In the midst of a career filled with twists and turns, Kacey Musgraves revisits what made her a star in country music.
The Texas-born singer broke out of the country music mold with Golden Hour, blending flavors of pop and disco with a tendency for two-stepping.
After earning a Grammy for Album of the Year, Musgraves quickly pushed past the arc set for most traditional country stars. A few albums later, and it was as likely that Musgraves would sing about smoking weed and political activism as she would sing about her latest drive en route to dance under a Texas sunset.
Musgraves has gone on world tours, navigated a divorce, and surprise-headlined Coachella. But after shining in the spotlight for so long, Musgraves now returns to her familiar downto-earth charm.
Middle of Nowhere’s cover art features Musgraves in light wash jeans, a simple white tank, silver belt buckle, and cowboy hat staring in the opposite direction from a speckled longhorn.
The steer is both as a symbol of Musgraves’ roots and of the everywoman relatability she brings to heartache and crossroads.
Yet, despite the duo’s frozen stares, somewhere lurking within is the power to flex, charge, and run over anything in their respective paths in an instant.
Album opener “Middle of Nowhere” shows Musgraves is ready to leave the spotlight (and a relationship) for quieter scenery. She sings, “No service on the phone, and I’m alone/But it honestly feels good.”
“Coyote” unveils a thoughtful Musgraves who admits that she “can’t defend the way I’ve been” but is asking for forgiveness as she sings, “…just let me try/to try to find a way to change your mind…”
Musgraves’ divorce and subsequent spotty relationships overshadow the album as she grapples with how to leave one partner and move on to the next.
On “Dry Spell,” her up-and-down relationship status leads her to bemoan the fact it’s been 335 days since her last night of sex. She suggestively sings, “Ain’t nobody to roll with in the hay” and “I think it’s time for me to take the bull by the horns.”
“Rhinestoned” rests on a half-hearted pun to “get a little rhinestoned” outside the back of a bar. Musgraves sings that “she’s got a little something in her pocket” that will help her and her new lover “put a little sparkle on.”
“Mexico Honey” recounts a night of sexual fantasies both imagined and realized. Musgraves sings, “You’re going down to smooth, like Mexico Honey” and “Let me be your queen/be the tiger in your sheets” among other vulgar moments.
On “Horses and Divorces” Musgraves enlists the help of fellow Texan Miranda Lambert to rehash their common bond around divorce and taking care of horses. There’s little redemptive in their admissions as they sing, “We’ve got a few things in common/like horses and divorces and we both like to drink.” Their summary ends in a profanity-driven tirade against their exes.
“Back on the Wagon” reveals that Musgraves has found another partner. Unfortunately, she sings, “no one understands him like me/he’ll say f— it up, but we’re so in love.”
“Abilene” concerns a piece of town gossip involving a woman. Musgraves speculates that “guess the pills didn’t help, couldn’t kill the pain” and “She went out for cigarettes, ended up on a bus…”
“I Believe in Ghosts” offers a vindictive side of Musgraves as she sings, “I wish that you were dead to me/You’re better off a memory.”
“Everybody Wants to Be a Cowboy” and “Uncertain, TX” both feature an s-word and the words “a–” and “h—.”
Across the album, there are several references to suggestive sexual acts and nights filled with drinking and dancing leading to a one-night stand.
Musgraves indicates that Middle of Nowhere was written during the longest stretch of being single in her life.
It shows.
Her transitions from crushing on new love to cursing her former man are quicker than a high-noon showdown.
This latest version of Musgraves longs for solitude. She’s drifting, heartbroken, and searching for someone to share in her sorrow.
The product of her loneliness is a mismatched attempt to find a new lover at all costs. And when things don’t work out…well she’s eager to quickdraw and betray him.
Musgraves’ approach to relationships is certainly one to avoid as she embellishes her sadness with profane depictions of sex and loveless nights. Her ongoing retribution sets a poor example for how to handle relational conflict, one that leads to staying caught in the middle of nowhere rather than moving on to greener pastures.
Jackson Greer is a High School English Teacher in the suburbs of Texas. He lives in Coppell, Texas with his wife, Clara. They love debating whether or not to get another cat and reading poetry together. Also, he is a former employee of Focus on the Family’s Parenting Department.
