Cowboy Carter Album Review
Beyonce’s latest album “Cowboy Carter” is a true testament to her versatility and ability to reinvent herself while paying tribute to her roots. Released with much excitement and anticipation this album showcased a unique blend of different genres, storylines, and musical excellence that only Queen Bey can deliver. I’ve been a massive fan of her music and artistry ever since my life truly began when I received my first Beyonce CD and have been following her ever since. Last year I was able to see her live in concert for her Renaissance Tour which is arguably my favourite Beyonce Album today so my eagerness to hear this album was through the roof. In this review, I will be exploring the depth, musicality, and some of my standout tracks from the album.
Depth and Concepts
“Cowboy Carter” is a concept album that takes listeners on a journey through the South while blending themes of resilience, liberation, and self-discovery all with a modern twist and a taste of sultriness that Beyonce will always cultivate. The album narrative follows the alter ego Beyonce has curated that is navigating the rugged landscapes, both physically and metaphorically. The juxtaposition of traditional Western motifs with contemporary conflicts creates a rich outline that’s both incredibly nostalgic and modern.
Musicality and Production
Musically and sonically, “Cowboy Carter” is truly untouchable. Beyonce had some of the best country stars appear on this album including the living legend Dolly Parton and the voice of Willie Nelson. With nodes of RnB, country, and hip hop this album carries an array of musical techniques that truly captivate listeners because there’s a bit of everything for everyone. I am truly glad she did not do a normal kind of strictly country album where you generally would compare or reference “country music” to be. She truly reps her Southern roots within the album with every ounce of pride and authenticity because this is the best Beyonce album I have ever heard if that makes sense.
The Backstory of the Album
This album was 5 years in the making after Beyonce had an experience at the 2019 CMA’s that had motivated her to create it. Beyonce Wrote “ It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed… but because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive.” also mentioned how the criticism she faced when she first entered this genre had pushed her to break from the limitations and this album considered Act II of the Renaissance which began in 2022 with the released of her previous album “act i: Renaissance” has continued showcase the musical mastermind that is Beyonce. With many features, a phenomenal production team and collaborations this album is a test of time and deserves their flowers and recognition.
Track 1 AMERICAN REQUIEM
This is the album opener and what a powerful opener it is. The way my body left itself for a moment was out of this world. Musically, this song perfectly emanates the entire setup and storyline for the album. It references the CMA performance controversy that she faced and the rejection that came along with it. “Used to say I spoke too country / And the rejection came said I wasn’t country ‘nough” This line was so powerful because the country community was bothered by her presence in the genre although she is Texas raised and consistently represents her southern roots in her music since her debut still it wasn’t enough. However, with American Requiem it truly shuts up the haters in the most perfect way; she exemplifies her vocal range and instrumentally it sounds like a hero or a cowboy coming back through town on her horse after defeating her enemies. It is so cinematic which makes the song so thrilling
Track 8 BODYGUARD
This sultry song has a beautiful ease and groovy tone to it that just makes you want to get up and sway. I would say it’s the song of the summer personally. It was the first song I naturally gravitated towards because of its easy tempo tone and Beyonce’s vocals are so smooth, especially at the beginning of the song. It’s a true love song and towards the end of the song the guitar picks up and gives a beautiful ending to this wonderful beat. I would say this song would be most enjoyed on a hot summer day driving along the coast. That’s what this song just exemplifies. Some sources suspect that Taylor Swift’s vocals appear in the song. Some say it’s true, some say it’s not but I am delusional so I’m going to believe it. Overall Bodyguard is such a cute yet sexy song that shows Beyonce’s sweet side which makes me love it so much.
Track 16 II MOST WANTED
This song features the talented vocals of Miley Cyrus and their voices blend so well together I almost cried. I’m not even going to lie. Although it’s a love song the way I see this song is about you and your best friend. I relate to it so much to my female friendships along with my sister. With the line “I’ll be your shotgun rider till the day I die” I don’t think a line has ever summed up how you would feel about those people you know have stuck beside you and will stand by you forever. Musically again this song is just truly beautiful with its slow country sound and reminds me of a hot summer day.
Track 23 RIVERDANCE
Riverdance has that square/line dancing feel to it with its quick pace and the vocal stacks in this song make this sexy song quite admirable. Although it has quite the lyrics because it’s Beyonce it makes it all worthwhile. You could blast this song in the car on repeat because of how funnily captivating it is. With its repetitiveness that builds as the song goes along, it makes up for such a simple yet enticing song. Famous singer Raye who is a well-rounded and brilliant figure in the music industry currently co-wrote this song. That actually might be one of the reasons why I love this song so much because she is also one of my favourite artists. Regardless, this song and its upbeat tempo will again get up and dancing, maybe even doing a little river dance.
Track 24 TYRANT
Tyrant features the vocals of Dolly Parton; she adds a sweet sound to this heavy-based song. I felt while listening to it that this song is so Beyonce-like of course she would have this sort of song on the album. How could one deny it? This is my suspicion but I noticed a nod to her song from her self-titled album a track called “Haunted” During one of the breakdowns in the song there’s a line that goes “How did you get used to the haunting The willing the missing the wanting” to me it sounded very similar to parts from that previous song which I live for. And the way the is lyrically sandwiched it truly something with the lines of “Hangman, answer me now you owe me a debt, you stole him from me, I hated you one I envy you now” It is produced so well and perfectly you will not be able to resist the luring of this song.
In summary “Cowboy Carter” just exudes the brilliance and rich culture that Beyonce holds. She consistently represents her roots in the most talented and perfect way possible. And this album is worth listen, cover to cover.