Album Review – Kacey Musgraves – “Middle of Nowhere”

Classic country (#510.1), Cosmic Country (#563), and Country Pop (#530.2) on the Country DDS.

Exploring the in-between moments in life, and the in-between spaces on the American continent that often go forgotten is what the new Kacey Musgraves album Middle of Nowhere ventures to accomplish—along with exploring a more country sound that wasn’t just promised, but was delivered via the album’s 13 tracks.

In fact, this might be the most country-sounding Musgraves has been to date, with multiple traditional country songs throughout the album, and steel guitar extraordinaire Paul Franklin featured prominently in multiple places to very favorable results. Also favorable is Musgraves re-conecting with the cleverness of her songwriting through working again with co-writers like Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne.

The “horniness” of the album is how it was originally marketed. Because after all, how better to arouse attention? And make no mistake about it—especially with the lead single “Dry Spell” and its very thinly-veiled innuendo—Musgraves is making the most of the American male gaze and pent-up female frustration. There are times when the message and emotions are delivered starkly on this album.

But mostly Middle of Nowhere is about giving voice to the grays and vagaries of life—the times that don’t make the Cliff Notes version of one’s biography, or the obituary. This is the space that Musgraves was residing in when this album was written—when you feel undefined, untetehered, free, but lonely and listless.

“Listless” is not a bad way to describe the experience of listening to her last two albums, Star-Crossed (2021) and Deeper Well (2024) where Musgraves went from dream pop to folk pop with fairly marginal results, bolstered mostly only by the momentum she gained off the major success of 2018’s award-winning Golden Hour.

But aside from some really great songs on Golden Hour, it belied how thin the material via her collaboration with producers Daniel Tashian and Ian Fitchuk was. The two producers are still part of the team for Middle of Nowhere, but so are Shane McAnally, Luke Laird, and Josh Osborne, bringing more of the original Musgraves magic, and more of a country perspective to the sound and songs.

This is one of those albums from one of those artists who will garner opinions stratified across the spectrum irrespective of the music itself due to preconceived notions and sometimes outright political biases, and on both sides. It’s not a political album at all, but some will praise it to the hilt because they perceive Musgraves as being on their team, just as some will slag it perceiving she’s against it.

But breaking through all the noise to the signal, Middle of Nowhere is a very strong offering, especially from the mainstream of country. It finds Musgraves understanding the moment country music is in, leaning into her traditional country influences, while also including some of the “Spacey Kacey” fairy dust magic that makes her so unique, and delivering an album that deserves to be a retrenching of her as one of the top women in popular country music.

8.4/10

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Purchase/stream Middle of Nowhere

Song Reviews:

1. Middle of Nowhere

The title track is a great introduction to the concepts explored in the album, and it was also one of the early singles. But it doesn’t really feel like a great song in the way it was executed. The tempo changes come a cross a bit clunky, keeping you from getting in a groove, while producer Daniel Tashian’s background vocals feel like a missed opportunity to feature Musgraves with another prominent artist since they’re so elemental to the track, and Tashian doesn’t really bring anything unique to the table as a singer. It’s not a bad track, but could have been imagined better.

2. Dry Spell

This is classic Kacey Musgraves: Funny, quippy, sarcastic and prone to innuendo, and going places other mainstream country women aren’t brave enough to go, while not really crossing any lines, just walking right up to them. It’s not as much “country” as country noir, but it works, especially in the context of the album. Songs like these are the reason it’s a shame Musgraves got away from writing with folks like Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne.

3. Back On The Wagon

Really brilliant songwriting here where it’s everything that Kacey Musgraves doesn’t say that makes the song so profound. On the surface, the beau in the story has finally found sobriety, and the apple of his eye is ready to relaunch forever after. But we all know how this story often ends. The steel guitar work of Paul Franklin sends this track over-the-top, and certifies it as traditional country.

4. I Believe In Ghosts

A classic Spacey Kacey track co-written by Shane McAnally and Luke Laird, it’s kind of a relationship kiss-off that admits letting go isn’t so easy. It’s one of the tracks on the album that fits more in the country noir bucket as opposed to the traditional country one. But Paul Franklin’s steel and a subtle banjo keep it tethered to the roots.

5. Abilene

This is the song where Kacey Musgraves really explores the geographical aspects of her “Middle of Nowhere” theme. It might be a little ironic that lately, Abilene, TX has become a boom town due to it’s massive data center build out and its ability to harness wind energy in the state’s “Big Country” region. To many from surrounding areas, Abilene is the big city. But like so many home towns, no matter how big it is, it still feels small to you.

6. Coyote (feat. Gregory Alan Isakov)

Though Musgraves doesn’t spend much time ruminating on past loves on this album, “Coyote” is an exception. Who exactly is the the predator and the prey is a little bit hard to determine in this track. Musgraves is clearly synthesizing a personal experience into the song. Similar to the lyricism, the sonic direction also feels a little lost, with the distorted harmonica not necessarily setting the intended mood.

7. Lonliest Girl

“Middle of Nowhere” might be the title track of this album. But “Loneliest Girl” is its theme song that really captures the essence of what Kacey is trying to convey through this release. The chorus melody here is so devilishly good. Then you put Paul Franklin on top putting on a veritable clinic, and you’re lost in country music goodness.

8. Everybody Wants To Be A Cowboy (feat. Billy Strings)

Here in the post Yellowstone moment, America needs a song like this, and Kacey Musgraves is a great voice to deliver it. The dreamy production smarty avoids cluttering up the track with drums. The Billy Strings contributions both as a harmony singer and a lead player are subtle, but perfect. He avoids getting too noodley just to show off, and instead respects the song.

9. Horses and Divorces (feat. Miranda Lambert)

This is a fun, and seriously traditional country song that sees these two East Texas gals who grew up not too far from each other finally burying the hatchet. If nothing else, “Horses and Divorces” underscores just how deep-seated their smoldering feud was for many years, and it’s good they were able to weave it into something positive. Some have chirped that this song would be a ripoff of the Slaid Cleaves song “Horses,” but they’re really two different things. And hopefully it gives the old Cleaves track some inadvertent attention.

And yes, what kind of asshole doesn’t like Willie Nelson?

10. Uncertain, TX (feat. Willie Nelson)

Kacey Musgraves derives inspiration from the name of a tiny Texas town on a bayou bordering Louisiana to ruminate on the indecision of men when it comes to relationships. Like so many of the songs featuring guests on this album, Willie’s contributions on vocals is very subtle, with his guitar making more of an appearance.

One criticism of the track is the somewhat murky outcome, and how the drums and percussion were rendered digitally. The accordion was played pretty elementary by producer Ian Fitchuck as opposed to someone who could have really brought some unique texture to the track. It’s not a bad song, but could have been something more with some more genuine Cajun spirit brought to the studio.

11. Rhinestoned

Another Kacey Musgraves album, and another stoner song. But hey, it’s her signature, and “Rhinestoned” finds a really great groove and mood, sucking you right in and holding you close. And what else is great about this song? Say it together everyone, “Paul Franklin’s steel guitar playing!”

12. Mexico Honey

This song tries hard, but struggles to make a good case for itself. It’s probably harmless ultimately, but the rapid, rhythmic verse delivery, the weird bridge that seems a little lost in itself, and Kacey’s somewhat subservient perspective that belies her feminine strength makes the song a bit hit and miss. Usually when a song ends up in the next-to-last spot on an album, there’s a reason for it.

13. Hell On Me

While most of the songs on Middle of Nowhere are about not being in a relationship and being perfectly content in that, Musgraves ends the album with a conventional breakup song. It’s about trying to change someone and failing, while ultimately changing yourself for the worse in the process. Though is a well-written and personal song, it does feel like an outlier to the album, placed at the end. It’s also the most understated, acoustic moment of the album.

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