10 Best Pop Albums Of 2018
6. Kacey Musgraves - Golden Hour
Kacey Musgraves gambled a portion of her loyal (and large) country following when she spectacularly diversified beyond previous expectations in 2018, but the spellbinding results hopefully justified the left turn into scintillating synths in place of an extra banjo pluck.
Not least because "Golden Hour" is a luxurious slice of both. The eponymous track flatters to deceive, adding earnestness to an otherwise hazy ballad, whilst Space Cowboy skews country's lowkey pomp with a track first scaled back before a luscious grand finale. Lyrically, she bloodies homophobia with Rainbow, and kudos for an artist with roots in country for fighting such a good fight rather than not bothering in engaging in one at all. Mother is a lament to the pain of missing a parent far away, crafted - by her own admittance - whilst on an LSD trip.
Golden Hour's biggest triumph - and Musgrave's most beloved donation to 2018 - is High Horse. The surgical fusion of disco, house and country combines with scalpel-sharp lyrics to ensure its place as the album's deepest cut. An instant infectiousness - despite the disparate desperation expressed within the lyrics - elevates the album amongst the year's elite.