recordyear
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Post by recordyear on Sept 9, 2021 23:38:22 GMT -5
1. Star-Crossed [Kacey Musgraves, Daniel Tashian & Ian Fitchuk] 2. Good Wife [Kacey Musgraves, Daniel Tashian & Ian Fitchuk] 3. Cherry Blossom [Kacey Musgraves, Daniel Tashian & Ian Fitchuk] 4. Simple Times [Kacey Musgraves, Daniel Tashian & Ian Fitchuk] 5. If This Was a Movie.. [Kacey Musgraves, Daniel Tashian & Ian Fitchuk] 6. Justified [Kacey Musgraves, Ian Fitchuk, Ilsey Juber & Brandon Joyner Burton] 7. angel [Kacey Musgraves, Daniel Tashian & Ian Fitchuk] 8. Breadwinner [Kacey Musgraves, Ian Fitchuk, Ilsey Juber & Brandon Joyner Burton] 9. Camera Roll [Kacey Musgraves, Daniel Tashian & Ian Fitchuk] 10. Easier Said [Kacey Musgraves, Daniel Tashian & Ian Fitchuk] 11. Hookup Scene [Kacey Musgraves, Daniel Tashian & Ian Fitchuk] 12. Keep Lookinβ Up [Kacey Musgraves, Daniel Tashian & Ian Fitchuk] 13. What Doesnβt Kill Me [Kacey Musgraves, Andrew Neely, Dante Jones & Dewain Whitmore, Jr.] 14. There is A Light [Kacey Musgraves, Daniel Tashian & Ian Fitchuk] 15. Gracias a la Vida [Violeta Parra] simple times is the focus track during album release week.
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Post by tim on Sept 9, 2021 23:44:04 GMT -5
Wellβ¦I canβt be the only one not feeling this I hope? Iβm sure itβll grow on me, but sonically itβs initially at least a disappointment.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 9, 2021 23:53:56 GMT -5
I love her first 3 albums but this absolutely garbage. Wtf happened to her? Merry Go Round, Follow Your Arrow, Biscuits, Dime Store Cowgirl & Space Cowboy were amazing. Iβm super disappointed she has moved away from Country music.
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Post by The Brazilian Guy π§π· on Sept 10, 2021 0:01:35 GMT -5
After 2 full listens, I LOVE it. "Keep Lookin Up" and "What Doesn't Kill Me" are the two fillers for me... didn't care for neither Both "Simple Times" and "Justified" sound like obvious singles and the sequence of "Camera Roll", "Easier Said" and "Hookup Scene" is a true 1-2-3 punch :'( ... my top 3 I guess "If This Was a Movie" and "Cherry Blossom" have two of my favorite productions... CB lacks a bridge though lol "There is a Light" and "Gracias a la Vida" are the probably the two more experimental tracks... one so camp and the other so cinematic and powerful
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fearlessarrow
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Post by fearlessarrow on Sept 10, 2021 0:10:13 GMT -5
I think this is my least favorite of the Kacey studio albums so far. I get that it made sense for her to lean into her more pop audience after the success of Golden Hour and how the mainstream country community has treated her outside of award shows, but I think this failed to capture the magic that Golden Hour had.
That being said, I still enjoyed the album and I like the story the album tells, it flows pretty nicely. "cherry blossom" had a lovely instrumentation (I would assume those are traditional Japanese instruments because of the cherry blossom and Tokyo references but I'm not sure just based on sound since a lot of East Asian traditional instruments sound pretty similar at least to my untrained ears), "simple times" grabbed me lyrically, and "there is a light" had that great flute solo. I can see the album being more of a grower than her other three previous studio albums though.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2021 0:15:09 GMT -5
It also annoys me that in every song she has an echo on her voice....She has a beautiful voice and I want to hear that but she puts that annoying echo now on everything.
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Post by tim on Sept 10, 2021 0:24:36 GMT -5
I love her first 3 albums but this absolutely garbage. Wtf happened to her? Merry Go Round, Follow Your Arrow, Biscuits, Dime Store Cowgirl & Space Cowboy were amazing. Iβm super disappointed she has moved away from Country music. I don't agree with referring to this album as garbage, but I will say that one of my initial reactions I had to this album is that she will likely be alienating some of her longtime fans with it. I'd put myself in that camp thus far based on my first couple of listens.
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π‘πππππ€
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Post by π‘πππππ€ on Sept 10, 2021 0:47:25 GMT -5
It's not as good as Golden Hour, but did I see this coming? Yes. So I'm not that disappointed. "there is a light" & "breadwinner" are my immediate faves
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zdm1998
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Post by zdm1998 on Sept 10, 2021 6:43:25 GMT -5
I kind of went into this with low expectations; based on how good βGolden Hourβ was, usually the follow up is always somewhat of a step down. Glad I did cause Iβm not really feeling this.
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Post by George Strait Junkie on Sept 10, 2021 7:05:32 GMT -5
Horrible album even worse than golden hour I also hated that album too I guess we lost country Kacey and got spacey poppy Kacey whatever no my cup of tea Iβll just not listen to anything more she puts out til itβs some kind of return to form but then I do understand why sheβs doing the pop stuff so good for her
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ethanhunt
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Post by ethanhunt on Sept 10, 2021 10:17:01 GMT -5
Not crazy about this. A few good tracks. Which is pretty much the same way I felt about Golden Hour.
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austin
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Post by austin on Sept 10, 2021 12:30:34 GMT -5
Iβm happy more and more female artists care less and less about radio and just produce the album however they want.
That said, this isnβt for me. I love βjustifiedβ and βsimple timesβ but everything else is boring or bad. I will say βbreadwinnerβ is the type of song I love from my country ladies, so I am sure that one will grow on me but the rest to me was trying to recapture what worked last era but in a less effective or surprising way. In some ways itβs parallel to how βevermoreβ didnβt compare to βfolkloreβ, but if the former was the first βsurpriseβ album most of us would have cherished and been more wowed by it.
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SHOOTER
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Post by SHOOTER on Sept 10, 2021 14:38:08 GMT -5
Anybody expecting a sequel to Golden Hour was bound to be disappointed. As a standalone album, it's not her best work but I think it's solid. I'm sure the lack of traditional country elements is what is disappointing some but I appreciate that she decided to expand her style however she saw fit instead of forcing her sound to fit inside the boundaries of a genre that refuses to fully support her.
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.indulgecountry
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Post by .indulgecountry on Sept 10, 2021 20:24:00 GMT -5
Gave this a single run-through today and honestly, I am so, so disappointed. She had some big shoes to fill with her following up such a magnum opus like Golden Hour, but this doesn't deliver at all on that hype for me. I kept waiting... and waiting... and waiting for a country song to pop up as I listened to the album, but I just continued to get the same middle-of-the-road atmospheric pop songs that left everything blending together and very little stood out to me as the entire album was not that dynamic or interesting sonically. Golden Hour worked so well because it blended the best of this style with the best of her country sensibilities and songs like "High Horse" and "Butterflies" felt at home together on the same album. Star-Crossed is a major letdown for me and I have such little motivation currently to even give the record a second spin. I hope in the future she reverts back to her country roots some, because this album ain't it.
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d3vin44
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Post by d3vin44 on Sept 10, 2021 22:43:20 GMT -5
After 2 full listens, I LOVE it. "Keep Lookin Up" and "What Doesn't Kill Me" are the two fillers for me... didn't care for neither Both "Simple Times" and "Justified" sound like obvious singles and the sequence of "Camera Roll", "Easier Said" and "Hookup Scene" is a true 1-2-3 punch :'( ... my top 3 I guess "If This Was a Movie" and "Cherry Blossom" have two of my favorite productions... CB lacks a bridge though lol "There is a Light" and "Gracias a la Vida" are the probably the two more experimental tracks... one so camp and the other so cinematic and powerful Guuurlll Keep Lookinβ Up is the highlight of this album! Iβm in love with it as a whole but Iβd say βeasier saidβ is the weakest if I were to pick one.
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Post by The Brazilian Guy π§π· on Sept 10, 2021 22:51:17 GMT -5
After 2 full listens, I LOVE it. "Keep Lookin Up" and "What Doesn't Kill Me" are the two fillers for me... didn't care for neither Both "Simple Times" and "Justified" sound like obvious singles and the sequence of "Camera Roll", "Easier Said" and "Hookup Scene" is a true 1-2-3 punch ... my top 3 I guess "If This Was a Movie" and "Cherry Blossom" have two of my favorite productions... CB lacks a bridge though lol "There is a Light" and "Gracias a la Vida" are the probably the two more experimental tracks... one so camp and the other so cinematic and powerful Guuurlll Keep Lookinβ Up is the highlight of this album! Iβm in love with it as a whole but Iβd say βeasier saidβ is the weakest if I were to pick one. Easier Said is one of my favorites lol I have to say though, Keep Lookin Up has grown on me a lot now that Iβve listened to the album multiple timesβ¦ I donβt think itβs a filler anymore
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someguy
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Post by someguy on Sept 10, 2021 22:54:13 GMT -5
Amazon still hasn't shipped my copy yet, but I'm hoping it will come soon. Based on comments/reviews, I'm wondering if Kacey won't really be considered a "country artist" anymore.
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recordyear
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Post by recordyear on Sept 10, 2021 23:34:09 GMT -5
Given the recent years of country airplay #1s which include a synthpop song and some songs with blatant trap beats, the songs in this album aren't that far out of "modern country" music realm.
I think the instrument sound choices mostly pay off, and this album starts and ends well. It would be interesting to see how they sound live.
And this is no ordinary pop music lol. No pop music from recent pop releases sounds like this.
Cherry Blossom (a better Wonder Woman), Simple Times (that riff is literally the same as Criminal by Lindsay Ell), and Justified (the acoustics are the highlight) could be country radio singles, but her label just said f*** that and pushed her label mate which also put pop music on the same week, but you know, will end up on country airplay #1 just because.
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Post by tim on Sept 11, 2021 3:02:28 GMT -5
Amazon still hasn't shipped my copy yet, but I'm hoping it will come soon. Based on comments/reviews, I 'm wondering if Kacey won't really be considered a "country artist" anymore. Speaking just for this album, no. As .indulgecountry so well captured in his brief review, some of us were just expecting or wanting to hear some resemblance of the Kacey we've all become familiar with over all of these years, and as for myself I've mentioned before that the sound just isn't here. I know it's very early to gauge this albums response, but it does seem quite mixed amongst us here on Pulse. It'll be interesting to see how this album is perceived a few months from now.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2021 4:39:24 GMT -5
Amazon still hasn't shipped my copy yet, but I'm hoping it will come soon. Based on comments/reviews, I'm wondering if Kacey won't really be considered a "country artist" anymore. She recently fired her band that had been with her since her first album. Told them she was going in a different direction / sound. It kinda makes sense because you donβt need a steel guitar player on tour if sheβs only gonna be playing her new music.
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recordyear
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Post by recordyear on Sept 11, 2021 10:25:11 GMT -5
Pretty great streaming debut considering zero airplay this era. Probably will topple Dangerous from #1 on country albums chart.
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Post by The Brazilian Guy π§π· on Sept 11, 2021 10:35:23 GMT -5
Pretty great streaming debut considering zero airplay this era. Probably will topple Dangerous from #1 on country albums chart.
This is really huge for her! I'm so proud! :'(
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codyj100
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Post by codyj100 on Sept 11, 2021 11:02:58 GMT -5
To echo the sentiments from above, I too am disappointed. But, thatβs because I figured weβd get something that resembled her past three albums. I will say that βhookup sceneβ is my favorite. You can hear her heartbreak come through. Iβm going to give the album another spin. Currently on βgood wifeβ again and Iβm back to being unimpressed.
I know artists are supposed to grow and Iβm all for that. I really am. I just wish it wouldβve been more gradual.
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kamala 2024 truther
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Post by kamala 2024 truther on Sept 11, 2021 13:50:07 GMT -5
Well, it looks like I'm in a very small boat, because after five listens, I adore this album. In fact, I even think what she said about this being the "other side," if you will, of Golden Hour is pretty accurate (which, she's the artist, so it's bound to be an accurate statement). Now, is this on that exact level? Of course not, lol. Golden Hour was such a magnum opus and is truly among the best albums of all time (and I would argue like...Top 5 ever regardless of genre), so she's gonna have to go on another acid trip or something to come close to touching that one. However, this is still such a wonderful album, and frankly, it feels very comforting, which is what I love so much about its predecessor. I also love that she's expanding her sound instead of sticking to the sound of a genre that will never support her. *shrug* Anyways, these are some more of my thoughts, pulled from her artist thread: Adore this album. It's very much a natural progression in sound imo following Golden Hour, and this is absolutely the other side of that album content-wise. I would go so far as to describe them as sisters, yin and yang, night and day, a folklore and an evermore. There was one song in particular, I believe it was "cherry blossom," that sounded like "Wonder Woman" at times. The title track is an EXCELLENT opener, and I love how this album went on a journey of emotion. Starting out with the initial breakup, and then getting angry about it, and then getting sad and regretting the breakup, and finally the healing that comes with accepting that it's over, it's not coming back, and it's time to move on. I ADORED "angel," "camera roll" and "hookup scene" made me cry, and I am LIVING for this campiness of "there is a light"!!! This flute better PLAY!!! Very excited to see where she goes musically after this, because I am LOVING the sound of this and Golden Hour. A+ for me. personal favorites: star-crossed, cherry blossom, justified, angel, breadwinner, camera roll, hookup scene, there is a light (I'll be watching the movie later this weekend and will give thoughts on that as well) Currently projected to debut at #3 (!!!!!!!!!!!!) on the Billboard 200:
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.indulgecountry
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Post by .indulgecountry on Sept 11, 2021 16:59:43 GMT -5
I support her expanding and experimenting with different sounds -- and she did it very well on Golden Hour -- but her ditching any semblance of the original neo-traditional country Kacey we had from the beginning of her career is definitely a disappointment for a longtime fan. I'm sure in the wake of GH, she's acquired a lot of fans that will eat this up, but this doesn't hit the spot for someone who thinks her best songs are things like "Merry Go Round," "Biscuits," and "Dime Store Cowgirl." Glad it's doing well for her, but I hope she doesn't abandon country completely for future projects and she swings the pendulum back the other way in the future.
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Post by The Brazilian Guy π§π· on Sept 11, 2021 17:09:21 GMT -5
Well, it looks like I'm in a very small boat, because after five listens, I adore this album.
Trust me, you're not ;)
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kimberly
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Post by kimberly on Sept 11, 2021 19:12:13 GMT -5
I'm seeing a lot of mismanaged expectations in this thread, tbh. it has been clear that this wouldn't be Kacey's return to her former (STDP/PM) sound, and we even had been tipped off about "Spanish guitars" and such a while ago. the sound of this album is a very logical continuation of Golden Hour, while the themes do shift drastically (as expected).
do I think this is a step-down from Golden Hour? yes. whatever she puts out was destined to be. Golden Hour is not only her best work, it is easily one of the best albums of the 2010's, and perhaps one of the best albums of all-time. personally, it's my 6th most-played album ever on last.fm.
however, I do think star-crossed offers a new perspective to the narrative Golden Hour built. after a couple of listens, my initial favorites are the tracks where she experiments sonically: "good wife," "breadwinner," "there is a light" and "cherry blossom" stood out the most.
my biggest gripe with this album is the final track. "gracias a la vida" does nothing for meβit's simply an inferior cover of the song, with pretty bad pronunciation. not Selena Gomez bad, but still. "there is a light" would have been a much more apt closer, in my opinion.
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.indulgecountry
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Post by .indulgecountry on Sept 11, 2021 19:25:14 GMT -5
I'm seeing a lot of mismanaged expectations in this thread, tbh. it has been clear that this wouldn't be Kacey's return to her former ( STDP/PM) sound, and we even had been tipped off about "Spanish guitars" and such a while ago. the sound of this album is a very logical continuation of Golden Hour, while the themes do shift drastically (as expected). do I think this is a step-down from Golden Hour? yes. whatever she puts out was destined to be. Golden Hour is not only her best work, it is easily one of the best albums of the 2010's, and perhaps one of the best albums of all-time. personally, it's my 6th most-played album ever on last.fm. I can't speak for anyone else, but considering I thought Golden Hour was exceptional and hands down her best album, I don't think my expectations were "mismanaged" at all. I fully expected another album in that vein (not another STDP), and I welcomed it. But, what we got, was essentially a less dynamic and interesting Golden Hour with all the country elements removed. She balanced the scales perfectly on her last record, so I was hoping she'd continue that. It's a logical move to make in the same way that Taylor Swift went from Red to 1989, but it's nonetheless disappointing since she was pretty steadfastly country for most of her career and this is a big letdown for me, and it seems to be a common opinion for a lot of her longtime country fans on here. I'm glad her pop audience is happy with it, and I expect some of the songs to grow on me once I revisit the album, but she did not deliver what I expected or wanted imo. also "Spanish guitars" have been present on and executed wonderfully on country songs for decades
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kimberly
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Post by kimberly on Sept 11, 2021 19:31:11 GMT -5
I'm seeing a lot of mismanaged expectations in this thread, tbh. it has been clear that this wouldn't be Kacey's return to her former ( STDP/PM) sound, and we even had been tipped off about "Spanish guitars" and such a while ago. the sound of this album is a very logical continuation of Golden Hour, while the themes do shift drastically (as expected). do I think this is a step-down from Golden Hour? yes. whatever she puts out was destined to be. Golden Hour is not only her best work, it is easily one of the best albums of the 2010's, and perhaps one of the best albums of all-time. personally, it's my 6th most-played album ever on last.fm. I can't speak for anyone else, but considering I thought Golden Hour was exceptional and hands down her best album, I don't think my expectations were "mismanaged" at all. I fully expected another album in that vein (not another STDP), and I welcomed it. But, what we got, was essentially a less dynamic and interesting Golden Hour with all the country elements removed. She balanced the scales perfectly on her last record, so I was hoping she'd continue that. It's a logical move to make in the same way that Taylor Swift went from Red to 1989, but it's nonetheless disappointing since she was pretty steadfastly country for most of her career and this is a big letdown for me, and it seems to be a common opinion for a lot of her longtime country fans on her. I'm glad her pop audience is happy with it, and I expect some of the songs to grow on me once I revisit the album, but she did not deliver what I expected or wanted imo. also "Spanish guitars" have been present on and executed wonderfully on country songs for decadesmy comment was more so for the people that called it "garbage" and "horrible" and somehow wanted a "return to form" or whatever. I can see how this album wouldn't be received well by you & country fans alike, but those who expected/wanted neon-cactus era Kacey to make a comeback were setting themselves up for disappointment.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2021 20:03:45 GMT -5
"Space Cowboy" and "Love Is A Wild Thing" together complete the entire premise of this new album and do it better than the 15 combined tracks on the actual "star-crossed".
Add in "Keep It To Yourself", "Silver Lining", "Fine", "I Miss You" & "Wonder Woman", and you've got a 7 track EP that's eons better than anything on star-crossed.
Edit: Even "Dandelion", "Back On The Map", and "Stupid" would work.
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