Beautiful voice.
Some good country music. Not quite my style but I can appreciate this being a great album.
A pleasant country pop album
Taking this from some reviews that I read - but it is hard to find an album you enjoy in a genre that you typically do not.
Game changer
Well this is very pleasant
Sweet
Not being a contemporary country fan, I was compelled to find out who Kacey Musgraves was after seeing her win Album of the Year in 2019. Sure enough, she was worth her salt. Golden Hour is a warm, soft album that builds on the country pop hooks while maintaining an authentic singer/songwriter base. This is helped by Musgraves' voice, which is effortlessly charming and comforting. Pretty well every song is worth it's salt here, but the opening track Slow Burn is a true beauty. High Horse is perhaps the most poppy song on the album and only slightly out of place from all the slower and stripped-down songs. It's beautiful and purposeful in it's execution, and that's all I ever really want out of an album.
I’m surprised. Her voice is wonderful and I’d call this country about as soon as I’d call kid rock rap. Only difference is that this doesn’t suck as much as that fucking guy. Although I don’t have the estrogen levels to relate to the feelings in this sign, I can relate to its passion as I hop off my misogyny horse. Great music. Great writing!
Did not know this, but its very nice listening to
Delightful album, beautifully produced, fits into a tradition of the best American country singer songwriting whilst also sounding fresh and modern.
7/10
som agradabilíssimo, voz muito boa de ouvir, country romantico e pa
Wow a country pop album that doesn't totally suck ass. It's really riding the edge of being overproduced but it mostly sounds good. Some slappers and a couple songs I wouldn't return to but nonetheless it actually isn't bad music which is insanely shocking considering how bad modern country is. It was a nice easy listen. Score: 75 Art: 70
I love Kacey's voice, it is so beautiful. The lyrics are mostly good, some a little on the nose, but it has none of that fake patriotism and redneck culture nonsense that modern country consists of. Fave songs: Slow Burn, Butterflies, Oh What A World, Happy & Sad, High Horse, Golden Hour
This is the first album I have got that I have listened to extensively and it is probably the best Country album of the 2010s. So many memorable tracks and melodies and best of all it did something few country artists are willing to do, go outside the box. The real issue I have with Country music is the fact that there is so little variety in content and themes. So much Country music is cookie cutter and this is out of the box and incorporates genres outside of Country in a pleasant way. I was reading some reviews of this and all the criticisms I saw to me are ridiculous. Someone said that the songwriting is poor but I couldn't disagree more. In a genre full of bad, repetitive, and derivative songwriting this stood out with interesting concepts and very quaint, emotional lyrics. It clearly doesn't have the lyrical depth comparable to other genres but among Country music, it is at the top. Another common criticism was that this sounded too much like pop and this is such a typical criticism of a country music listener. Country music is easily the least innovative of all the popular genres and it is to its detriment. I like Outlaw Country too but not every country album has to be that. I am not surprised that Country music fans are not open-minded but jeez it is just music sit back and enjoy. This album takes risks in the best way and it definitely paid off because this is a great album. The best songs on this album are "Velvet Elvis", "Space Cowboy", "Rainbow", "Mother", "Butterflies", "Slow Burn" and "Love Is A Wild Thing". There are not any bad tracks on this album. 9/10
Country without the country formula and country cliches. Sweet songs, if a bit simplistic, or maybe child-like is a better description, in the innocent sense.
It's a nice album - very pleasant voice and songs but reminds me of light country music a teenage girl would listen to. Nevertheless, good listen. 7/10.
Prachtige ontdekking
A fantastic listen top to bottom
I don't like country, but she enchanted me on Live from Here. I am prepared to love this. It was enchanting. Kacey tells really poignant stories. If I liked country this would be a five star album.
Not mind-blowing but pleasant enough
Great country pop album. Wife is not a fan therefore, won't buy.
First time listening. This is one of the best modern country/pop crossovers I've heard possibly ever. Kacey has really pretty vocals, particularly gripping on the opener "Slow Burn," sounds like leaves falling in autumn. The ending run of "High Horse" to "Rainbow" is godtier, and amplifies my impression/score considerably. I do think the middle of the record has a few tracks that didn't stick out to me, but may have just been my then feeling after a pair of listens. You're not going to get me to be a country music believer, but this one is a wonderful marriage of two worlds. I've noticed that sticking to women in the genre bears better results overall for me. Would give a 3.5, but rounding up as I feel this album deserves it.
A nice well-rounded album - soulful voice, wonderful blend of styles.
Went in thinking I’d hate it, but really interesting modern take on country drawing in lots of different influences
For me I find it hard to call country when I grew up listening to Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson etc. If this is what country is, its practically soft rock/pop with the odd acoustic guitar. If I listen to it without thinking its a "country" I quite enjoyed it. Songs are mellow and catchy for the most part. This would be better for my daughter to listen to than top 40. 4/5
Happy and sad at the same time
Second time listening to this album. Favorites are space cowboy, golden hour, and slow burn. I can see why it was a favorably received album. Somehow she does experimental pop with country. Mixed really well on this album.
Pretty good for country. Happy & Sad best song.
Slow and mellow album, but really liked it
Maybe when i was 13. I'm 60.
While I don’t think this quite deserves all of the acclaim it gets, it’s a nice pop country album.
I had listened to some of her other songs & didn't care for them, but this album was surprisingly good.
I shouldn't have been so cynical upon seeing country-pop as the genre tags. In fact, this whole album basically refutes the concept of cynicism in favour of a kind of melancholic hope. With slight psychedelic and electronic sounds coming through, similar to Porter Robinson imo, it keeps things interesting, but not quite enough for me. It's for sitting in the garden in the sun with a slight breeze and a good drink. 14/02/23
I was surprised to see this album show up and went in not expecting much. I definitely would say that I got more than I thought and genuinely enjoyed most of the album. Can get a little boring in some parts and some of the lyrics are a little corny, but for the most part it's unexpectedly good. Great production, structure, instrumentation, chord progressions, and vocals. I like what she's done with the genre. Taken traditional country and presented it in a way that doesn't feel stale. 4/5
po pireeee, feeling generous
Really very good. Perfect album for a Monday morning really!
I'm not Kacey's target audience, but I liked this. Chintzy, bubble gum country and western. Forerunner to so much that's massive today.