Pushing country music outside its comfort zone

A nice counterpoint to Monday's post.  Casey Quinlan writes at The Atlantic Cities:

Kacey Musgraves (l) and Brandy Clark (r)

One of the defining characteristics of modern country music is its distinctly American way of acknowledging of class and place. Country singers have long embraced their working-class roots and expressed pride in the battles they fight to make rent; the genre's everyday Joes and Janes are proud to be everyday ...  But recently, a few female country singers have stepped away from this point of view, portraying small-town narratives in a more melancholy light.

Instead of endorsing the country lifestyle, these artists question small-town living, the value of tradition, and the virtue in staying in one's place. Instead of leaving life unexamined and being happy to be to do so, Kacey Musgraves's "Merry Go ’Round" and Brandy Clark's "Pray to Jesus" ask why people continue down the same road as their parents did. And as encouraging as many of the rebellious "embrace-hick-culture" songs were, these new songs feel more appropriate for the time we're living in.  ...

In Musgraves and Clark’s narratives, there is boredom, and even worse, there are dreams that go stale. People living in urban areas aren't spared these problems, but there are more distractions available and often they have a better shot at realizing those dreams.  ...

Rural boredom is different from urban boredom: Much of the appeal of cities is rooted in the excitement of newness, of novelty, so urban boredom is a result of being surrounded by stimulation yet still feeling alone. Rural boredom, by contrast, is often exacerbated by the tendency to wonder what you’re missing out on. It comes from wondering if there is more to life than a familiar community (like the one Miranda Lambert sings of) and the limited romantic possibilities and career options a small town offers. Musgraves, Clark, and Monroe capture that suffocation perfectly, and more artists should take their lead in being honest about the limitations of small-town life. Because sometimes, even country music’s unsinkable happy-warrior protagonist needs to reflect.