🗨 Don't Rock the Comments Section: COWBOY CARTER
We weren't going to leave you without a spot to spill your thoughts - open to all subscribers, just this once!
Before we get into the thread: If you’d prefer to chat about Beyoncé live and on Zoom, we’ll be having a little album chat/“book” club/country Bey-themed virtual party with Dallas-native writer and critic Taylor Crumpton (read her on Cowboy Carter here and here among other places!) tomorrow night at 6:30 p.m. CT! If you’re a part of our paying subscriber community, you’ll get the Zoom link in your inbox tomorrow morning — sign up now so you don’t miss it :) (also make sure you’re following us on Instagram for all the latest updates!)
For now, though, we wanted to hear your thoughts on Cowboy Carter — presumably the most ambitious and impactful country album of 2024.
What were your favorite songs? Favorite moments? Favorite references? What didn’t hit as hard for you? What do you wish you’d heard more of or less of? We are here to listen to all your thoughts and feelings — I know I, at least, am still parsing through the album’s mammoth scale. There is a lot to unpack!
Because this is a special album that demands a LOT of conversation, we are opening this thread to everyone - paid and unpaid subscribers - just this once.
See you in the comments!
— NW
I have a lot of thoughts, but the most interesting moment of the album to me is the transition of Daughter (with its Italian aria as the bridge) into Spaghettii, with Linda Martell's, commentary on genre. To me, those two songs together point to how many American myths on cowboys / "the West" were created in Europe and by Europeans -- further playing with the question of genre and authenticity. I read something similar with the inclusion of the Beatles' Blackbird. Here's a British band that built upon Black music creating American folk music sounds in response to racism in the U.S. Again, where do the Beatles fit into genre? Is Blackbird "authentic"? I think the answer Beyonce is telling us, in part, is: it doesn't really matter.
i will admit even as a beyonce fan i was a bit intimidated seeing the hour plus runtime, but she fully earns it. i did add my favorite tracks to my main playlist so i could listen separately and then realized that ended up being 16 total. to me she has become a genius at making albums that flow seamlessly (renaissance) and the interludes really do add something, can't wait to see how she plays with that for live show potentially.
i did maybe expect something more straight ahead country from texas hold em, but i love the combo she ended up with! music really shouldn't feel beholden to stick inside genre boxes, and i love when artists can play with whatever sounds appeal to them, while still having a cohesive sound for an album. for the features, i do appreciate that dolly and willie were just little spoken word/backing vocals moments, and she gave the shine to shaboozey, willie jones, tanner adell, etc. like yes she's going to reference/cover the beatles, beach boys, nancy sinatra, dolly parton, but she's bringing the newer black country talent with her to do so. and i love the miley duet, their voices are perfect together.
idk how i feel yet about the post malone feature lol, i generally dislike him and tried to look past that but the lyrics are a bit too corny for me. in such a huge album though it doesn't matter to have one song i might skip most of the time.
and finally i'm seeing a ton of "this jolene version is better" "this jolene version takes the emotion out" - i personally love it and of course still love the original! it's not replacing the original forever so why not change the lyrics up for her style and vision.