Album Review: "Middle of Nowhere" - Kacey Musgraves
- Tessa Brainard
- May 5
- 8 min read
Kacey Musgraves holds a shining spot in my heart. My first introduction to her came in September 2012 with the release of her debut single, “Merry Go Round.” I was only 11 years old, but I knew I’d found something special. I didn’t follow her career closely again until her magnum opus, Golden Hour, was released in 2018. That album carried me through falling in love for the first time as a young woman, and her following divorce album, Starcrossed, held me through my first heartbreak. I’ve also been a loyal listener to her sophomore album, Pageant Material, finding solace in songs like “This Town” and “Dime Store Cowgirl.”
The only Musgraves album I didn’t fall in love with was her 2024 album, Deeper Well. I didn’t connect with it as deeply as her other work, so when she announced the release of her latest album, Middle of Nowhere, I wasn’t sure what to expect. However, I was hooked from the first single. Released on May 1, 2026, Middle of Nowhere is the triumphant return that I’ve been waiting for.
Tracklist
Middle of Nowhere
Dry Spell
Back On The Wagon
I Believe In Ghosts
Abilene
Coyote (feat. Gregory Alan Isakov)
Loneliest Girl
Everybody Wants To Be A Cowboy (feat. Billy Strings)
Horses and Divorces (feat. Miranda Lambert)
Uncertain, TX (feat. Willie Nelson)
Rhinestoned
Mexico Honey
Hell On Me
Middle of Nowhere
The title track for this album, “Middle of Nowhere,” finds Musgraves enjoying complete solitude, perhaps for the first time. Written during one of the longest periods of singlehood in her life, Musgraves became fascinated with the transitional states of liminal spaces, both physically and mentally. This is most prominent in this opening track as she learns to exist in a space not occupied by anyone else.
As she embarks past the county line into a place with no cell service, no other humans for miles, and “no reckless men who don’t know what they want,” she realizes that there is true comfort in being alone. She doesn’t care if a past lover is trying to reach her, and she wouldn’t call them back even if she could.
Dry Spell
“Dry Spell” was the first single from this record, and an instant favorite of mine. Musgraves teased this track through promotional posters and billboards in various cities in the United States. These advertisements included the words, “Dry Spell? Call for a real good time,” followed by a telephone number that aired an out-of-service tone. Further advertisements featured the bull from the album’s cover art with the message, “Horny? Call for a real good time.”
This track is playful and witty, with tongue-in-cheek double-entendres that make me laugh every time I hear them. It’s painfully relatable for anyone who has ever been “lonely with a capital H, if you know what I mean.”
The instrumentals on this track were also a standout for me from the moment I heard it. Aside from the solace the lonely girls get from the lyrics, this track is also a hit for those of us who grew up with the desert in our blood. Ripe with a pedal steel guitar and a prominent bassline, my first thought was, "This is an album for us Southwest girls.”
Back On The Wagon
“Back On The Wagon” follows a toxic relationship that the narrator can’t seem to let go of. Over twangy guitars, Musgraves laments about the ways her lover has wronged her, and the ways she believes he has changed. He’s “back on the wagon,” promising her that things will be different this time. While those around her look at her doubtfully, the narrator doesn’t mind appearing delusional as long as she’s with her man.
This track is painfully relatable to those of us who have gone back time and time again to someone we know has hurt us. It may be naive, but sometimes you can’t help but see the good in someone. It is said that love conquers all, but sometimes it’s better to let this one go.
I Believe In Ghosts
“I Believe In Ghosts” describes the sudden death of a relationship that continues to haunt Musgraves. She once felt safe with this person, only to realize that any semblance of love they gave her was just smoke and mirrors. When she tried to get close and let them into the light, they disappeared like an apparition. She can see right through them now, but as much as she wishes that this person were dead to her, their memories linger in her mind like a bad spirit.
The instrumentals have a fitting spooky quality to them that helps carry the theming of the track, with steely electric guitars and a thrumming drumline backing Musgraves’ clear vocals. This is one track I’m excited to hear live, as there is a subtle dance quality to it that is sure to help me shake off any remaining bad vibes from past lovers.
Abilene
Reminiscent of “Blowin’ Smoke” from Musgraves’ debut album Same Trailer, Different Park, “Abilene” follows a mysterious woman escaping her hometown in search of something greater. The track follows the small town gossip spreads about her, the townspeople wondering where she’s going and why she left. Still, this talk will never reach her, as she’s miles away by now, never to return. It is said there’s no place like home, but the narrator supposes, “that’s the thing she’s countin’ on.”
With plucky acoustic guitars and a simple drumline to back it, “Abilene” feels like rolling down the highway at dusk, leaving everything you’ve ever known behind. It is cathartic and heartfelt; simply put, it feels like freedom, especially for those of us who have left our own Abilenes.
Coyote (feat. Gregory Alan Isakov)
“Coyote,” featuring Gregory Alan Isakov, is a true treasure on this record, especially for us from the American Southwest. From the opening guitar notes, I found myself driving down a highway at night in the middle of nowhere, with nothing but cacti and miles of desert surrounding me. That is, until the coyote of this track is seen running down the road.
An old flame of Musgraves’ is likened to this wild animal throughout the song, as the coyote she sees “looked like he’d been crying.” Coyotes are known to be timid and will typically flee when in contact with humans. However, they can still be dangerous if you’re not careful. Musgraves has realized that she got too close to something that needed to run free, only to hurt herself as she held out her hand to this notoriously skittish creature.
My only criticism of this track is that Isakov’s voice easily gets lost. It takes a few listens to hear his vocals in the background, and even then, it is a strain to pick up. This collaboration would have been more impactful if Isakov had his own lines, especially in the second verse, as the male counterpart in this tale is supposed to voice his regret. Despite this missed opportunity for a stronger collab, “Coyote” is a haunting tune that will linger in the back of my mind for weeks to come.
Loneliest Girl
“Loneliest Girl” is a reflective love letter to learning to enjoy singlehood. Self-described “serial monogamist,” Musgraves uses this track to reinvent herself and finally find peace in being “the loneliest girl in the world.” She finds that she doesn’t need a partner in the ways she thought she did, and being alone might actually be better than “anything that’s taking up [her] energy.”
Everybody Wants To Be A Cowboy (feat. Billy Strings)
“Everybody Wants To Be A Cowboy” highlights and criticizes the mainstreaming of cowboy- and ranch-hand-inspired fashion. While many people are quick to adorn what they think is cowboy attire, Musgraves knows that they haven’t done any of the work that living off the land entails.
The instrumentals are rife with impressive guitarwork. This track features famed modern bluegrass singer-songwriter Billy Strings. I haven’t listened to Strings’ work before, and I wish his vocals were more prominent in this track so I could get a true feel for his voice. Overall, this track isn’t a heavy hitter, but it is still an easy listen.
Horses and Divorces (feat. Miranda Lambert)
“Horses and Divorces,” featuring Texas country superstar Miranda Lambert, is a collaboration no one ever saw coming. Described as the Norteño-influenced, countryfied “Girl So Confusing,” this track sees the two singers burying the hatchet.
For context, both singers are from small towns in Texas, not far from each other. Mugraves wrote Lambert’s hit single, “Mama’s Broken Heart,” which was released in early 2013. However, this song was pitched to Lambert without Musgraves’ knowledge, and while she ultimately let her have the song, the tension between them was never fully resolved. That is, until now.
Maybe, “Hell just froze over,” but they’ve both come to realize their similarities are much bigger than their differences. They croon, “We’ve got a few things in common // Like horses and divorces, and we both like to drink // Maybe we’re more alike than we think.”
Uncertain, TX (feat. Willie Nelson)
“Uncertain, TX,” is named after a real town in Texas with a population of only 85 on the border of Texas and Louisiana, truly placing you in the middle of nowhere. Musgraves uses clever wordplay on the town name to evoke that horrible feeling of being strung along by someone who can’t decide if they want to take you seriously in love or not.
The song’s featured artist is none other than American icon, country music legend and fellow Texan, Willie Nelson. Longtime friends and collaborators, Musgraves and Nelson have created another hit.
The instrumentals are the focal point of this song. Backed by twelve-string guitars, Tejano-inspired, and a heavy presence of cowbell (a truly underutilized percussion, in my opinion), the pair laments over this doomed romance. As the track comes to a close with the scathe of Musgraves’ pen as she writes, “Down here in Uncertain, Texas // Nobody ever makes up their dusty, old, love-bombin' // Snake-charmin', bullshitin' // Heartbreakin', godforsaken, dumbass mind.”
Rhinestoned
“Rhinestoned” would sonically be right at home on Musgraves’ 2015 album, Pageant Material. There is a glittery quality to the instrumentals, overlaying a Nashville twang that would put this track right at home on that record.
On “Rhinestoned,” Musgraves seeks comfort in a fellow bar patron who is enduring a similar heartache of lost love. Together, they vow to get lost in where the night takes them without overthinking it. Musgraves has “got something in [her] pocket, [they] could step out back,” that can help him forget about his troubles. With all else having failed, why not get lost in the moment? She sings, “Baby, we don’t have to be alone // Let’s get a little rhinestoned.”
Mexico Honey
“Mexico Honey” is a sexy standout that I’ve had on repeat. It’s fun and lighthearted, a lovely detour from some of the heavier themes on this record. It’s the perfect track for those of us who are currently all-consumed by a crush and a need for a little (but hopefully a lot of) passion.
It seems that her aforementioned “Dry Spell” is blissfully broken, and she can “ride this wave ‘til it breaks.” Her desires are barely contained, flowing out of her with the quick cadence of her words and the flirty lilt to her voice. It seems she can’t even comprehend the effect his man has on her as she sings, “I want you so bad, it ain’t even funny // I mean, for real, what the hell?” She can’t get enough of him, and she’s not afraid to show it.
Hell On Me
The album’s final track, “Hell On Me,” ends the record on a somber note. As Musgraves reflects on a past partner, she realizes she doesn’t blame this person for the pain she felt in their relationship, as much of it was self-inflicted by her attempts to change them. She knows now that trying to be an angel for someone who was fighting their own demons did nothing but bring Hell upon her. There is nothing else for her to do now but pick herself up and move forward.
The record closes out with only Musgraves’ soft vocals and a steel pedal guitar, leaving the listener to sit with the feeling of heartbreak.
Middle of Nowhere is a masterclass in genre-blending and lyricism. Heavily inspired by the Mexican culture ingrained in her home state of Texas, Musgraves honors these roots throughout the record. Overall, the album is a triumph in her songwriting abilities and brings back her signature storytelling that I fell in love with so many years ago.
Written By Tessa Brainard
*copyright not intended. Fair use act, section 107.
