“COWBOY CARTER” is arguably Beyoncé’s most influential and era-shaking album to date. In the album’s release, Beyoncé solidifies herself as an artist of many capabilities and ambitions with being the first black woman to ever top Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. If we can take anything from “Lemonade” it’s that Beyoncé will get her revenge with a glimmer in her eye and ice in her veins.
Beyoncé nods to her three-act trilogy, “COWBOY CARTER,” being act two, with most track titles having a word with a double-I.
Across the 27 tracks of “COWBOY CARTER,” Beyoncé features a plethora of artists including Dolly Parton, Miley Cyrus, Post Malone, Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy, Reyna Roberts, Willie Nelson, Linda Martell, and Shaboozey, even featuring a child of her’s, Rumi Carter.
With a very prevalent chip on her shoulder in the opening track “AMERIICAN REQUIEM,” the pop icon includes lyrics like “Can you stand me?” displaying the nature of what the album is about. This is specifically nodded to in lyrics like “It’s a lot of talkin’ goin’ on while I sing my song,” which is what the album details at its core.
Throughout the album, Beyoncé exemplifies the unforgiving and love-driven nature of motherhood. Songs such as “PROTECTOR,” “MY ROSE,” and “AMEN,” embody Beyoncé’s experience as a mother through and through with vulnerable descriptions of connection and love.
With masterful production, lyricism, vocals, and near perfect track order selection, “COWBOY CARTER” shouldn’t be denoted as just an album, rather as an experience. Despite this, the album wasn’t as enjoyable as act one of the trilogy, “RENAISSANCE.” While I listened to it all the way through, I felt as though this body of work wouldn’t be as enjoyable if you listened to just one track, it truly is an experience that gives me the same rush of chills each listen. It’d be criminal to deny Beyoncé’s ability to send a listener through an unbuckled emotional rollercoaster, having to hold themselves down through the highest of highs, lowest of lows, and flips upside down, all of which are upheld by Beyonce’s natural ability to craft an art piece, and use her voice as a paint brush.
Tracklist
AMERIICAN REQUIEM
BLACKBIIRD
16 CARRIAGES
PROTECTOR
MY ROSE
SMOKE HOUR WILLIE NELSON
TEXAS HOLD ‘EM
BODYGUARD
DOLLY P
JOLENE
DAUGHTER
SPAGHETTII
ALLIIGATOR TEARS
SMOKE HOUR II
JUST FOR FUN
II MOST WANTED
LEVII’S JEANS
FLAMENCO
THE LINDA MARTELL SHOW
YA YA
OH LOUISIANA
DESERT EAGLE
RIIVERDANCE
II HANDS II HEAVEN
TYRANT
SWEET HONEY BUCKIIN’
AMEN
