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Star-Crossed (album)

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Star-Crossed
Studio album by
Kacey Musgraves
ReleasedSeptember 10, 2021
Recorded2020–2021
StudioWatershed Records
Length47:32
Label
Producer
Kacey Musgraves chronology
The Kacey Musgraves Christmas Show
(2019) 		Star-Crossed
(2021)
Singles from Star-Crossed
  1. "Star-Crossed"
    Released: August 23, 2021
  2. "Justified"
    Released: August 27, 2021

Star-Crossed (stylized in all lowercase) is the upcoming fifth studio album by American country singer and songwriter Kacey Musgraves. It was released on September 10, 2021, by MCA Nashville and Interscope Records.[1] American musicians Ian Fitchuk and Daniel Tashian, who alongside Musgraves produced her fourth studio album Golden Hour (2018), were recruited for the album's production, alongside mixer Shawn Everett. The project was inspired by Musgraves' personal journey of heartache and healing following her divorce from American singer-songwriter Ruston Kelly.[2]

An accompanying film directed by Bardia Zeinali, titled after the album and featuring its music, is scheduled to be available for streaming exclusively on Paramount+ on the day of the album's release.[3]

Background and recording

In March 2018, American singer-songwriter Kacey Musgraves released her fourth studio album, Golden Hour, which received widespread critical acclaim and won in all four of its nominated categories at the 61st Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year and Best Country Album.[4] It debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200 chart and at number one on the Top Country Albums chart.[5] To support the album, Musgraves embarked on two concert tours: the Oh, What a World: Tour and the Oh, What a World: Tour II.[6]

In March 2021, Musgraves was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. In the cover story, she delves into self-care and the personal work she has done during the COVID-19 pandemic.[7] Musgraves also revealed that as of January 2021, she had written 39 songs for the project, and she's once again working with Golden Hour co-producers Ian Fitchuk and Daniel Tashian.[8]

In April 2021, it was reported that the album will be released via Interscope Records and UMG Nashville.[9] In May, during a cover story for Elle magazine, Musgraves revealed that the album sees her tackling her divorce from country singer Ruston Kelly. The two were married in October 2017,[10] and filed for divorce in July 2020.[11] Musgraves also revealed that the record contains 15 of the now 40 songs she wrote during the pandemic.[12]

In August 2021, during a cover story for Crack Magazine, it was revealed that the project will be released before the end of the year, features jazz flute and a kato, and will have "more of a foot in country than Golden Hour".[13] During an appearance on Dr. Maya Shankar's podcast A Slight Change of Plans, Musgraves sang snippets of two of the songs from the album, "Camera Roll" and "Angel".[13] On August 21, to celebrate her birthday, Kacey shared a snippet of the title track, which was released as the lead single two days later.[14] The album was recorded in Nashville in early 2021, in under three weeks.[15] In an interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music, Musgraves elaborated on what to expect sonically from the album, noting that although the album will be more country than Golden Hour, it will be combined with more musical influences.[16]

Composition

Songs

"Star-Crossed" is a psychedelic and country song, driven by a Spanish guitar and heartbeat-like percussion, about Musgrave's personal journey.[15] The song opens with a bed of harmonized "ooh" vocals, before the singer sings, "Let me set the scene."[17] What follows is the recounting of a divorce, with papers signed, possessions divided, and names changed.[17] Musgraves described the title track as "a pared back, Latin-inflected ballad about resigning from a relationship and accepting fate without bitterness", noting that it "swells into a pattern of guttural electric guitar, spectral strings and a chorus of voices". The track is inspired by the history of Romeo and Juliet.[14]

Concept

Musgraves cited Bill Withers, Daft Punk, Sade, Eagles, and Weezer as inspirations for the album. Regarding her status as country musician, she said "I feel like I don't belong to country in any way on one hand, but on the other hand, I'm deeply rooted in that genre. So I'm not owned by it."[12] In the Rolling Stone interview, the singer explained that as she was conceptualizing the album earlier this year, she kept coming back to Greek tragedies, and their three-act structure.[18]

Promotion and release

The album is scheduled for release on September 10, 2021.[19] On August 23, Musgraves has announced that her fifth album will be called Star-Crossed and will be released on September 10.[20] On the same day, she revealed the track list across her social media.[21]

Film

On August 23, 2021, Musgraves posted a trailer across her social media for a 50-minute companion film, titled after the album.[21] The film will available for streaming exclusively on Paramount+.[21] The film, characterized as having "a sense of heightened reality", was directed by Bardia Zeinali from a concept by Musgraves and Zeinali, and shot by a cinematographer Matthew Libatique.[22] The film was shot over 10 days in Los Angeles and features cameo appearances by actor Eugene Levy, RuPaul's Drag Race winner Symone, rapper Princess Nokia, actor Victoria Pedretti, and comedian Meg Stalter.[21][16]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic80/100[23]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[24]
The A.V. ClubB+[25]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[26]
The Independent[27]
NME[28]
Pitchfork7.7/10[29]
Rolling Stone[30]
Slant Magazine[31]

Upon release Star-Crossed was met with mostly positive reviews from critics, although some criticised the album's production and Musgrave's move towards an increasingly pop-oriented sound. On Metacritic, which assigns a normalized score out of 100 to ratings from publications, the album received a weighted mean score of 80 based on 12 reviews, indicating "generally favourable reviews".[32]

In the review for AllMusic, senior editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote that "Star-Crossed rolls and sways, gaining momentum not from shifts in tempo but rather arrangements; songs are distinguished by how a lack of overdubs suggests intimacy, while layers of harmonies, analog synths, and drum loops convey serenity or strength."[24]

Track listing

Track listing adapted from Apple Music.[33]

All tracks are written by Kacey Musgraves, Daniel Tashian, and Ian Fitchuk, except where noted

No.TitleLength
1."Star-Crossed"3:19
2."Good Wife"3:51
3."Cherry Blossom"3:04
4."Simple Times"2:47
5."If This Was a Movie.."3:15
6."Justified" (Musgraves, Fitchuk, Ilsey Juber, BJ Burton)3:01
7."Angel"2:20
8."Breadwinner" (Musgraves, Fitchuk, Juber, Burton)3:21
9."Camera Roll"2:39
10."Easier Said"3:07
11."Hookup Scene"3:21
12."Keep Lookin' Up"2:46
13."What Doesn't Kill Me" (Musgraves, Andrew Neely, Dante Jone, Dewain Whitmore Jr.)2:17
14."There Is a Light"3:52
15."Gracias a la Vida" (Violeta Parra)4:32
Total length:47:32

Notes

References

  1. ^ Ackroyd, Stephen (2021-08-24). "Kacey Musgraves has announced her new album, 'star-crossed' | Dork". Dork. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  2. ^ "Kacey Musgraves Announces New Album 'Star-Crossed'". yahoo.com. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  3. ^ Willman, Chris (2021-08-23). "Kacey Musgraves Unveils New Album 'Star-Crossed,' Companion Film — Watch Trailer". Variety. Retrieved 2021-08-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ "Grammy Awards Winners: The Complete List". Variety. February 10, 2019. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
  5. ^ Asker, Jim (April 10, 2018). "Kacey Musgraves Clocks No. 1 Debut on Top Country Albums Chart With 'Golden Hour'". Billboard. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
  6. ^ "Kacey Musgraves Adds West Coast Dates to Oh, What A World: Tour II". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-08-22.
  7. ^ Darville, Jordan (February 11, 2021). "Kacey Musgraves details new album, divorce for Rolling Stone story". the Fader. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
  8. ^ Paulson, Dave (February 11, 2021). "Kacey Musgraves' new album set to arrive in 2021, inspired by 'tragedy'". Tennessean. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
  9. ^ Halperin, Shirley; Willman, Chris (April 20, 2021). "Kacey Musgraves' Next Album to Be Released Via Interscope, UMG Nashville Partnership (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
  10. ^ "Kacey Musgraves and Ruston Kelly's Charming Tennessee Wedding". Martha Stewart. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  11. ^ "Kacey Musgraves teases new single she says was inspired by her divorce". www.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  12. ^ a b Clarke, Patrick (May 21, 2021). "Kacey Musgraves says her new album is inspired by Daft Punk, Weezer, Sade and more". NME. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
  13. ^ a b Daly, Rhian (August 6, 2021). "Kacey Musgraves previews two new songs in new podcast appearance". NME. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
  14. ^ a b Doria, Matt (August 21, 2021). "Kacey Musgraves celebrates her 33rd birthday with a snippet of new music". NME. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
  15. ^ a b Farrell, Margaret (August 23, 2021). "Kacey Musgraves Announces New LP "star-crossed," Shares Title Track and Film Trailer". Flood magazine. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  16. ^ a b Wang, Steffanee (August 23, 2021). "Kacey Musgraves Revealed 'Star-Crossed' Release Date & Movie Trailer". Nylon. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  17. ^ a b Hogan, Marc (August 23, 2021). "Kacey Musgraves "Star-Crossed"". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  18. ^ Wang, Steffanee (2021-02-11). "Kacey Musgraves' Next Album Is Inspired by Greek & Shakespearean Tragedies". Nylon. Retrieved 2021-08-22.
  19. ^ McKenna, Lyndsey (August 23, 2021). "Kacey Musgraves, 'star-crossed'". NPR. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  20. ^ Hudak, Joseph (August 23, 2021). "Kacey Musgraves Announces New Album 'Star-Crossed'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  21. ^ a b c d Curto, Justin (August 23, 2021). "Kacey Musgraves to Get Spacey on New Album star-crossed". Vulture. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  22. ^ Willman, Chris (August 23, 2021). "Kacey Musgraves Unveils New Album 'Star-Crossed', Companion Film — Watch Trailer". Variety. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  23. ^ "Star-Crossed by Kacey Musgraves Reviews an Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved September 3, 2021. {{cite web}}: Check |archive-url= value (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  24. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Star-Crossed - Kacey Musgraves | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  25. ^ Sanchez, Gabrielle. "Album review: Kacey Musgraves' star-crossed divorce record". AVClub. Retrieved September 3, 2021. {{cite web}}: Check |archive-url= value (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  26. ^ Greenblatt, Leah (September 9, 2021). "On Star-crossed, Kacey Musgraves goes it alone". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  27. ^ Brown, Helen (September 9, 2021). "Kacey Musgraves review, star-crossed: divorce album doesn't show singer at her sharpest". The Independent. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  28. ^ Mylrea, Hannah (September 9, 2021). "Kacey Musgraves – 'Star-Crossed' review: a powerfully honest depiction of heartbreak". NME. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  29. ^ Sodomsky, Sam (September 9, 2021). "Kacey Musgraves: star-crossed". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  30. ^ Bernstein, Jonathon (August 30, 2021). "Kacey Musgraves' 'Star-Crossed' Is a Divorce Album on Her Own Terms". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 3, 2021. {{cite news}}: Check |archive-url= value (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  31. ^ Winograd, Jeremy (September 3, 2021). "Review: Kacey Musgraves's Star-Crossed Is Effortlessly Eclectic and Surprisingly Direct". Slant Magazine. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  32. ^ Star-Crossed by Kacey Musgraves, retrieved 2021-09-03
  33. ^ "star-crossed by Kacey Musgraves on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
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