“Cowboy Carter, Time To Strike A Match & Light Up This Juke Joint.”
“BEYONCE…OK GIRL!”—LONG POST ALERT:
After being in a two-year chokehold with Renaissance, I'm finally free to get swept up in another album obsession. Beyoncé has blessed us with 27 tracks on Act ii of her epic trilogy, and honestly, I wouldn't put it past her to hit us with an Act iiii (I mean, 4 is her favorite number and she looooves to give us a plot twist). But that's tea for another day. For now, let's get dressed in our rodeo couture and hop into Cowboy Carter, shall we? I already know she's about to have her cowboy boots on my neck, and chile, that’s fine—I’ll breathe later.
Like with any album, Renaissance included, Cowboy Carter took a few listens to truly hit. My routine? Skim through, catch the vibes, replay the bangers, then give the whole album a front-to-back listen either in my car or in my studio when I’m sewing. That's when the magic really starts. But to really, REALLY get the full experience, throw on your AirPods, read the lyrics and let that music take you away. So let’s quickly go through my favs, because honestly I feel like I need a 3-part series to break down this album.
Starting off with Ameriican Requiem, I was momentarily thrown off. "Girl, what is this?" I thought. But then, Bey started reaching deep in that vocal bag and pulled out those high notes, mixing in a country rock vibe that I couldn't help but fall for this. Blackbiird, she uses her platform to further introduce 4 rising country stars. Sidebar, people dragged Beyoncé so hard in Tanner Adell’s comments for trying to come into the genre and take the spotlight, and now look, the doggone girl was on the album this whole time! Now everybody on mute *rolls eyes.* Anyway, Protector, this track had me crying so hard, My God. It's about her role as a mom, and Rumi gets her moment to shine right at the start, setting the tone for such a heartfelt anthem. Now, I may not have kids of my own, but my nephews? They might as well be mine. I'd go to the ends of the earth for them, especially my youngest nephew. There's something about our bond that just propels me to hustle harder, dream bigger, and make sure he gets front-row seats to all my successes. Ok, now I’m crying all over again! One unexpected gem? II Most Wanted with Miley Cyrus was a delightful surprise I didn’t know I needed. Their harmonizing not only sounded amazing but also painted a vivid picture in my mind; I could almost see them performing as a country duet on a Nashville stage, while I’m at the bar taking pickle back shots and smoking a cigarette, crying because I’m drunk and emotional. This collaboration truly showcased Beyoncé's unmatched versatility and it doesn’t hurt that I’ve always liked Miley as an artist.
Cowboy Carter gives off strong I Am Sasha Fierce vibes. The first 18 tracks serve slow, country ballads—a nod to those quintessential, heart-wrenching country tunes. But then, boom, that Linda Martell show interlude turned the knob to the “real” Beyoncé album and baby listen, the knob broke and the album took AWF. From Ya Ya on down to Amen, them Bey transitions smack you in the face and before you look up, you’re coming up out of a country trap house or a hood a** dive bar.
Alright, can we talk about how Riiverdance snuck up on me? There I was, thinking it was all about the banjo vibes, giving me that country essence. And then Bey comes out of nowhere, talking about, “Bounce on that sh**, dance, bounce on that sh**, no hands.” Excuse me? So, what's the move, sis? Are we Riverdancing or are we twerking? Because, honestly, I'm here trying to figure it out, contemplating doing a bit of both.
Desert Eagle—one of my favs—the bass was bassing, the harmony was harmonizing, and the lyrics (My God) you’ve got to get into the lyrics because, trust me, they’ll have you clutching your pearls. Ever since Beyoncé became a mom, it’s like she unlocked a new level of ratchet. Who is she? Are you Beyoncé or Sexyy Red? Girl, I’m here for it either way. Please don’t get me started on rapper Beyoncé—B, got bars and she talks her big sh**, WE LOVE IT!! It’s that Virgo energy for me: lowkey, cool, collected, but just wait till she taps into that confidence. Reminding folks who she really is, THE GOAT!
When she posted the tracklist last week, I knew right away Sweet Honey Buckiin, Desert Eagle & Jolene were going to be my top 3, and sure enough, they absolutely were! Speaking of Jolene, baby, she better find her something safe to do because Bey has tightly laced up her black Reebok Classics and she is ready to get down, ok!? She raised them kids and that man, and she ain’t playing about her happy home! I vibe with this version of Jolene and I even loved how her name & the beat drops in the beginning of the song. But my absolute favorite part of the album is how II Hands II Heaven transitions into Tyrant and then that transitions into Sweet Honey Buckiin, and whew, the horse sped up and takes you home! Oh, and how could I forget about Spaghettii and that duet with Post Malone? SLAPS!
The Conclusion
Overall, this album is exceptionally solid. Our girl gave us country, folk, some rock, a little bit of some opera, she threw some 60’s in there and she gave us sh** talking, bar spitting Beyoncé! My only grievance? Desert Eagle is entirely too short! Extending it by a minute and a half would’ve been a blessing. In my humble opinion, there are no skips on this album, including the interludes that feature the legendary Willie Nelson. Cowboy Carter was originally meant to be Act i, but as Beyoncé revealed in her W Magazine interview, she decided Renaissance should take precedence to bring light during the pandemic's darkest times, offering an escape for everyone to dance. And boy did we dance the metallic off our boots! Now, with Cowboy Carter, she jumps into another layer of storytelling, and I'm here predicting that Act iii will weave a Destiny's Child reunion into its narrative. The subtle hints scattered across Bey's Instagram, combined with her history of playing in our faces, strongly suggest this possibility.
But honestly, this album deserves more than just a single write-up from the Presi of the Beyhive. It’s too rich, too layered for just one blog post. This album is the epitome of versatility and growth, from start to finish. As she herself articulated, “This ain’t a country album, this is a Beyoncé album.” Thus, in homage of the GOAT, I’m dedicating three segments to my blog, because why not? So, keep an eye out for next week’s continuation, CC part 2, as we dissect the country half (songs 1-18) even further…
Happy Easter 💐
