Kacey Musgraves, Middle of Nowhere | Song Review

Although it’s not flashy or groundbreaking, Grammy-winner Kacey Musgraves delivers an enjoyable, well-rounded single with “Middle of Nowhere.”

Where do you wanna be, Kacey Musgraves? Somewhere in the “Middle of Nowhere”, of course! “Middle of Nowhere” marks the second single from the Grammy-winning country singer-songwriter’s sixth studio album, Middle of Nowhere.  Musgraves wrote and produced the song with Ian Fitchuk and Daniel Tashian.

“Middle of Nowhere” is familiar territory for Kacey Musgraves.  How so? She sounds as cool as a cucumber as she sings. Mellow to the nth degree. She never gets too high or comes close to breaking a sweat.  Likewise, the musical accompaniment is modest and relaxed; non troppo if you will.  Even if the production isn’t flashy or ornate, it is well-rounded.  The guitars shine, particularly the pedal steel.  The verses are short but perfectly fit the country bill: “No service on the phone, and I’m alone, but it honestly feels good / And if you tried to call, I wouldn’t call you back even if I could.” One moment that keeps things engaging is the metric shift during the chorus.  The chorus embraces compound duple meter, contrasting the common time of the verses.  Beyond the music theory behind it, the lyrics are memorable:

“Somewhere in the middle of nowhere

I think maybe I’ll just stay there

Don’t tell me you miss me, I don’t care

I’m somewhere in the middle of nowhere.”

Another contrasting section is the bridge, which concludes the brief record. The big takeaway from the bridge: “It’s just me and me, and that’s all I need.” Word.  In short, “Middle of Nowhere” marks another well-rounded song from Kacey Musgraves.  It’s not groundbreaking, mind you, but enjoyable enough and respectable through and through. 

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Kacey Musgraves » Middle of Nowhere » Kacey Musgraves / Lost Highway » 5.1.26 [📷: Kacey Musgraves / Lost Highway]

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