Album Review: Kacey Musgraves' 'Pageant Material'

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On Kacey Musgraves' sophomore disc, Pageant Materialthe country crooner continues to deliver her message of self-acceptance. Among the things she accepts is marijuana; pot references are sprinkled throughout the album like dab hits.

The opening track, "High Time" (listen above), channels Dale Evans and Cowboy Curtis (not the Grateful Dead, who also have a tune by that name). "It's high time to slow my roll," she sings. "Let the grass just grow and lean way back. It's a fine time to let it it all go." The song features an easy-going steel pedal over a mid-tempo Tex-Mex beat.   

Read about The Greening of Kacey Musgraves

On the title track, Musgraves says she's not "Pageant Material" because ''I'm always higher than my hair,'' and on "Late to the Party," her companion is "Rolling one for two" while they get ready to go out on the town. On the album's first single, "Biscuits," she advises to "smoke your own smoke."

Pot references are sprinkled throughout country crooner Kacey Musgraves' sophomore album like dabs hits.

There's also a bonus hidden track with Musgraves teaming up with Willie Nelson on his song, “Are You Sure.” She was on Nelson’s tour bus and asked him why he doesn’t play the song live anymore. “He couldn’t believe I knew it,” Musgraves tells radio.com. “I just really loved it. It’s very honest and very country, and it’s a neat perspective. He seemingly pulled a guitar out of a cloud of smoke and started strumming. I was, of course, dying inside a little bit.”

Musgraves took the country world by storm with her 2013 debut, Same Trailer, Different Park, which featured "Follow Your Arrow" ("Roll up a joint, I would").

Catch her on tour starting July 9.

Patrick Hall

Patrick Hall

Hosts the afternoon show on Z-107.5 in Ruston, LA and 'The Patrick and Mountain Man Show' on Monday afternoons.