Golden Hour
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CRITIC REVIEWS
100
Regardless of genre, you’ll be hard pushed to find a better collection of pop songs this year. Everything clicks perfectly, but the writing has an effortless air; it never sounds as if it’s trying too hard to make a commercial impact, it never cloys, and the influences never swallow the character of the artist who made it.
100
At a time where mainstream artists seem almost forced into making some kind of statement against the state of the world, to dwell on the doom and gloom we hear in the news; Golden Hour is a reminder that sometimes - often, if you’re looking in the right places - life is still beautiful. You get the feeling that Musgraves could find the beauty in anything.
91
Musgraves hits one high note after another on Golden Hour; her talent as a songwriter and melody-maker is second to none, and each song is thoughtful, well-formed, and a delightful experience on its own.
90
Previously, her cleverness was her strong suit, but on Golden Hour, she benefits from being direct, especially since this frankness anchors an album that sounds sweetly blissful, turning this record the best kind of comfort: it soothes but is also a source of sustenance.
90
This record is a lot like a pleasure drive through the countryside on a spring afternoon.
5mo
90
With her grand, beautiful shift in musical stylings, the greatly-expanded production of Golden Hour only serves to better ferry across that ever-poignant point of being yourself. Other than that? It’s just damn good.
87
The mystical grandeur of Golden Hour creates a magnetic effect as Kacey Musgraves sings simply about the world as if she’s the first person to notice, and you’re the first one she’s telling.
85
Golden Hour imagines a world much sweeter than the one we’re living in; and for 45 minutes, it can just about take you there. Kacey Musgraves’ golden hour is far from over.
80
Her latest leans more towards alt-Americana, with Musgraves exhibiting a much more assured and confident style as she celebrates women in a multitude of roles and relationships.
80
Lush but not cloying production, plaintive lyrics to match those honeyed pipes, blissfully in love with all that life can bring, Musgraves is never happier when revealing everything on her emotional plate.
80
Though Golden Hour might take time to relax into, the set is a fine lava-lamp soundtrack, and if "country" suggests engaging American musical traditions with respect and pioneer spirit, then this album is as country as it comes.
70
Musgraves has always sounded like someone who simply does her own thing. Golden Hour is the latest incarnation of that, a welcoming treat mostly driven by calm reflection with different packaging for her perceptivity.
70
Golden Hour doesn't carry quite the same bite as either 2015 predecessor Pageant Material or 2013's Same Trailer Different Park, preferring a more loved-up vibe that favours pillowy sophisti-pop over bittersweet country.
Print Only
2y
70
It teems with romance in every sense, all while honoring the classic ballads she grew up listening to with a new sheen.
68
‘Golden Hour’ isn’t bad, but it’s certainly not great. Kacey Musgraves‘ latest effort would nicely suit a bleary-eyed road trip or rural high-school prom, but little else.
60
Musgraves is considered one of the standout voices of modern country and with good reason. Golden Hour is well-crafted and as pleasant as an early sunrise.
60
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.
40
Kacey Musgraves softens and buries everything country about her music on the bland Golden Hour.
I think i just found my AOTY
Please give this BNM pitchfork
And wear the yella for this album Melon
(Edit)
Thank You Pitchfork
And bye Melon
(Edit: Original Score: 89. Fantano doesn't like this album so I am no longer allowed to like it. Sorry people)
When someone like me who doesn't even like country... tells you that this is a fantastic album that you should listen to... that means it is time to get off your Chief Keefs and 6ix9ines and it is time to blast out some freaking Golden Hour.
(Edit:) yeah this is an opus for the year. The sound of this album cannot be ignored. The bass on all these songs is so unbelievably thicc. The ... read more
Golden Hour
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A little bit of context first:
This album came out ... read more
This album is really random. Kacey Musgraves went from being pretty much a complete unknown in the mainstream music industry to a well-known name after this album won the Grammy for Album of the Year?? Against Drake, Janelle Monae, and Kendrick Lamar?? And it’s a country album? What the hell? I decided to check it out, because if the old farts at the Grammy Academy enjoy it, then surely I will, right? Don’t worry, I loved it! This is far from the sound of current mainstream country, ... read more
i don't like country much but if it's Kacey Musgraves im all over it
songs are hella catchy and fun, particularly Golden Hour and Slow Burn but I also did enjoy High Horse as well
Golden Hour may have singlehandedly changed my entire mindset on country and pop country and i hope that Kacey's predecessors in the genre will look to her as a bridge between those who hate country and those who love it
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Track List
| 1 | Slow Burn 4:06 | 90 |
| 2 | Lonely Weekend 3:46 | 85 |
| 3 | Butterflies 3:39 | 90 |
| 4 | Oh, What a World 4:01 | 87 |
| 5 | Mother 1:18 | 82 |
| 6 | Love Is A Wild Thing 4:16 | 86 |
| 7 | Space Cowboy 3:36 | 88 |
| 8 | Happy & Sad 4:03 | 87 |
| 9 | Velvet Elvis 2:34 | 82 |
| 10 | Wonder Woman 4:00 | 80 |
| 11 | High Horse 3:33 | 88 |
| 12 | Golden Hour 3:18 | 87 |
| 13 | Rainbow 3:34 | 88 |
Total Length: 45 minutes
Year End Lists
| #1 | / | American Songwriter |
| #1 | / | Entertainment Weekly |
| #1 | / | People |
| #1 | / | Sputnikmusic |
| #1 | / | Stereogum |
| #1 | / | Thrillist |
| #1 | / | Us Weekly |
| #2 | / | Albumism |
| #2 | / | Associated Press |
| #2 | / | Digital Trends |
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3mo
the media difference by metacritic to AOTY (by critics) is insane. Lets cancel Fantano to make reviews.
5mo
I hope whichever critic that took away the purple star can fall into a pit of durians and get stung by 26 bullet ants repeatedly while smelling the durians that they just landed on.
6mo
this album hasn't stood with me as well as i'd hoped, but slow burn is still an absolute masterclass of an opener
Added on: February 23, 2018