Now seven albums deep, country-pop veteran Kacey Musgraves finally achieved stadium status with her acclaimed 2024 album and a well-timed crossover with Zach Bryan. How did she respond to it all? By getting as far away from other human beings as possible. 

Created during an extended period of reflective singlehood, Musgraves found herself drawn to liminal spaces and in-betweens on her latest, whether that meant airport terminals or quaint Texas locales.

While Musgraves has adopted more of a glossy pop sheen in recent years, many of these tracks are more reminiscent of her earlier work, leaning into retro country sounds with a double dose of slide guitar. It makes sense: the farther you get out into the countryside, the more the music sounds like this. 

It’s rootsy and rustic, giving more space to her sharp, sarcastic songwriting and sweet, airy vocal tone, still one of the most soothing in the business. Whether celebrating the blessings of single life, rebuking an ex for being interested in her only to partake in trendy country aesthetics, or squashing a beef with Miranda Lambert on what essentially amounts to a country version of “Girl, so confusing,” it all settles into a meditative peace.