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073. Kacey Musgraves - Same Trailer Different Park
After writing and performing songs like this clever one at small local venues across Texas, Kacey inked a deal with Mercury Nashville and got to work recording songs for her debut effort.
Small town living is the overarching theme on the album, but there are so many accessible subtopics that this really is a universal, storyteller's album. The resignation in "Blowin' Smoke" and "Merry Go 'Round" are great examples of the human tendency to bow to practicality and realism, leaning into pre-penned inevitabilities and abandoning grand dreams of yesteryear. Kacey doesn't just sit in the bleakness of it all with those two tracks, though; there's so much light-heartedness and smart humour injected throughout. Romance is music's most-ploughed subject and though "I Miss You" takes a more expected tender touch towards the topic, "Stupid" instead picks up an axe to the whole notion. She even has a song for the trolls, "Step Off", which holds a rather extreme (but understandable) message at the end of its chorus. "It Is What It Is", the only track from the album to spend multiple days atop my daily chart, circles back to that sense of resignation earlier on in the album, closing the LP on a sober note. My favourite track, though, is the track that introduced me to Kacey Musgraves, the progressive (by country's notoriously conservative and traditional standards) "Follow Your Arrow". That song really connected her with a fanbase outside of country music and, perhaps more significantly, made a certain segment of that core country base feel recognised in a rare positive light. It's also still the song that gets the most roaring applause at her live shows to this day.
The album was a home-run success with critics, scoring 89 on Metacritic. "Merry Go 'Round" won Best Country Song at the Grammys and the album 'Best Country Album'. 'Same Trailer Different Park' would also score nominations at most of the major country award shows, though it would, rather curiously enough, lose them all. It would peak at #2 in the US and eventually earn a platinum certification there, setting the sturdy foundation for future successes from the talented singer-songwriter.
Small town living is the overarching theme on the album, but there are so many accessible subtopics that this really is a universal, storyteller's album. The resignation in "Blowin' Smoke" and "Merry Go 'Round" are great examples of the human tendency to bow to practicality and realism, leaning into pre-penned inevitabilities and abandoning grand dreams of yesteryear. Kacey doesn't just sit in the bleakness of it all with those two tracks, though; there's so much light-heartedness and smart humour injected throughout. Romance is music's most-ploughed subject and though "I Miss You" takes a more expected tender touch towards the topic, "Stupid" instead picks up an axe to the whole notion. She even has a song for the trolls, "Step Off", which holds a rather extreme (but understandable) message at the end of its chorus. "It Is What It Is", the only track from the album to spend multiple days atop my daily chart, circles back to that sense of resignation earlier on in the album, closing the LP on a sober note. My favourite track, though, is the track that introduced me to Kacey Musgraves, the progressive (by country's notoriously conservative and traditional standards) "Follow Your Arrow". That song really connected her with a fanbase outside of country music and, perhaps more significantly, made a certain segment of that core country base feel recognised in a rare positive light. It's also still the song that gets the most roaring applause at her live shows to this day.
The album was a home-run success with critics, scoring 89 on Metacritic. "Merry Go 'Round" won Best Country Song at the Grammys and the album 'Best Country Album'. 'Same Trailer Different Park' would also score nominations at most of the major country award shows, though it would, rather curiously enough, lose them all. It would peak at #2 in the US and eventually earn a platinum certification there, setting the sturdy foundation for future successes from the talented singer-songwriter.
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Significance rating: 10/20 No. 1s on my daily chart: It Is What It Is (x2); Follow Your Arrow (x1); Stupid (x1); Merry Go 'Round (x1); Blowin' Smoke (x1) Best lyric: Mama's hooked on Mary Kay, brother's hooked on Mary Jane, and daddy's hooked on Mary two doors down, Mary Mary quite contrary, we get bored so we get married, and just like dust we settle in this town Best melody: Silver Lining Best video: Follow Your Arrow Rank in 2010 countdown: NR Rank in 2011 countdown: NR Rank in 2012 countdown: NR
(I always assumed it was directed at him, among others too, probably). Admittedly, it's a pretty petty way to start off this supposedly-brighter/lighter album, but it's just too relatable not to love (I let shitty people live rent-free in my head way too often, so the song's almost aspirational in a sense). That specific track aside, I'm always glad to see anyone praise Lover, which feels a bit forgotten/overlooked now between the memorably-divisive reputation and her acclaimed folksy rebirth. I do enjoy Lover's singles, but I agree that they didn't do this album any favors with most people (or even many fans). Shout-outs to some of my faves that you didn't mention one way or the other: "Cornelia Street," "Death By A Thousand Cuts," "The Archer," and "I Think He Knows." "and baby, IIIIIII get mystifiiiiiiied by how this city screams your name..."
Such creative potential, but such disastrous potential too.
I'm definitely embarrassed now by how close-minded I was then, unable/unwilling to appreciate the big brassy (sexy) energy across B'Day. I don't see it ever standing toe-to-toe with the likes of her self-titled in my eyes, but several of its tracks are extremely fun to crank all the way up on occasion. I didn't realize you held "Listen" in such high regard now! Was its ascension aided by any specific examples of those talent show covers you mentioned?
LOVE IT! If only they'd slapped that version onto one of the many B'Day deluxe/international editions/remix EPs.
Considering how many of them are less than 10 seconds long, at least some could've just been included as the start of the following song (the way this album's structured would be like making "Gimme a beat!" a separate interlude track before "Nasty"). That silliness aside, it's awesome to see someone devote several sentences to singing the praises of "The Body That Loves You" (that one doesn't seem to get singled out very often, for better or worse). It has slight "elevator music" vibes to my ears, but I kinda love that about it (might as well start f**kin' in that elevator while we're there). I'll forever associate you with "This Time" (it was always a big "SKIP" for me until you started advocating for it here on UKMIX). I tended to slightly prefer the R. Kelly Mix of "Any Time, Any Place" to the album version, but I haven't re-evaluated them side-by-side in a minute. Not even mentioning "You Want This" is a tad rude, but there's so much ground to cover on this monumental album that it's easy enough to forgive. I adore the single art for that one (looking SO gorgeous, so playful, so pleased). "If" is an extremely worthy champ - no argument there! Also love that factoid about her last name (or the lack thereof) on subsequent album covers.
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