cowboy carter
This will potentially be my longest review yet. This album is long, but, is it worth it? (note this makes a lot more sense on rym, my pink friday 2 review isn't posted here!)
Ameriican Requiem is roughly what you'll expect from this album. It's an alright intro, with a solid chorus; but Beyoncé has a huge problem with oversinging. She's an R&B singer, it's not surprising. Blackbiird is a huge downgrade from the original, and I assume the mixing is a The Beatles reference? Not a good song to listen to through headphones, and she oversings this to a hellish level. Very talent showy, and country is a very fickle genre to try doing that with. 16 Carriages is a nice follow up, some big synths but the album still feels like it's starting despite having a few big pieces. Some cool ambient notes by the way! Protector unfortunately doesn't quite work. The lyricism is quite good, but her voice is just too much, too sung for a genre that is better done lightly. My Rose is actually my favourite song so far, with it's doorsy 60's feel, and her voice actually working quite well with it. Smoke Hour is also so good, great country vibes and Willie Nelson is the best here. I kinda just want this song in all my playlists now. And then Texas Hold 'Em! I hate this song so much it's really corny and commercial. And it feels like I'm scrolling through tiktok while listening to it which is not something I like feeling when listening to an album. Thankfully Bodyguard is so good. Just a solid performance, but not much of a country influence unfortunately. I want her voice to work well with country but it just isn't there yet. Dolly P is a really nice interlude with Dolly Parton being the best as usual. Jolene is an alright cover, the original is one of my favourite songs ever so I didn't expect her to cover it well and she kinda doesn't. It's better than most covers though, which given how bad Dolly Parton covers tend to be is an achievement.
Daughter is a really nice follow up from Jolene. Her voice finally fits the style, and that bridge in the middle is beautiful. kinda operatic! Spaghetti is one of those Beyoncé songs where she just slays or whatever for like a few minutes. It's a nice continuation but it's no foundation. Alliigator Tears is way better, with some really nice instrumentation. And totally not Savage Garden's chorus. (same chord progression but she kills it!!!) And Smoke Hour II is just another interlude but I still love it. Just for Fun is a nice ballad, nothing to really say about it. Willie Jones could be better. II Most Wanted is also a little surprising more because Miley Cyrus is not giving the worst performance of her life. Her voice is quite hard to mix and she works in duets I guess! The song is okay. Levii's Jeans made me have to check the lyrics, she says she's a centerfold, not a xenophobe. i was so confused... but imagine... Anyway Post is okay here. Better than he is normally actually! Quick couple interlude kinda songs, so, Flamenco is a nice number. Weirdly I really like these interlude type songs but not the normal songs that much. Her singing is also beautiful here too, in case you forgot how talented she is. Linda Martell is a cool figure to be brought up by Beyoncé but it's not like she does much. Nothing to really say about The Linda Martell Show.
Ya Ya is a weird song to put on the last stretch. Would actually be a perfect intro. Literally welcomes you to the album when you have like 20 minutes left. The sample in this song is ironically far better than this song but this is fun! Really needed because there is a long stretch to the end now, these final songs are the longest songs in the whole album. Oh Louisiana is a short... chipmunk soul interlude?? It's honestly a little sad Desert Eagle isn't a whole song because it's kinda the best song here secretly. Riiverdance could be better, unironically it should've been a jersey club/footwork song or have club shattering bass. what's wrong with me?... I was a little worried seeing the length of II Hands II Heaven but it's... amazing. Easily the best song on this album. And there's 3 songs after. Tyrant... hey I know that producer tag! I guess we needed a trap song somewhere along the line. Beyoncé works great here and the violin is a really nice detail. Probably gonna be my most listened song from this album in a few months. I do get my jersey club wishes on the next song though with Sweet ★ Honey ★ Buckiin'. Maybe this is what Man of the Woods should've been? Really good song. Amen closes the album like it started. Dramatically. Wonder what she's gonna do for the next album...
Beyoncé's voice doesn't suit this project idea at all. The experimentation outside of country works but the purer country songs do not work at all. She over-sings in a genre that has it's roots in folk, but there are quite a few good songs, especially those songs near the end. Thankfully this didn't end up being her Man of the Woods.
3.5/5.0