hzy0421

There was a kind of bounciness, as well as melodic sensibility, to Kacey Musgraves' previous efforts. Even at their most country form, those songs still sounded sonically intuitive without the sacrifice of lyrical quality or resonance in general, which is sadly not the case with star-crossed, except maybe the Golden Hour afterglow cherry blossom, a sub-par iteration of Wonder Woman.

The disastrous mixing and mastering has been the criticism of many, and I just wonder why she had to use so ... read more

Highlights from guest stars are weakened by Kanye's dead-end religious worship, scattered production brilliance and now-rare lyrical intricacy. The Donda repetitions can't save that, the speech sample can't, nor can his capitalized album roll-out. Also can't be seen through is who the post-TLOP West really is as a person and artist.

Again, all the grandiosity and visuals and album art, but the mindset of motherhood is not much reflected in the lyrics; this is still a very straightforward album. The record is at its best when their pop sensitivity is combined with new genre realms brought to them by the producers' versatile blend of alternative rock, electronics, darkwave, and DnB, and not so much when their phrasing isn't in line with the production. Overall an effort less than the sum of its parts.

The best part is what the duo have been doing and doing well: Dessner's moody piano loops, and Vernon's effortless pitch shifts. Album highlights mostly fall into the first third of the record which showcases such advantages and goes for a more traditional and open songwriting over experimental, parochial approach of their debut.

The openness actually exists in the entire work, with childhood memories, innocence lost being the recurring theme and bringing nostalgia. However, the following ... read more