Golden Hour
by Kacey Musgraves
  • Record Label: MCA
  • Release Date: Mar 30, 2018
Metascore
89

Universal acclaim - based on 18 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 18
  3. Negative: 0 out of 18
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  1. Under The Radar
    May 9, 2018
    60
    Whilst tracks like "Butterflies" and "High Horse" offer the best of what Musgraves can do in terms of balancing her obvious charm against a certain steely underbelly that has served her so well so far in her career, all too often, Golden Hour delivers a lackluster vibe and a feeling that Musgraves has become too infatuated with the pop side of her artistry and is beginning to forget about the things that made her so interesting and worth investing in in the first place.

Awards & Rankings

6
#6 Best Album of 2018
19
#19 Most Discussed Album of 2018
23
#23 Most Shared Album of 2018

User Reviews

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User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 519 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 464 out of 519
  2. Mixed: 30 out of 519
  3. Negative: 25 out of 519
  1. Wael
    Mar 30, 2018
    9
    We all remember the huge stir Kacey Musgraves caused in country music with her first major-label release, "Same Trailer Different Park" backWe all remember the huge stir Kacey Musgraves caused in country music with her first major-label release, "Same Trailer Different Park" back in 2013, a record so timeless that won her her first Grammys and that we sill blast until this day. She was back in 2015 with her sophomore effort, "Pageant Material" which contained even sharper country melodies (Musgraves herself dubbed it "country as **** at one point) and corkier smart lyrics that established her as one of the finest lyricists on the scene, and, at the same time, one of country music's biggest rebels.

    With her third album (fourth, if you count her Christmas album), Kacey announced that she was switching things up a little, and making a record less about rebellion and small-towns, and more about her actual state: being in love, getting married, and focusing on all the beauty laying around.

    The lead-singles were there to assure us that, however changed, Kacey's never gonna make a song that's less than absolutely extra-ordinary: 'Butterflies' is a sweet (and catchy) love song about falling for the man she ended up marrying, while 'Space Cowboy', with all its instrumentation, smart wordplay, and lyrics like "boots weren't made for sitting by the door", is a real tear-jerker.

    So yeah: "Golden Hour" indeed sees Ms. Musgraves taking a different approach in making music: she uses a vocoder on the intro of 'Oh, What a World', which is a grand track about appreciating all the magic in the world, she places a nearly-one-minute-and-a-half track as a sort of ode to her mother five tracks deep into the project, and she goes for a country-infused disco sound on 'High Horse', which turns out to be an absolute success. Pretty unusual things for a Kacey Musgraves album, aren't they?

    However, there are some aspects that are still reminiscent of Musgraves' older works. Album opener 'Slow Burn' feels like it could easily fit into "Pageant Materiel"'s whole narrative, with lyrics such as "Texas is hot, I can be cold / Grandma cried when I pierced my nose", while 'Happy & Sad' sees Kacey reflecting on not enjoying the good times in fear of the lows that will surely follow, because, you know, that's life.

    As a whole body of work, "Golden Hour" is a cohesive, well-written and beautifully-crafted collection of songs that are all at the same time fun, reflective and relatable. Whether it's a little fun song about showing off the man she's in love with ('Velvet Elvis'), or depicting struggles, salvation, and learning to let go ('Rainbow'), Kacey sounds just as confident and as mature even without her deep country roots; and "Golden Hour" proves that it might be, in Kacey Musgraves' career, just what its title suggests it is.    … Full Review »
  2. sammyanthony
    Apr 14, 2018
    9
    Brave moves! Instead of bringing a hard, typical country sounds, Kacey incorporates some other genres in which made them more calming andBrave moves! Instead of bringing a hard, typical country sounds, Kacey incorporates some other genres in which made them more calming and hypnotizing. She sings so beautifully pure without any auto-tune, and the lyrics and the melodies are flowing in harmony. It is a modern country album, so a lot of people may consider the existence of modern beats in it; Yet it's nothing to be worried about, since the production team are doing their great work on the album. The first listen of entire tracks in the album will make feelings of homesick, love of nature, nostalgia, happiness, and sadness at the same time.… Full Review »
  3. cadmus2166
    Apr 2, 2018
    10
    "Golden Hour" is an extraordinary album on every level. It's a perfect blend of country, pop, and folk. The lyrics are more personal than on"Golden Hour" is an extraordinary album on every level. It's a perfect blend of country, pop, and folk. The lyrics are more personal than on her past albums, and they add a lot of depth to the already wonderful melodies. It's easily the best album of the year so far, and one of the best albums of this entire decade. I'll be shocked if this doesn't win Album of the Year at the Grammys.… Full Review »
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