Beyoncé

[Sportscruiser 11,894]

There’s a review somewhere that reflects my feelings better than I can: “ There’s no question that Cowboy Carter is a landmark record. Arguably, an inevitable one. But once the dust of its audacity settles, it misses the mark of a classic”.

I think it lacks some trimming and I’m still iffy on some of its politics and angles, namely the Jolene lyric changes to a version that’s thematically so pick-me and women blaming, but overall it’s a fun experience. It’s just not interesting enough to bear repeated listens, to me at least. It’s not a coincidence that my favorite tracks are the ones that experiment with genre bending and clashing (Sweet Honey Buckin’, Spaghetti, Tyrant) while everytime Beyoncé dabbles with traditional country, it feels often phony.

Already looking forward for Act III and all of its rock n’roll extravaganza, which I feel is better suited for a billionaire musician as opposed to a genre so rooted in rural and working class (and yes, black!) culture - something that Beyoncé can’t quite emulate without bordering on temporary cosplay.

[Furor Poeticus 16,352]

Soooo…is it good? 

[Three White Butterflies 27,477]

I listened to the jolene cover so far but it was not what I expected. her voice sounds weird to me in it and im not really a fan of this version. on the other hand, just for fun started playing after that and I thought it was let me love you like a woman. 

[Terrence Loves Me 72,695]

4 tracks in and i like it so far, lana sweetie im worried for you

[Beautiful Loser 48,829]

Cowboy Carter is like Renaissance to me in the sense that I need a second listen to really like it, but I can tell it’s good. But the album is so damn long, I don’t know if I wanna listen to it all again.  This first listen has been very casual though, I’m pretty sure I’ll listen properly with my earbuds and maybe I’ll change my mind then. I liked her rock n roll queen vocals so I’ll look forward to hear more of that if act iii will be rock themed, and the opera-style singing surprised me too.

[Sportscruiser 11,894]

6 minutes ago, Terrence Loves Me said:

4 tracks in and i like it so far, lana sweetie im worried for you

 

Country is a very encompassing genre. There are subgenres within it. I don’t think Lana’s approach will be anything like Beyoncé’s: the former will most likely follow the Tammy Wynette/Loretta Lynn/Patsy Cline/Crystal Gayle country route while Beyoncé opted for something different. 

[Terrence Loves Me 72,695]

Yeah this album is a bit too long and clunky, so far i have encountered my first skip and that is Jolene. I hate every rendition of this stupid song

[X8deletedUserX 4,712]

.

[DCooper 36,916]

I love the length of the tracklist, it's needed to sell the concept of channel surfing through the chitlin circuit radio. I also find the overall message of the album to be gorgeous. It's like a love letter to the various genres that can be found in country music while also introducing new sounds of her own, and then she's saying we forgive you to those who shut us out in the past, but don't you dare ever do it again.

[barttttender 4,965]

25 minutes ago, Beautiful Loser said:

Cowboy Carter is like Renaissance to me in the sense that I need a second listen to really like it, but I can tell it’s good. But the album is so damn long, I don’t know if I wanna listen to it all again.  This first listen has been very casual though, I’m pretty sure I’ll listen properly with my earbuds and maybe I’ll change my mind then. I liked her rock n roll queen vocals so I’ll look forward to hear more of that if act iii will be rock themed, and the opera-style singing surprised me too.

 

 

Is the rock direction confirmed or pure speculation? I kinda think Rock would be absolute cosplay for Beyonce, while I feel like country, for some reason, fits her like a glove.

 

HUGE FAN of Cowboy Carter here. Huge. I think it's my favorite record of hers after "Beyonce". I wasn't a massive fan of Lemonade, or her earlier work. And Renaissance I liked but got over it a few weeks later. This, I feel, I will listen to for at least a few months. The production is out-of-this-world good.

 

That said, it does sog in the second half, and I'm not a fan of Spaghetti and a few other tracks, woulda cut them out.

[prettywhenimhigh 49,329]

I listened to it yesterday and will give it a second listen in a bit, but my initial thoughts were:

 

the very core and overall vibe is extremely country, don't really agree with the comments saying it wasn't that country. sure, there are other influences and genres mixed in between, but it's pretty much country aaaall the way. so me absolutely not liking the genre the only tracks I can say I liked were bodyguard, daughter, spaghettii (the brazilian funk sample was such a nice surprise) and tyrant. I'm not sure if I liked/might grow on me: ameriican requiem, ya ya and sweet honey buckin'. the rest were either not memorable/didn't stand out to me on this first listen or I just really disliked, like levii's jeans for example, I couldn't even get through the last minute of it and skipped it  but overall it is a good album and in the end it's just a matter if you like the genre or not, because beyoncé always delivers top notch vocals and production, so I always expect that from her. it is a very immersive experience, the interludes definitely contribute a lot to it and tbh I expected to suffer listening to it, but I didn't, which is a win I guess.

[prettywhenimhigh 49,329]

35 minutes ago, Beautiful Loser said:

I liked her rock n roll queen vocals so I’ll look forward to hear more of that if act iii will be rock themed, and the opera-style singing surprised me too.

 

same!!! the vocals made me so excited for act III, I think it's gonna be great and my favorite from this trilogy

[palemoonbaby 15,103]

i like this project. there are many good songs but also ones which i want to skip.

it's definitely too long and too many slow songs and interludes which didn't bring anything (in my opinion) interesting to album and i would cut them off. definitely Renaissance is better project and i had better time spended with that.

if act II is rock album, i'm perched.

[SarcasticBeauty 1,540]

This is a beautiful and wonderful album. Especially for black americans. People who didn't like it, if you look within I think you know why you didn't like it.

[Beautiful Loser 48,829]

3 minutes ago, barttttender said:

Is the rock direction confirmed or pure speculation? I kinda think Rock would be absolute cosplay for Beyonce, while I feel like country, for some reason, fits her like a glove.

I think it’s pure speculation since Renaissance. If the acts truly are Beyoncé’s attempt to “reclaim” black music genres (another speculation), I think that makes sense. Maybe it’d feel a bit cosplay-y and performative but I think she can pull it off, people criticized her for doing dancehall and embracing queerness in Renaissance but I think she pulled everything off perfectly.

[Olympia 4,420]

2 hours ago, Thats why they call me Dita said:

No way! I bought the black as I preferred the back cover! If I knew it was just standard I would’ve waited, paid £7.50 shipping and it’s not even here on the day haha 

 

The one on amazon seems to be the black exclusive from the shop. Unless Amazon has the wrong Pic... 

 

And all 4 CDs are available everywhere 

 

[Mary Jane Holland V 394]

I'm getting ready to listen to it, literally so excited rn 

[details 17,164]

cowboy carter already featured a lot of soft rock sounds so i believe act III will be an even more comfortable spot for her, specially considering her past experimentations within the rock genre

[Eugene 26,669]

It makes no sense to compare Lana and Beyoncé when they are completely different artists. Shut up and just enjoy the music. 

[Olympia 4,420]

2 minutes ago, Orville Peck said:

It makes no sense to compare Lana and Beyoncé when they are completely different artists. Shut up and just enjoy the music. 

 

I totally agree, they don't really compete as they are too different.