Kacey Musgraves BEYOND “Merry Go ‘Round”
We talk often around here about this element in the mythology behind country music that espouses the coming of a great country music savoir, someone who will ride into Nashville and right the country music ship from its wayward trajectory. Eric Church mocked us for this theory in the song “Country Music Jesus,” but unfettered, true country music fans hold out hope for this country music savior, however silly or impractical the idea behind it might be.
In recent weeks and months, it’s been hard not to look at Kacey Musgraves and her song “Merry Go ‘Round” and wonder if this isn’t the girl and song that has the mustard to crack the Music Row cartel’s iron grip on mainstream country. “Merry Go ‘Round” just keeps chugging away like the little single that could. After sitting just outside the top 20 on Billboard’s country song chart for nearly 20 weeks, it finally cracked into the inner sanctum a week or so ago, and now sits at #19; an impressive feat for a song with such a non-conformist, subversive message compared to regular country charting fare.
The most powerful tool we can put in the hands of the country music consumer is the knowledge that they have a choice, and that there’s an alternative to what their used to. Once they’re given that knowledge, they are likely to make better choices. Kacey Musgraves and “Merry Go ‘Round” offer to country music public a guidepost to that alternative.
Just announced yesterday, Kacey Musgraves’ new album coming March 19th will be called Same Trailer, Different Park–an homage to her “Merry Go ‘Round” single whose success has also landed her a nomination in the ACM’s “New Female Vocalist of the Year” category, an opening spot on a Little Big Town tour starting in a week, and a big stadium tour with Kenny Chesney this summer.
The way Kacey Musgraves’ success has been predicated on a single song speaks to the power of that song’s message, and reminds us that as one of the basic building blocks of music, a song can still change the world. At the same time, since we really only have one song to base our opinions on, it begs the question, what do we really know about Kacey Musgraves? I have to admit I was slightly disappointed to see the title of her new album taken from “Merry Go ‘Round.” Great song yes, but I want to see what else Kacey’s got. I want to be assured there’s more to her than just one song.
Who is Kacey Musgraves? Well she’s 24-years-old, originally from Sulpher Springs, TX. She came into the greater country music consciousness when competing on USA Network’s “Nashville Star” in 2007. It’s hard to say “reality TV” lent to her success though, placing 7th overall on a 2nd-rate series. She’s had 3 independent releases: Movin’ On (2002), Wanted: One Good Cowboy (2003), and Kacey Musgraves (2007). A cursory sniff at these albums shows promise, but since they’re so old and Kacey is so young, they’re probably not fair for judging where Kacey is now. What they do prove is a lot of drive and heart for country music in Kacey from a young age, and an independent spirit that we can still hear in “Merry Go ‘Round.”
So void of any other outlet to find out what Kacey might have in store for us, like many a curious fan does I navigated to YouTube to see if that could shed any light. As I said in my review of “Merry Go ‘Round,” for such mature song, it also features some immaturity. What I found on YouTube in various radio station appearances was songwriting that rivaled “Merry Go ‘Round,” and one called “It Is What It Is” that leaves behind the concern that Kacey may be a little “young” in her approach.
Another one I found showcases the same intelligent humor that is hinted at in “Merry Go ‘Round.” Kacey’s “Trailer Song,” just like “It Is What It Is” resides in waltz time, hinting to a strong country foundation to her music, more so than the progressive approach sonically from “Merry Go ‘Round.”
Having asked the question, “What does Kacey Musgraves have beyond Merry Go ‘Round?” I think I was happy and excited with what I found.
But let’s not forget what the Music Row machine can do to a young artist. I am a firm believer that just like freshly-elected politicians that head to Washington, most artists go to Nashville with the best intentions and a pure drive to express themselves and not become “products.” But just like Washington, Music Row integrates its talent into the machine, and all of a sudden it’s hard to not crave more money, and more of the spotlight. Do you think when Tim McGraw stepped off the Greyhound in Nashville with guitar and suitcase in hand he ever dreamed 20 years later he’d be cutting a song called “Truck Yeah” ? Kacey will be rubbing elbows with a lot of the Music Row machine when she tours with Little Big Town and Kenny Chesney.
Who knows if Kacey Musgraves will be the next country music savior. Truth is, it will probably take more than one artist, and it will probably take more than one song. And on March 19th, we will likely have more than just “Merry Go ‘Round” from Kacey Musgraves to fight the country music fight with.
January 23, 2013 @ 12:29 pm
I doubt that Kacey Musgraves will easily bend to Nashville’s wishes. She seems to possess a very strong personality.
January 23, 2013 @ 1:28 pm
She’ll fold like a $10 suit. Within two years she’ll have a “crossover” hit and you’ll see her gyrating on stage with Puff Daddy and the hologram ghost of Eazy-E
January 23, 2013 @ 1:37 pm
Dude, Kacey Musgraves and hologram Easy E doing “Nobody Move.” I’m totally in 😉
January 23, 2013 @ 1:39 pm
E-P-I-C
January 23, 2013 @ 4:19 pm
Kacey Musgraves seems like the type of person who can both gyrate on stage and write serious songs at the same time. If she does such antics, it would be to show off her rebellious personality, not for commercial gain.
January 23, 2013 @ 12:29 pm
Same Trailer, Different Park is the first project to be co-produced by Luke Laird and Shane McAnally. I’m sure you’re familiar with their other work in Nashville. In the samples of a few tracks I heard on the first stop of her radio tour last summer, I can say that I definitely hear their influence, but it is not in a way that is off-putting. Like you said, Trailer Song (My House) and It Is What It Is have a very traditional sound that show her roots, but there are others that will certainly be HUGE mainstream radio hits, such as one called “Nervous Breakdown” (which is very similar to ‘Mama’s Broken Heart,’ of which she was a co-writer). Overall, she’s very promising and someone to root for among a cesspool of frauds. I cannot wait to hear the entire package! -bmd
January 24, 2013 @ 12:20 pm
“Overall, she”™s very promising and someone to root for among a cesspool of frauds.” Yes.
January 23, 2013 @ 12:32 pm
Just listened to Merry Go Round for the first time ever.
That type of voice is very off putting for me.
Would not bang.
January 23, 2013 @ 2:30 pm
Those are some mighty lofty standards you have. 😉
January 23, 2013 @ 12:49 pm
I think she might be the token “cool kid” Nashville occasionally keeps around to keep the critics happy and fend off complaints about credibility. It’s Steve Earle’s old job, and it’s not a bad one. As to whether or not this signifies a change in business as usual, we’ll see, but I doubt it.
Still, it’s good to see a crack form here and there. I hope she’s able to maintain a balance of doing what she wants artistically and remaining profitable enough to stay on a major label. I think the worst possible scenario is she becomes typecast as the mainstream’s token hip girl, and puts out a bunch of Instagrammed videos with ironic clothes. I hope I’m wrong, but you can’t deny that that isn’t something Nashville wouldn’t find desirable.
Headache Tiddy Bits
January 23, 2013 @ 1:34 pm
[…] Nosy Neighbor is my favorite of the stuff I’ve heard!  […]
January 23, 2013 @ 3:47 pm
She’s gotta be cool she has a Ron Paul sticker on her guitar case.
January 23, 2013 @ 3:51 pm
Aha. I’ve been wondering whether Kacey is liberal or libertarian (obviously she’s a social liberal, so she can’t be conservative or populist-traditionalist). I guess the Ron Paul sticker answers my question.
January 23, 2013 @ 8:19 pm
Yes, because we know that all human beings are simply automatons that can be labeled and categorized. Everything is quantifiable, but only that which can be measured in dollars and cents has value. There is no such thing as faith or mystery. All solutions are technical, and can only be deduced by Ivy-League educated progressives with fashionable opinions.
January 23, 2013 @ 8:49 pm
I don’t know how much politics you follow, but I’ve been a political junkie since my early teenage years. I’m pretty darn sure that Ron Paul supporters are almost all libertarians.
January 24, 2013 @ 10:27 am
That is the case – his base is mostly libertarian. However, he has a solid support base from anti-war leftists/progressives/liberals, social liberals, far-righters, 9-11/NWO conspiracy theorists, etc. That’s why they called many of his supporters ‘Blue Republicans’ – Democrats that switched to the GOP for the primary series to vote for him.
Conservatives like some of what he says, but other stuff he has said and espoused (like the racist newsletters or interviews with Iranian TV) are very off-putting. He’s viewed sort of like the crazy old uncle of the GOP – he’s got some good ideas, but he also says a lot of crap and a lot of stuff that is wrong or inappropriate.
January 24, 2013 @ 3:33 pm
Most of the Democrats who switched over to vote for Ron Paul are probably Democrats only because of social issues and foreign policy issues. Many of them are young people who registered Democrat during the Bush years when the Iraq war was the #1 issue. I highly doubt that most of them are economic populists.
January 24, 2013 @ 3:36 pm
Sad to say,but I think most young people who supported Ron Paul only heard him say ONE thing “LEGALIZE WEED”
The end.
January 24, 2013 @ 3:39 pm
There are a lot of young people who are dedicated libertarians, but I think you’re right about the young Democrats who crossed over to vote for Ron Paul. They voted for him primarily because of pot and war.
January 24, 2013 @ 3:27 pm
She talks a lot about gays on twitter “I love my gays” “I wish they had gay airplanes” etc (you know,the straight girl trying to be edgy by talking gay shit all the time when in fact it hasn’t been edgy since joan Rivers did it 100 years ago) and she is in love with pysco Perez Hilton so I’m going on a whim here and just assume she’s a liberal.
January 24, 2013 @ 3:41 pm
There is absolutely no difference between liberals and libertarians when it comes to gay issues. Both groups are defined by their social liberalism and their pro-gay views.
January 25, 2013 @ 8:44 am
So, she’s basically just Lady GaGa with dark hair. Even more reason not to listen to her. Thats the kind of shit I’m trying to avoid.
January 25, 2013 @ 2:26 pm
So, you”™re basing what you”™re going to listen based on what the political affiliations are of that artist? Wow.
January 23, 2013 @ 4:25 pm
I have loved Kasey Musgraves for so long. Part of me is really happy that she is finding success, and part of me kind of wishes she would stay in the texas scene. I’m really afraid of her turning into another sell out. But I have also done my youtube research, and I really don’t think that she is gonna crack. She has the most simple voice and this simple way of playing that is so great. Even her more mainstream sounding songs have something different about them. I am super excited for her new album and I hope other people will take her lead.
January 23, 2013 @ 6:20 pm
I’ve got to agree with you on wanting her to stay in the Texas scene. I really feel like touring with some good texas country red dirt artists would be better for her career than being with Kenney Chesney and Little Big Town. Plus, Red Dirt could use a few big female artists.
January 23, 2013 @ 11:06 pm
“Trailer Song” is reminiscent of Loretta Lynn’s “You Ain’t Woman Enough”, i.e. catty and witty at the same time.
January 23, 2013 @ 11:21 pm
kacey will you marry me?
January 24, 2013 @ 9:44 am
Kacey’s music is an improvement over most of mainstream country today, and I hope she maintains her own musical identity. At the same time I don’t see her becoming a mainstream superstar. This is because I don’t think she would appeal to the demographic group that Nashville execs and country radio are trying to attract, i.e. suburban females. As some of Kacey’s music implies, life ain’t always fair.
Most mainstream music fans who buy Taylor Swift albums or Carrie Underwood albums will NOT buy an album titled “Same Trailer, Different Park”. Some male artists such as Jason Aldean have been successful in selling redneck themes to female fans, but they did so by attaching those redneck themes to masculinity and sex appeal. Kacey’s natural audience is closer to the Gretchen Wilson / Miranda Lambert demographic (e.g. poor white rural female), with which the country music establishment seems to have a love-hate relationship. Might she become as successful as Gretchen Wilson or Miranda Lambert? Perhaps, but the demographic trends are not on her side.
January 24, 2013 @ 8:00 pm
There is an important difference between the Kacey Musgraves fan base and the Miranda Lambert fan base. Miranda Lambert appeals to middle-aged rural women (I think, though I’m not sure), whereas Kacey Musgraves has significant appeal among young rural women (at least if the “Merry Go Round” video viewer statistics are any indication).
January 25, 2013 @ 1:22 am
When I think of middle aged (35-55) rural women I still think of the George Strait and Reba McEntire set, though many of them are probably moving on to newer country artists.
I think Miranda Lambert’s target fan base is 25-35 year old rural women who like rural America and plan to stay there, while Kacey Musgrave’s target audience is 15-25 year old disaffected females in rural areas who sometimes dream about moving to the city and leaving small town life behind. I would guess that Miranda’s fan base is more culturally conservative than Kacey’s.
January 24, 2013 @ 10:26 am
I dont know how you feel about Spotify Trigger, but i use it pretty regularly to find new music i want to buy. All she has on there under her name is Merry Go Round and one other song that was very recently put up (maybe her next single?). But she also has a song with the Josh Abbott Band (who i found because of this site, and enjoy a good bit thank you very much) that is pretty good. She kinda seems like a Taylor Swift mixed with Miranda Lambert, just in terms of sound, songwriting, musical approach, not personality or anything like that. Im excited to see what she releases.
January 24, 2013 @ 3:31 pm
Kinda like a Taylor on the wrong side of the tracks.
January 24, 2013 @ 1:18 pm
“Merry Go Round” is actually at number 13 on the Airplay chart, with a bullet – meaning it will likely go higher. There are a lot of new singles from A-list artists ahead of it and a few A-listers behind it, but it has a good shot to advance once some of those songs fall off.
January 24, 2013 @ 3:21 pm
She has another one called “John Prine” and has said in the past he’s her favorite artist mainly because of the songwriting, but she must of took it off youtube.Or at least I couldn’t find it this time..Hopefully the suits in Nashville didn’t TELL her to take it down because they don’t want her singing about smoking pot with John Prine.
Anyway,though all of the Blake Shelton crap today,THIS is what I would call “evolving country music”.But like you said,we will have to wait and see what happens.
January 24, 2013 @ 7:59 pm
We’ll see if I know how to post a link,
this is the only version I’ve found on there.
John Prine:
http://youtu.be/ocItFhwM8yk
January 24, 2013 @ 3:29 pm
She also has a lot of songs on her myspace and soundcloud player..Or used to anyway,haven’t checked either one in some time.
January 24, 2013 @ 5:07 pm
@Eric C. – Oh of course not; they view his pot views and anti-war (or anti-military) as more important than anything. But if he were President, none of his economic or social plans would pass Congress, but he would have mostly full reign on the military, and most pacifists realize that and like what he would do.
January 24, 2013 @ 5:35 pm
If Ron Paul were president, he would have full veto power over any budget. He could easily use that veto power to force Congress to reduce or eliminate social welfare spending. Furthermore, he would have full control over regulatory agencies, and could refuse to staff those agencies at all or staff them with like-minded libertarians or conservatives who would undermine those agencies.
I’m sure that true liberals recognize all of this and would therefore never vote for him. The pacifists voting for him are overwhelmingly libertarian pacifists.
January 24, 2013 @ 6:21 pm
Yes, this is why most of the Democrats come from the anti-war/pacifist or pro-pot areas of the party. It really just depends on what is your main issue – if you are anti-war, Ron Paul is your man, at least as a protest vote. If you like pot above all else, he presents a pro-pot campaign. Traditional liberals are against him because economic and social views are contrary to theirs. Traditional conservatives reject him because of his anti-war, social, and some of his economic views are contrary to conservative views.
January 24, 2013 @ 7:50 pm
I agree, although I don’t believe there is any disparity between Ron Paul’s economic views and those of conservatives. Ron Paul is 100% conservative and 100% in line with the Tea Party on economic issues.
January 26, 2013 @ 3:57 pm
I actually disagree there… He wanted to cut Defense spending by 828 billion, over 50% of the budget. That is not something conservatives like and that is a big, big part of the plan moreso than welfare cuts. Some of his stuff is fine to conservatives, but others are not basically.
January 26, 2013 @ 4:06 pm
True, but defense spending is distinct from economic conservatism. There are plenty of Tea Partiers who support massive cuts to the defense budget.
When it comes to the economic conservative issues at the heart of the Tea Party, Ron Paul is 100% conservative. He supports eliminating virtually all domestic spending (including privatization of Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security), abolishing the income tax, and ending more regulations on corporations than even almost any other Republican.
March 12, 2013 @ 2:11 pm
You are actually completely incorrect in that area. Ron Paul is an advocate of austrian economics and a return to the gold standard. He advocates an immediate full audit (and eventual abolishment of) the Federal Reserve banking system. He calls for an end to the big military spending overseas and an end to all foreign aid (which so called “conservatives” hate). He advocated for an abolishment of the IRS and an ending to the income tax. He predicted the 2008 housing crisis back in 2003.
January 24, 2013 @ 10:18 pm
I LOVE KACEY MUSGRAVES
January 25, 2013 @ 12:04 am
So here’s the nightmare scenario as I see it.
The second single from this record fails to strike lightning for Musgraves twice, and peaks below the Top Thirty altogether.
This prompts Music Row to demand that she return to the recording booth so she can record songs for a re-release of the album. The first of two singles from the re-release will be titled “Go Truck Yourselves”: another run-of-the-mill laundry list song that is even more venomous than average at “city slickers”. The second single from the re-release will be a saccharine duet ballad with Hunter Hayes! =X
January 25, 2013 @ 12:42 am
Ha, I’ll bet that if Music Row ever makes that type of “demand” of her, she will dump her label and then write and release a song attacking the label!
January 25, 2013 @ 12:46 am
Like I said, that’s the nightmare scenario! 😉
And I can confidently attest to the fact I haven’t had a nightmare in all recent memory! ^__^
January 25, 2013 @ 9:01 am
Have you guys heard the record? Great songs, but not terribly traditional at all. You’d probably be better off pinning your hopes on Ashley Monroe or Brandy Clark.
January 25, 2013 @ 12:15 pm
This, I think, should be a bigger concern for classic country fans than whether she will sell out to Nashville or not. Fundamentally, Kacey Musgraves has more of a “rock” mentality than a “country” mentality, i.e. her tendency is to rebel against tradition rather than to celebrate it. Therefore, she may decide one day that she wants to rebel against traditional country music and start some type of new country-rock sound or country-hip-hop sound, or maybe even leave country music altogether.
January 26, 2013 @ 1:46 pm
I don’t think Kacey will sell out to Nashville. If she finds commercial success I think she will leave country music. She strikes me as one of those small town girls who will leave as soon they find a slightly better paying job in a more happening place. Part of her fan base consists of young rural Americans who don’t like rural America, and one of these days I expect she will fly the coop and show them the path to the promised land e.g. New York or Los Angeles. Taylor took the path from country sweetheart to pop princess, and Kacey could follow a parallel path from country misfit to pop hipster. There is a greater risk that Kacey will turn into another Alanis Morisette or another Avril Lavigne, than another Faith Hill.
March 5, 2013 @ 7:02 pm
I don’t think her target audience will be just young women who want to leave small towns. I do think her target audience will be women (and men) who want to hear music they can identify with. This song is showing a side often ignored in country music, which has a habit of glamorizing small town life – As if every day, models walk around in their Daisy Dukes, while chiseled men pick them up in $60,000 trucks, and to go to parties with other outrageously attractive people.
The fantasies depicted in pop country have caused people ignore the realities in front of them. I think this honest music (inspired by what happens every day) may open everyone’s eyes to real issues in rural America. The drug and alcohol abuse, lack of college education and job prospects, or teen pregnancy and early marriage. Life in a small town isn’t just a Luke Bryan music video.
January 25, 2013 @ 12:06 pm
First off, she’s produced by Luke Laird and Shane McAnally and co-writes a ton with them. That alone tells me she is going to have more “commerical” modern sounding music. It might not show on this current album but if she wants to be more than just a female Jamey Johnson, she will have to put out music that “sales” well and that means radio fodder,
January 26, 2013 @ 10:25 am
I believe Kacey is pleasant enough and I wish her the best. But once she get’s a load Little Big Town / Kenny Chesney size shows the rubber will hit the road. Packed arenas or intimate theaters. then it follows, mansions or modest house. Limo or car. It’s an age old dilemma few artists have had to confront and nearly everyone chases the money.
Trig, I love you man, bt I do not share your theory on outside forces making a long-lasting dent in Muisc Row. they occasionally get put on their heels – like with Steve Earle or Miranda Lambert – but like the T-1000 the holes just seal right up.
She’ll either enter the Music Row blonde run-off or I look forward to her T Bone produced gem and heading out on tour with Ashley Monroe.
January 26, 2013 @ 10:40 am
My jury is still out on Kacey Musgraves truth be told, but I don’t see a reason not to stay positive about it until we see the “change” happen.
January 26, 2013 @ 12:03 pm
Agreed
January 27, 2013 @ 4:50 am
@Eric- Most of those would be libertarians anyway, though. Few people actually support cutting defense spending 50% outside of libertarian and pacifist circles. On other issues he certainly leans more towards Tea Party conservatism, but it is hard to say he is 100% economic conservative when his plan was mostly to cut defense spending, not welfare or other spending.
January 31, 2013 @ 7:29 pm
kace musgraves? getting radioplay next to hunter hayes? The same singer everyone thought was taylor swift? The nashville transplant? Have you seen her behind the scenes videos? I’m not talking about the interviews where she says ‘like’ and ‘omg totally’ Im talking about where shes singing pontoon drunk and has a team of writers because she cant muster anything beyond a G chord. I know you have high hopes but this is just another judas goat leading us to slaughter.