Album Review: Beyonce, Cowboy Carter

Beyonce

Cowboy Carter (released March 29, 2024)

“Sometimes you don’t know what you like until someone you know turns you on to some real good s***”

Willie Nelson, talking about Beyonce. Or weed, who can tell with that guy?

A few years back, Beyonce advised us to “always stay gracious, best revenge is your paper.”

And if that paper doesn’t work out, drop an album on those haters and break the innanets.

When we learned that the second installment of Beyonce’s Renaissance series would be a country-leaning album, much of mainstream America seemed stuck between confusion and defiance. But those of us who know Beyonce’s history knew from where that fire burned.

After a show-stopping performance of her track “Daddy Lessons” at the Country Music Awards was met with ice-cold shoulders from Nashville’s elite in 2016, I had no doubt that a reckoning was coming. This album “was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn’t,” Beyonce said recently.

So just as 2022’s Renaissance worked to reclaim the house genre for the Black hands that built it, Act II: Cowboy Carter’s mission is also clear – make room for us in this space, whether you want to or not.

Two Horsey albums in a row. And y’all got mad when I told y’all this was our future!

Before we dive into the review, let me make one thing clear – I’m a firm believer in staying one’s lane (which is why I get so furious when your favorite Twitter talking heads ramble about things they’re too young to understand). Though I’m slightly versed in the country genre, I’m far from an expert, so I can only speak on Cowboy Carter from my own sense of enjoyment and experience, not in relation to current or classic country records.

Besides, in her own words, this isn’t a country album; it’s a Beyonce album.

And for the most part, she’s right.

One thing is quite apparent right off the bat – Beyonce’s voice is made for this. One of my greatest frustrations with Beyonce’s music in the past decade is that we don’t hear enough actual singing. Yes, we get glimpses here and there through hyperactive house tracks or between rap hooks, but Cowboy Carter allows her to use her instrument in ways not explored since the days of her 4 album. On the opener “American Requiem,” her vocals are powerful enough to slice through guitar picks as she lays down the mission statement for the album. “Used to say I was too country/then the rejection came, said I wasn’t country ‘nough/Said I wouldn’t saddle up/but If that ain’t country, tell me, what is?”

Beyonce proves that she’s a master of her craft on covers of “Blackbiird” and “Jolene.” While most of her peers wouldn’t be able to fight the urge to yell and scream all over the track, she wisely holds back on the histrionics on the former for a gentle rendition of the Beatles standard. Meanwhile, Bey finally grants Dolly Parton’s longtime wish with a solid rendition of “Jolene,” dropping in enough of her trademark edge to keep it from being a carbon copy of the original.

I’m sure most of you not living under a Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson have already heard the dual singles “16 Carriages” and “Texas Hold Em.” “16 Carriages” might be the less “country” of the pair but it’s a much better fit for Bey’s tone. It’s one of the best tracks on the album. “Texas Hold Em,” on the other hand, feels too on the nose, like Bey was DETERMINED to make a 2024 “Achy Breaky Heart” line dance. The sober “Daughter” and airy “Protector” are much better transitions into the country realm.

Now, as I said earlier, if you were expecting 27 versions of “Texas Hold Em,” you’ll be in for a shock. Cowboy Carter rarely plays by the rules. Bey is an outlaw.

The insanely catchy “Bodyguard” is more 80s pop rock than something you’d find at a hoe down, and this ho is down for it. It paints Beyonce as a overprotective lover and is tailor made for fun visuals – if that’s a thing she still does these days. “Ya Ya” gives us 60s psychedelic sounds; it sounds like something a guest performer would sing on the Adam West Batman show. And I love the one-two punch of “RiIverdance” and “II Hands II Heaven” – the former feels like a Renaissance track that snuck into town on the back of a tractor while the latter keeps the spirit alive by slightly slowing down the beat for a solid midtempo offering.

But back at the ranch, things aren’t always as smooth as the songs we’ve discussed previously. I’m not mad at Beyonce’s decision to not totally box herself into the country theme, but Cowboy Carter’s biggest flaw is that it sometimes tries to be all things to all listeners. It causes holes soemtimes.

Look, I already know “Spaghetti” is gonna be a fan-fave, blaring from every Instagram story for the next two years. But an obnoxiously raucous (and almost off-beat) rap track is extremely out of place on this record. Also, there’s something off with Bey and Miley Cyrus’ chemistry on “II Most Wanted.” Individually they sound fine but they don’t mesh as well together. It’s one of the few times that Bey probably needed to rein in those vocals a bit so Miley can keep up.

“Sweet Honey Buckiin” (no I’m not adding the silly stars between the words, like on the tracklist) is essentially three songs in one, and none of the three rise to the occasion. And perhaps no song is more frustrating than “Levii’s Jeans” – the production and silly metaphors make it feel like it was plucked from the B’Day era (still my favorite Beyonce era, fight me in the comments if you disagree) and all is going well until Post Malone of all people bubbles from the surface like a pimple on class picture day. Honestly, he’s not horrible, but the addition is absolutely unnecessary.

As many of you reading this know, I had several issues with Horsey Album No. 1 (and nearly two years later, I’m still getting hate mail to prove it). While Renaissance had several strong songs that did the house genre it was celebrating justice, there were more than a few that were just … there. Horsey Album No. 2 outshines its predecessor by not just celebrating its chosen genre, but smartly weaving in other sounds to keep the listening experience fresh and dynamic.

Is the album too long? A little – though the interludes add a lot of character to things (“Desert Eagle” should have been a full song, by the way.) Will it turn off Bey fans who are more accustomed to her signature sound? Possibly, but tracks like “Tyrant” bridge the gap nicely – it’s basically a typical modern-day Beyonce song with a bunch of “whoa there!” and “giddy ups” tossed in for razzle-dazzle.

But here’s the biggest question – will this album give Beyonce the acceptance she’s been searching for since 2016? No, I don’t think so. But allow me to reshare something I wrote in response to Jay Z’s speech at the Grammys in February:

It’s nothing wrong with wanting validation for great work. But instead of seeking praise from random voters, that validation should first and foremost come from your base – those who truly connect with the art. It’s a lesson for all of us.

Nashville may never give Beyonce her flowers. But the rest of us? The ones who really matter? Oh, we ridin.

Best tracks: “Bodyguard,” “16 Carriages,” “RiIverdance”

4 stars out of 5