Does Kacey Musgraves' Deeper Well Hit Gold? | Review + Anaylsis

[@EljohnMacaranas]

What were your favorite tracks off Deeper Well?

[@noneapplicable1327]

Deeper Well, Giver / Taker, The Architect 🤠

[@tymoviedatabase7788]

The Architect, Deeper Well, and Jade Green

[@Sparklejumpropequeen07]

Sway, deeper well, anime eyes, moving out, lonely millionaire

[@theskeptic777]

This is honestly her best body of work to date. I love all the tracks though my favorites are definitely Cardinal, Jade Green, and Lonely Millionaire.

[@Joe-jj3fg]

Dinner with Friends, Deeper Well, and the Architect are my top 3 for sure

[@noneapplicable1327]

Literally shed a few tears at The Architect and Sway 😭😭😭 such a gorgeous album

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Sway’s outro made me cry a bit too 😭

[@anitapricecheck9554]

Dinner With Friends 🥺

[@Sequoya]

I adore the vintage acoustic guitar on the record, and this is another perfect driving album.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Omg yes! I took a drive out to a canyon and I really felt this record! Always a pleasure to see your comments! 💚

[@klu5301]

Mother Mossgraves never disappoints! 💚

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Literally she’s Mother Nature 💚

[@rohandenton8132]

Deeper Well is Golden Hours witchy older sister 💚💫 I loved it so much and felt like it spoke to where I’m at in life so well. Great review!! Cardinal, Too Good to be true, giver / taker are definitely faves.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

It’s such a pretty and stunning record, definitely gonna make the year end list for me just on the merit of it being so… polished and sweet! Giver / Taker is so goooood

[@daveu9863]

Giver / Taker was an instant favourite of mine the moment i heard the first line. The song gave me goosebumps and made me cry the first time I listened to it and it's been on repeat since then. It's a masterpiece.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I feel like it’s almost a flipped version of Space Cowboy in some sense like I had the same sorta vibes from it, but this one’s a more mature focused take on an uneven relationship.

[@CatNagTaylorsVersion]

I loved this record, I think it’s my second favorite Kacey record, can’t wait to see ho3 it ages

[@noneapplicable1327]

It’s also right behind Golden Hour for meeeeee

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Kacey rarely ever misses like even Star-crossed which I had mixed feelings about was great

[@purpledinosaurs801]

Haven’t been able to stop listening to Cardinal it’s such a beautiful song

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Like it’s the closest to Fleetwood I’ve seen a modern girlie of her caliber get without sounding too derivative 😭

[@Inucat9]

I’ve found that with each of her records, they come into my life at really important times. Golden Hour when I was in my first relationship, Star Crossed when we broke up, and this one, I’m excited to see how it weaves its way through my life. Very happy that this record and Ariana Grande’s are really focusing on healing and even self accountability

[@EljohnMacaranas]

That’s honestly the coolest! I love when records coincide with major life events and themes

[@shelby-lu8zx]

I LOVE how witchy this album feels! The Architect is my favorite track ❤❤

[@EljohnMacaranas]

YES! The Architect made me go out to nature and touch grass

[@rickmerritt128]

Underrated artist. Better than the pop queens out there.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

She coulda run pop herself 😭

[@rickmerritt128]

@@EljohnMacaranas She is on par with the Dixie Chicks which is nothing to sneeze at.

[@elenasreadingcorner]

I didn't even know it was out! I never really listened to her music but I accidentally stumbled upon the Deeper well video the day it came out and I became obsessed with it. Brb, gonna go listen to it while having your commentary in the back of my mind

[@EljohnMacaranas]

She’s so lowkey about her releases, like she went on Today and one late night and called it a day! But it’s such a cute little record, thank you!

[@franjosh94]

Album of the Year!❤🎉

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Honestly it’s tied with ES for me!

[@franjosh94]

@@EljohnMacaranas I just love how refreshing to everything else Deeper well feels like… it’s gonna give us surprises

[@Mae14glad]

I love this album a lot because it speaks not just about personal love but about self growth and the world we are in, and it's very relatable. I love how you say "like catching up with your wise older friend with stories and life lessons"... Yeah, we needed that in this too noisy of a world.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I think Kacey really delivered a non cluttered, almost immaculate little slice of folk with barely a glimmer of pop or any other genre, it’s definitely gonna stand out from the other records this year. I cannot imagine anyone else making a record this way.

[@starry3132]

so yes, mother is finally back

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Mother Musgraves 🌿

[@alejandro3858]

Golden Hour is my favorite album of all time and I fear she or anyone will never be able to surpass it, but her whole discography is FLAWLESS. Same Trailer Different Park is literally a skipless album and Star-Crossed is really underrated and overhated. Also Deeper Well is my AOTY along with Eternal Sunshine.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

GH is too solid to surpass for sure but I think this record does its own thing very well, would not be surprised to see this land a few Grammy noms!

[@marshatolbert154]

I ran out and got this record on Friday and have listened to it non stop ever since. ❤. I was listening to the tracks Kacey dropped before the release and I knew I would love 💗 this album and I do! Deeper Well is such a vibe. It definitely feels influenced by seventies’ music like Fleetwood Mac, but I also detect traces of Joni Mitchell and Emmylou Harris in the songwriting and instrumentation. My favorite tracks at the moment are Cardinal and Heart of the Woods. This album feels like transcendental meditation in musical form. My favorite since Golden Hour.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Omg the Joni Mitchell definitely was felt on this one!

[@flummybloomy1915]

'Moving Out' really moved me 😭

[@EljohnMacaranas]

YESSSS it made me feel like I was moving with her 🌿

[@josephtafur]

This album is massive improvement of Star Crossed, I love this album, "Anime Eyes" omg perfection

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Anime Eyes is such a showstopper! I adore it so much!

[@jonasmieth2496]

beautifullly put! :) to me it feels like a day near a river with a good book. it feels handmade- yet so etheral- lifes are imperfect, but they are worth living :)

[@EljohnMacaranas]

It’s such a perfect little life record 💚

[@jaymason3339]

Star-crossed is an good album, sure it didn’t surpass GH or this current album but it’s still an good album in my book Deeper Well is AOTY

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Star-crossed is solid but like GH and DW are just much focused and stronger pieces that build on Kacey’s strengths better, I feel like Star-crossed was a good bridge between these two Kaceys!

[@paolo2411]

Wow I really love your video essays… Keep up with the good work! Can’t wait for the Cowboy Carter, Tortured Poets and Radical Optimism reviews! (I really love kacey too, her voice is sooo soothing)

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Thank you! I adore all three of those artists and do think we’re up for one of the most iconic years since 2014 in pop releases!

[@numberoneflop]

I thought this record was such a sweet moment for Kacey! After the overproduction of star crossed it’s so nice to see her strip everything back to just her and her guitar.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I am so happy to have tickets to the show, her and her guitar are gonna be magical 😭

[@numberoneflop]

@@EljohnMacaranas so happy for you ❤️

[@dhrubaintisher8169]

We need a star-crossed review please.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I def wanna talk about it on the rebooted podcast

[@sothrothea]

I lover her aesthetic ❤

[@EljohnMacaranas]

The way I did actually order the candle 😭

[@fdpcompdm]

Golden Hour is truly crystalized in a way that stands out for me melodically speaking, sonically and lyrically. There is a clear identity about that album that's just complete and whole and truly stands out as an icon. This new album is a bit of her trying to find her grip since star crossed was not fully the vibe. I truly feel like Kacey and Vanessa Carlton would benefit from one another in such a way that if they made an album together it would probably be a masterpiece. Vanessa has the true alternative echo in her music that radiates away from this realm of existence but that lacks in the grounding warmth element that Kacey possesses, the two together would probably catapult one another to the next chapter of each others lives.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Oh Vanessa and her would be pretty cool. I’ve listened to a few songs Carlton did recently and it has that sort of rough and tumble singer songwriter vibes

[@CatNagTaylorsVersion]

Can’t wait for the podcast. I’m very intrigued by what you have to say in the next album reviews.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

It’s been so magical relistening to Lauryn Hill and Nelly Furtado 😭 we had it so good (still do!)

[@maxc6475]

The JID sample was so unexpected and worked so well

[@EljohnMacaranas]

It really made the song feel more complete like without it, it’d feel really empty so I feel like she really felt compelled to sample it

[@jimbob2427]

There is a bonus song!😊

[@EljohnMacaranas]

OMG Ruthless is so cute! It’s like a folksier Justified but happy!

[@therealdavidleong]

The reason that Heaven Is sounds Celtic is because the melody is a variation of the Scottish folk song "Ca' the yowes to the knowes".

[@EljohnMacaranas]

YES!

[@Erinba]

Jade green definitely ❤

[@EljohnMacaranas]

The atmosphere of it, 💚

[@mageofstuff]

i actually like it more than golden hour or at least as much as golden hour

[@EljohnMacaranas]

That’s awesome! I’m glad! I was perfectly whelmed by the record though a few tracks got me by surprise!

[@tymoviedatabase7788]

Definitely a big improvement over star-crossed, but nothing tops Golden Hour

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Golden Hour remains her peak just in craft and sound, but yah compared to Star-crossed, it’s a slam dunk just on cohesion and genuineness.

[@glamperjan]

She is the next joni mitchell

[@EljohnMacaranas]

More so than most of her contemporaries

[@BeckyLStoutWriter]

Speaking of Noah Kahan, I was thinking of checking out his music. It seems like something I might like. But if anyone sees this comment and has an opinion on whether or not I should give him a listen, I'd love some feedback. Thanks!

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I think Noah Kahan's very much the sorta modern Lumineers by way of Post Malone (who did a remix to Dial Drunk) to the point some call him Folk Malone. He's not a fave of mine but he has a few tracks I rotate, he's oddly poppy for a folksy artist. I'm kinda shocked Kacey didn't do a throwaway track in that vein.

[@andy6498]

Sooooo much better than the forgettable Star Crossed

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I feel like Star-crossed contains some amazing tracks that are buried by a muted and messy tracklisting (likely to reflect the divorce but still def a miss.)

[@myjunkdrawer8014]

This kind of country isn't my thing. I'm more of a WOOOOO SMASH A JACK DANIELS BOTTLE OVER HIS HEAD WOOOOO kinda country girly (side note now I know you do country I'm going to request a Taylor Austin Dye Out Of These Hills review please and thank you). However the feeling of serenity and sheer beauty of this album is stunning.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Oh this album’s serenity is perfect for lazy Sunday afternoons after a Saturday of smashing a Jack Daniels over a guy’s head!

[@rickmerritt128]

Like Waylon Jennings you mean. Musgraves is Americana, singer song writer, pop and country vibes. She is no redneck want to be either. Waylon was a real outlaw country artist but superbly talented and a great musician. Some of these young bros today are just for show.

[@hendzupurlife10]

Giver /Taker hit me like a truck :(

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Literally made me think of all the relationships I had where I was the one giving it my all 😭

[@bennshouts]

First hehe

[@bennshouts]

also, this album KILLED me 😭

[@EljohnMacaranas]

@@bennshoutsRIGHT! Literally the record’s lyrics were just… 😭😭😭

[@therealdavidleong]

The fact that she rhymed "coffin" with [the wrong pronunciation of] "often" in Nothing to be Scared Of utterly puzzles me.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I feel like it's a case of trying to get the rhyme scheme but wanting the meaning, it sounds odd but I find it charming.

[@therealdavidleong]

@@EljohnMacaranas but there's only one meaning to often haha

[@Saxafruge]

Deeper Well is a nice bounce back from the awful Star-Crossed, but its merely pleasant. Her first 3 albums remain stunning works of music. Her duet with Zack Bryan on "I Remember Everything " is my favorite new Kacey song

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I think Star-Crossed leaning too pop was what undid it, she’s best when she has focus on clean and clear songwriting and melodies

[@Saxafruge]

@@EljohnMacaranas Yea poppy and her (not so subtle) attacks on Ruston Kelley didn't land well. I also REALLY miss her old Nashville band, their natural acoustic sounds. You mentioned listening to Heart of the Woods on fine speakers, i have to try that. Her last band sounds spectacular on "Are You Sure" and "Somewhere Only We know"

[@slotrane8853]

I love Kacey but disappointed. Deeper Well is the clear stand out. After the first two songs I thought she was getting back to Golden Hour vibe. This album is too much acoustic guitar. Sounds too much like 60’s poetry style

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Up until its release, Kacey kept saying there were no High Horse bangers on it and I was still shocked to discover there’s not a single radio friendly track (maybe Lonely Millionaire), I feel like she was bold for actively rejecting GH or even Star-crossed but do think she’ll revisit that sort of vein sooner than later. For now, I’m just glad she made something she wanted to.

[@marshatolbert154]

The acoustic 60s/70s vibe is what I dig about this album 💗

[@vankr]

I think her lyrics were really bad on this record, it's all very hallow. But pretty.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I really think production took a precedence over the overall craft, some of the songs are really well written but there def were a few that needed a little more love or depth

[@Marxnchill]

It’s sooo boringgg. Just like the last. I’m beginning to think golden hour was a fluke and maybe I’m not a fan after all.