Illustration: thefortyfive.com

The Mellowest Outing Yet

Kacey Musgraves’s fifth album, Deeper Well, takes a departure from the theatricality and synth-y jams of her previous works. The album features spare folk songs with minimal instrumentation. Musgraves explained that as she turned 35, she found herself having less time for unnecessary things, which reflects in the simplicity of Deeper Well.

"Anime Eyes" Stands Out

Among the subdued tracks on the album, "Anime Eyes" stands out. It starts with a jaunty guitar strum and gradually builds up with the addition of drums, vocoder, and an acoustic guitar solo. The bridge of the song is an explosive moment where Musgraves lists off her emotions in rapid-fire. It's a release that is well worth the wait after 13 songs.

A Bizarre and Wonderful Song

As the song progresses, Musgraves goes from fitting her feelings into the song's rhythm to shouting out her emotions with lines like "Happy tears overflowing" and "Turning into flowers blooming!" The song takes on a whimsical and unconventional tone, reminiscent of the Fairly OddParents theme song. Musgraves playfully declares that Sailor Moon has nothing on her. "Anime Eyes" is a standout track that showcases Musgraves's creativity and willingness to experiment within her discography.