A rich country flavour

music review

A rich country flavour

American country music artiste Kacey Musgraves was quite realistic about life in her debut album, Same trailer, different park. She continues in the same vein in her sophomore album, Pageant Material, on which she has co-written all the 13 tracks. The singer draws upon her small-town girl experiences. It is typical country, but lyrically rich.

The opening track, “High time”, is pure roots Mexican style country melody. “Dime Store Cowgirl” is an upbeat song about a girl of humble origins. “I made it all the way past Austin City Limits / Maybe for a minute I got too big for my britches / But I’m just a dime store cowgirl / That’s all I’m ever gonna be / You can take me out of the country / But you can’t take the country out of me,” she sings.

“Late to the Party” is no party song. Rather it is an anti-party song (Who needs a crowd / When you’re happy at a party for two/ .... I’m never late to the party/ if I’m late to the party with you).

In the title song, “Pageant Material”, she pokes fun at beauty pageants  (“It ain’t that I don’t care about world peace/ But I don’t see how I can fix it in swimsuit on a stage. .... I’d rather lose for what I am than win for what I ain’t).

“Biscuits” is a peppy song with cheeky lyrics, (“Pouring salt in my sugar won’t make yours any sweeter / Pissing in my yard ain’t gonna make yours any greener... Mind your own biscuits and life will be gravy,” she advises with an eloquent colloquial touch.

Supported by a vibrant acoustic guitar, “Die Fun” is a song about living life to the fullest. “Family Is Family” is a song that says that despite the love-hate situation, blood is thicker than water (“They might smoke like chimneys, but give you their kidneys”). In “Cup of Tea”, Musgraves gives her wisdom, “nobody’s everybody’s favourite.”