Beyoncé “Cowboy Carter” Review

Beyoncé is a master manipulator of genres, and Cowboy Carter, her grandiose Western showcase, is a firm, root-stomping imposition of this fact. “Used to say I spoke ‘too country’ / And then the rejection came, said I wasn’t country enough” is perhaps the most arresting line in “AMERIICAN REQUIEM,” the album’s opener. But with Beyoncé, it was never going to be a straight line anyway. So, for those who held out hope for a country album in the style of the result of years of whitewashing, you’d be sorely disappointed. Beyoncé’s eighth album is a “Beyoncé album,” and Cowboy Carter is assisted by a confederation of sounds... Black sounds. 

“Genres are a funny little concept, aren’t they?” Linda Martell rhetorically asks. “Yes, they are. In theory, they have a simple definition that’s easy to understand. But in practice, well, some may feel confined.” In summary, that’s what Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter stands for: the universality of sounds as a human right. After all, what right does anyone have to “own” a genre that didn’t belong to them in the first place? The melodies that birthed the foundation of the country music genre were a result of Black ministers and enslaved churchgoers. 

Beyoncé famously (or should I say infamously) got up on the Country Music Awards stage in 2016 alongside The Chicks. As a result, the Houston, Texas native was ironically blackballed from the sounds of her ancestors. This incident led to the artist diving into the genre's rich history. Now, she’s emerged with an album several years in the making. So, in a sense, Cowboy Carter is Beyoncé’s most delicious middle finger ever. And if y’all want to contest her authenticity, you’d be fighting a lost cause. Ultimately, she proudly reminds us that she’s “the grandbaby of a moonshine man” from Gadsden, Alabama.

With Act I: Renaissance, she helped reclaim House music. In the same vein, this apprehending second act is about sounding the alarm of country music’s roots. Unsurprisingly, she’s received co-signs from a few heavyweights in the game. Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, and Linda Martell all tip their hats at Bey, the latter being the first successful Black woman country artist ever. Altogether, their appearances not only boost the album’s credibility but elevate the overall listening experience. In radio-style format, these three country juggernauts ease the listener’s journey, guiding us just as the elders they are. 

Country music darlings Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy, and Reyna Roberts join Beyoncé on Cowboy Carter, appearing on “BLACKBIIRD.” The cover of the iconic Beatles track was originally penned as a tribute to the iconic Little Rock Nine. This makes it especially special, considering Beyoncé enlisted the younger stirrers of the genre as featured artists. The harmonious track is a warm pat on the back, effectively encouraging other acts who feel out of place, even at home. 

Beyoncé’s daughter, Rumi Carter, is heard on “PROTECTOR,” a triumphant affirmation about a mother’s love. X-Factor alum Willie Jones joins Bey on “JUST FOR FUN” as the pair croon about getting through better days. The alternative-country artist Shaboozey shines on “SPAGHETTII,” an ode to Southern Hip Hop, and “SWEET HONEY BUCKIIN.” Moreover, Post Malone and Miley Cyrus deliver in a magnificent way. While the former dons his sexiest persona so far on “LEVII’S JEANS,” Cyrus comes through guns a-blazing on “II MOST WANTED,” as she and Bey reiterate, “I’ll be your shotgun rider 'til the day I die.”

Beyoncé’s “Jolene” cover on Cowboy Carter strays a bit from the original, giving it a huge kick. While Parton “begs” Jolene not to take her man, Mrs. Carter issues a warning. “I’m still a Creole banjee bitch from Louisianne,” she sings, channeling her mother Tina. The cover is followed by “DAUGHTER,” the haunting number that exposes some of Bey’s darkest, most violent thoughts. The apex of the aforementioned track, however, is when she blesses us with her rendition of the 18th-century Italian aria opera classic, “Caro Mio Ben.” Nonetheless, the Queen sounds right at home in country territory, touching all of country music’s bases. “TEXAS HOLD’ EM” and “16 CARRIAGES” are perhaps the most orderly tracks on the project, which served as a teaser to the foundational essence of Cowboy Carter. 

But on B8, there’s more than just roots-reminders and political commentary. The icon also, and in true Beyoncé fashion, taps into the religious, romantic, and even sleazy sections of the genre.  And if you thought the dance floor bumpers were left out… think again. Linda Martell introduces “YA YA” as a song that “stretches across a range of genres.” Between the Nancy Sinatra sample and the Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations,” she throws a party on one of the album’s undeniable standouts. Fans of the dance classic Renaissance are awarded a suite of four infectious club hits, kicking off with “RIIVERDANCE,” segueing into “II HANDS II HEAVEN,” “TYRANT,” and wrapping up with “SWEET HONEY BUCKIIN.”

At the end of the day, Beyoncé handles country music the way she’s handled her music in the past decade–in her own way. She’s tackled R&B, Pop, Hip Hop, Afrobeats, and House and emerged victorious. So, why not her musical birthright? At 27 tracks, the album still doesn’t feel long, clocking in at a comfortable 80 minutes. But in the midst of it all, Cowboy Carter is Beyonce’s deduction of her American experience, flaws and all. Amen to that.

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