Kacey Musgraves walks country’s borderlands

2026-05-19 · 39 min · 11 entities

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Feed category: Music
→ hosted by Vox Media Podcast Network company

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Feed author/publisher: Vox Media Podcast Network
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concepts 7

mentioned Music Commentary concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: Music Commentary
mentioned Music Interviews concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: Music Interviews
mentioned Music History concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: Music History
discusses Music concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: Music
discusses Music Commentary concept

0.40

evidence rules-v5
Feed category: Music Commentary
discusses Music Interviews concept

0.40

evidence rules-v5
Feed category: Music Interviews
discusses Music History concept

0.40

evidence rules-v5
Feed category: Music History

companys 4

mentioned Vox Media Podcast Network company

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evidence rules-v5
Feed author/publisher: Vox Media Podcast Network
mentioned Vulture company

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evidence rules-v5
Feed author/publisher: Vulture
hosted by Vox Media Podcast Network company

0.40

evidence rules-v5
Feed author/publisher: Vox Media Podcast Network
hosted by Vulture company

0.40

evidence rules-v5
Feed author/publisher: Vulture

Episode description as stored

Kacey Musgraves' album Middle of Nowhere finds the country outlaw taking a break from exploring her inner life to look outward, back to her roots: the regional stylings of Texas. She says the album was inspired by a sign in her hometown that read “Golden, TX: Somewhere in the middle of nowhere.” The album’s sounds probe this same borderland mentality, encapsulating desert noir, Norteño, tejano, and soft rock. Plus, Willie Nelson. The result is a collection of songs that are funny, moving, and reaching back to the sound Musgraves established in her debut record 13 years ago. But the world of country has changed since then – artists like Ella Langley have taken over the charts, cribbing Musgraves' sound while courting a more conservative audience. Can the genre encompass all these multitudes? Nate and Charlie explore this debate through Middle of Nowhere. Links: ⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠, ⁠⁠YouTube⁠ Songs discussed: Kacey Musgraves – I Miss You Kacey Musgraves – Merry Go 'Round Kacey Musgraves – High Horse Kacey Musgraves – justified Kacey Musgraves – Deeper Well Kacey Musgraves – Dry Spell Kacey Musgraves, Billy Strings – Everybody Wants To Be A Cowboy Kacey Musgraves, Willie Nelson – Uncertain, TX Kacey Musgraves – Middle of Nowhere Kacey Musgraves, Miranda Lambert – Horses and Divorces Miranda Lambert – Mama's Broken Heart Ella Langley – Choosin' Texas Dolly Parton, David Hidalgo – Before The Next Teardrop Falls Ella Langley – Be Her Kacey Musgraves – Rhinestoned Neil Young – Harvest Moon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices