Intermission

“How does she do it?” Maren Morris asks herself on “cut!,” the winking opening track on this five-pack of songs. Joined by Julia Michaels, Morris pleads for a break from “put\[ting\] a hell of a show on” in favor of crying it out and taking a breather. A need for peace is a loose theme on this EP, which comes in the wake of Morris’ split from husband and fellow country artist Ryan Hurd. On “i hope i never fall in love,” she swears off romance entirely, asserting that “forever was a fuckin’ lie” with a deceptively pretty melody. “push me over” brings poppy, Ariana Grande-esque production and also turns up the heat as Morris asks a lover to “come closer.” The track seems to nod to her bisexuality, as she references “perfume” and a new kind of experience: “Don’t know what it is, but I like the flavor.” On “because, of course,” Morris shows her loyalty, reassuring with promises to be “a place to land” when the going gets tough. Morris closes *Intermission* with “this is how a woman leaves,” a defiant if heartbroken account of picking up the pieces after a relationship ends.