EDIT: I started this the day the album came out and ran out of time before slipping off on holiday. Apologies for how late this is now!!

Honestly I feel like I've been waiting for this album for years (technically I have but obviously unannounced) and I have SO MUCH to say and so little time to do it in. I thought the best way for me to share an unbiased opinion on this album is to share my literal first thoughts, with no time to think it over or rationalise, but I've always been a huge Kacey Musgraves fan, so can't say that this review is completely unbiased - however, I'll always have my opinions, and I'm not (completely) afraid to share them when needed.
I exercised all the willpower my little body could exert in avoiding the songs before the "official" release, going so far as to avoid Kacey's instagram clips of the songs I hadn't heard - BUT I could never resist listening to the studio version of Slow Burn as soon as it was available. More on that in a bit.

I know personally this isn't the best way to review anything because generally the songs I don't like at first become my favourites over time, but hey ho, let's go for it anyway :-)

OK HERE WE GO;

1. Slow Burn
"Old soul, waiting my turn / I know a few things, but I still got a lot to learn."
As I said before, I couldn't resist listening to this before the 'official' release, despite holding off with the rest of the album. This has been a favourite for a loooooooong time and getting a studio version has made my heart swell about 10 sizes. The production, tempo, vocals and lyrics are completely flawless. The subtle pick up in the second verse is almost moving, which I can't explain (well).
I know it's kind of autobiographical, and that obviously it doesn't tell a story that I can completely relate to, but it still makes me really emotional. It's beautiful. It's raw and sweet, and it means a lot to me. This isn't just my favourite off the album, but it might be Kacey's best song ever, and it's becoming one of my favourite songs of all time. I could talk about it for years and I probably will, which is why I'm not going to have a full discussion about it here.

2. Lonely Weekend
"Even if you got somebody on your mind / It's alright to be alone sometimes"
Honestly this song isn't lyrically amazing but it's still good. I can tell that it probably won't grow on me too much, but it's still a good song. The bridge is 100% the best part, but to be honest, I say that about most songs. It appears to be a shared opinion that although it's almost the exact opposite in lyrical meaning, this is kind of the Late to The Party of the album (which never really grew on me either, kind of why I already know how I'll feel about this song over time).

3. Butterflies"Kiss full of color makes me wonder where you've always been / I was hiding in doubt till you brought me out of my chrysalis"
I'm SO happy that this was chosen as the first single of the album. It's an all round great song and a perfect first taste of this album, especially in the transition from Kacey's older work into her new style. I've been obsessed since the first listen, and need to give props for the production on it. Honestly, I just simply love it.

4. Oh, What a World
"Northern lights in our skies / Plants that grow and open your mind / Things that swim with a neon glow / How we all got here, nobody knows"This song is beautiful and almost celestial, and a kind of weird spin on a love song. I'm so conscious of repeating my praises of the songs on this album because they're all so cohesive, but in a good way. This is a great example of an album being a standalone body of work - but one where each song makes sense and sounds good as it's own unit.

5. Mother
"And she's probably sitting there / Thinking 'bout the time that's slipping / And missing her mother, mother"
I'm really glad that this is the shortest on album, it leaves it simple and emphasises the almost basic emotion behind the song, if you can call this kind of nostalgia and longing "basic". I picked the last part of chorus as my stand-out quote as it resonates with "remember that she's getting older too" from Never Grow Up by Taylor Swift. I once wrote a whole essay worth of thoughts and emotions that were brought on by that line, and I stick by it. It's so easy to forget that parents have their own lives, and that they were children too - once dependent on their parents in the same way that I am now. This song brought back all those thoughts, which one day I'll try and dig up and write in length about again.

6. Love is a Wild Thing
"Oh, I can feel it, magic in your fingertips / And I can hear it in the words coming off your lips."
This song is arguably the song that resonates the most with Kacey's first two albums - where other songs on Golden Hour have been influenced heavily by added production, this sticks to it's almost acoustic roots, while simultaneously feeding into the psychedelic feel of the album.

7. Space Cowboy
"Sunsets fade and love does too"
There's so much to say about this song. Upon the initial release and our (kind of) first taste of the album, I had preferred Butterflies, and honestly still kind of do, but my god is this a good song. I personally think this song is lyrically one of the strongest on the album, but this is one of few occasions where I have let my preference for the sound of another song influence my opinions on another overall - regardless of the lyrical content. Nevertheless, this song marvelously encapsulates the emotions that go with the discovery of a lost love, and the pain of letting go when it's due, and is one that I'm sure will grow on me alongside my own age and experiences.

8. Happy and Sad
"But when everything is perfect, I start hidin' / 'Cause I know that rain is comin' my way"
There's a warmth and familiarity in the writing of this song that makes it my favourite of the songs that I heard on the official release of the album. This song is truly the new-gen Kacey Musgraves that I was looking for with this album. It is completely in sync with the "galactic" feel of the album, while being reminiscent of her older songs, but with significantly more raw emotion, and hints of 70's pop. Put simply, it is a great song - and one of the most relatable of anything in Kacey's repertoire.

9. Velvet Elvis
"I don't really care 'bout the Mona Lisa / I need a Graceland kind of man who's always on my mind"
I can clarify from seeing this live that if nothing else, this is an incredibly fun, disco-esque song, but that doesn't mean the country doesn't come through loud and clear. I think this is similar to High Horse in it's strange etheral country-disco feel. 

10. Wonder Woman
"Bet all that gold gets heavy weighin' on her / I wonder if it's scary, always tryin' not to get hurt"I think this song sounds really similar to Happy and Sad, but isn't lyrically as strong. The intended  emotion definitely comes across across but I don't personally feel that it stands out on the album - although, I know it will grow on me over time (they always do).

11. High Horse"Darling, you take the high horse and I'll take the high road / If you’re too good for us, you’ll be good riding solo"
Everyone knows one person that this song describes perfectly - AND it's the perfect song for a disco-infused rodeo, what else can you ask for? The sound and production is maybe the furthest from anything that Kacey has officially released before, and the song is all the better for it. I've seen too many comments say that this song is a cross-over sell out and I wholeheartedly disagree. This is one of the most unique sounding songs to hit country radio; and all I can hope is that people take pleasure in embracing it as a massive glittery middle finger to anyone who enjoys raining on your parade.

12. Golden Hour"You're my golden hour, the color of my sky / You've set my world on fire"This is the perfect title track to the album - and is currently competing for my favourite song. Although being late on, it captures the tone of the album perfectly, and almost coming full circle with Slow Burn. The song speaks of a beautiful, gentle love, and does the best job at describing the place that Kacey is in right now. You can hear the happiness in both her voice. Her love is dripping in gold, illuminating her world - and heavily impacting her writing. I think anyone would like to relate to this at some point in their life.

13. Rainbow"Oh, tie up the bow, take off your coat and take a look around / Everything is alright now"
Rainbow has always been a fan favourite, and I'm so happy that it after so many years it made it's way onto a record. I'll be quick to admit that although I recognise their importance, "stay strong" songs (for lack of a better name for that kind of sub-genre') have never been my favourite. They too often use cliches, or can be overly cringe worthy. However, this is a prime example of a song that delivers this message well; with a soft tone, and a gentle reminder that you can't always see your own strengths - and while you can identify and perhaps envy the different strengths of others, they can't see their own strengths either. Rainbow acts as the perfect final track of this album, rounding it off with a showcase of Kacey's beautiful voice, writing and the sound of a simple piano.

Overall - I think overtime this will become my favourite album of Kacey's. It is gorgeous, and so different from anything that she has released before, while her roots are still apparent. The beauty of country music is that it owes itself to lyrical depth and storytelling, and with that in mind, anyone who accuses Kacey of losing her country edge is dead wrong; however, this has also proved that modern country is in no way confined to one sound.
Patsy Cline almost turned down Walkin' After Midnight because she felt that it wasn't country enough - where would the industry be if no one took a risk?