Back in March, Kacey Musgraves preceded Brat Summer with what can only be described as Saturn Return Spring, a month-long stretch of releases by artists such as Ariana Grande, SZA and Musgraves reflecting on the astrological phenomenon that occurs roughly every 29.5 years. It’s a period of time marked by life changes and a re-assessment of your priorities, a sentiment explored in the title track to Musgraves’ fifth album Deeper Well, in which the 35-year-old sings about foregoing a wake and bake ritual with her gravity bong in favor of a more clear-headed start to the day: meditation.
In the months since its release, Deeper Well has served as a balm for anxious souls. On the 14-track album, Musgraves ruminates on connecting with nature (“Heart of the Woods,” “Cardinal”), prioritizing happiness over material things (“Lonely Millionaire”) and being present (the Nora Ephron-inspired “Dinner With Friends”).
On Deeper Into the Well, an expanded edition of the album (released Aug. 2), Musgraves delves deeper into her psyche and provides seven new anthems for fans seeking solace in a world of chaos – among them, millennials who shop at metaphysical stores and Gen Z-ers making “cottage witch” TikTok content. (The Texan is so back to her roots, she celebrated the album release not at a swanky party, but at a Nashville farmer’s market.)
In other words: get in, girlies; we’re charging our crystals, going to therapy and listening to Deeper Into the Well.
The new set of songs kicks off with “Ruthless,” a stunner that finds the singer pledging her devotion to a loved one. (“If anyone tried to hurt you,” she sings, “I would be ruthless for you.”)
Musgraves delivers one of the best songs ever penned about sisterhood in “Little Sister,” inspired by her own little sister, Kelly, a photographer who’s helped create the album art for all of the singer’s albums. (“She got the clothes that I grew out of/ I could never shut my mouth, but she was the quiet one…she’s the bigger person, my little sister.”)
“Flower Child,” which features one of Musgraves’ best lyrics to date (“ADHD and a ring in your nose/ roll out of bed and you make it up as you go”) and the Leon Bridges collab “Superbloom” sound like a cosmic stroll through Laurel Canyon, while “Perfection,” featuring folk-pop group Tiny Habits, finds Musgraves working through her own fears and insecurities.
The relationship post-mortem “Arm’s Length” leads into the gorgeous album closer: Celtic-inspired “Irish Goodbye.” “No face to face, no eye to eye/ I thought this meant more but I guess that’s alright,” Musgraves sings. “I’ll forgive your faults if you’ll forgive mine, but it’s hard to forgive your Irish goodbye.”
Musgraves’ Saturn has returned and, with it, she returns to the stirring, plainspoken truths that made us fall in love with her in the first place.
Kacey Musgraves, Deeper Into the Well Track List:
1. “Cardinal”
2. “Deeper Well”
3. “Too Good to be True”
4. “Moving Out”
5. “Giver/Taker”
6. “Sway”
7. “Dinner with Friends”
8. “Heart of the Woods”
9. “Jade Green”
10. “The Architect”
11. “Lonely Millionaire”
12. “Heaven Is”
13. “Anime Eyes”
14. “Nothing to Be Scared of”
15. “Ruthless”
16. “Little Sister”
17. “Flower Child”
18. “Superbloom” ft. Leon Bridges
19. “Perfection” ft. Tiny Habits
20. “Arm’s Length”
21. “Irish Goodbye”
