March 30, 20241 yr After first listen, there's some really great songs but also a lot that didn't interest me. Maybe some are growers but these are the early standouts: Texas Hold 'Em Bodyguard Jolene Alligator Tears - possibly my favourite from first listen? II Most Wanted Levi's Jeans Ya Ya Riverdance Tyrant Jole e a standout?!?!?! In what universe? Shockingly bad.
March 30, 20241 yr Great album, not as country as I expected on the whole. I saved the following to my playlist to add to Texas Hold 'Em and 16 Carriages, in order of preference (fave at the top): Bodyguard II Hands II Heaven (the melody gives me a Born Slippy vibe?) Alligator Tears American Requiem Daughter Amen II Most Wanted Jolene Blackbiird Levii's Jeans Just For Fun Riverdance The top four are so good. As always, a brilliant album. A little long but doesn't feel really overblown or anything, I'd have just shed about 3 or 4 songs maybe.
March 30, 20241 yr It's all just continuing to grow with every listen for me, she really has excelled with the first two albums of this project. I know people loved self titled and Lemonade but Renaissance and Cowboy Carter are both much better for me
March 30, 20241 yr This was quite the experience. If Renaissance was a deep dive into dance music, this was one that goes even deeper. I'm surprised there's comments of 'country's not for me so I don't get this' as this is such a genre spanning album that properly dissects the roots and influences of the genre. There's electronica, hip hop, R&B, Opera (!), rock and roll...I'm not a huge country music fan myself, but I found a lot to enjoy here, and it really works as a statement of country's versatility and how it is so often pigeonholed and exclusive in certain circles. It's a little overbearing and definitely could've used some edits, the mid section with the features didn't quite hit the mark for me, but the craziness of the opening and closing sections makes up for it. Of the highlights, Daughter is wonderful and I certainly didn't have opera down as something she dabbles in here. Nor did I have 60s Psychedelia, YA YA is wonderful and Riiverdance is a riot too. The beefed up production of Jolene is good and I do appreciate a new interpretation of the song, but it doesn't quite work for me as the desperation and vulnerability was part of what made the original so powerful. I think I may like this more than Renaissance as there is a bit more variety, though they are very close together and work for different reasons. It's insane almost 30 years into her career how much she continues to push boundaries and surprise people, waiting for that rock album with anticipation x
March 30, 20241 yr After first listen, there's some really great songs but also a lot that didn't interest me. Maybe some are growers but these are the early standouts: Texas Hold 'Em Bodyguard Jolene Alligator Tears - possibly my favourite from first listen? II Most Wanted Levi's Jeans Ya Ya Riverdance Tyrant I think these are my exact highlights too! I also echo the comments that it's not as country as I was expecting - sure, there it's country inspired and there are plenty of country elements but for example 'Tyrant' has nothing even remotely country about it!
March 30, 20241 yr I also echo the comments that it's not as country as I was expecting - sure, there it's country inspired and there are plenty of country elements but for example 'Tyrant' has nothing even remotely country about it! Genres are a funny little concept, aren't they?
March 31, 20241 yr Jole e a standout?!?!?! In what universe? Shockingly bad. We must be hearing different things as I love it!
March 31, 20241 yr This truly is an incredible album, possibly even better than 'Renaissance' (which is easily Bey's best album for me and one of my fav albums of this decade so far). 'AMERIICAN REQUIM' immediately stood out as an instant masterpiece, I'm adoring the psychedelic-gospel vibe on that one.
March 31, 20241 yr It samples it! Ah, I did wonder! The credits on Spotify all say 'pending' and admittedly that was as far as my search went :lol:
March 31, 20241 yr Heard just Blackbird and Ya ya so far, the former is nice enough, the latter Nancy Sinatra reckons it's prob the best use of a These Boots Are Made For Walkin' sample to date. It bungs in Beach Boys to boot and 60's go-go girl rhythms from zillions of beach teen movies. Much better than Texas Hold 'Em.
March 31, 20241 yr Only "Texas" is charting in top 10 on Spotify globally, 3 tracks in top 20, so it's not that bad, but definitely not the giga smash the online hype indicated two days ago.
March 31, 20241 yr The CD/Vinyl being called BEYINCÉ rather than Cowboy Carter, and having a few tracks missing from them, is catching attention outside of just the fans/collectors: Beyoncé album is missing tracks on vinyl, fans say https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-68702870 Beyoncé Fans Are Not Happy That Some ‘Cowboy Carter’ Songs Were Cut From CD and Vinyl https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-ne...nyl-1234997062/ Fans say Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter' is missing tracks on vinyl https://www.nme.com/news/music/fans-say-bey...n-vinyl-3611530 Beyoncé's new album missing five tracks on vinyl, fans complain https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/03/31...racks-on-vinyl/
March 31, 20241 yr Many seem to think the album was originally called BEYINCE until a last minute change. I wonder if her having a self titled album may have spurred the decision to change it? But the idea of several tracks being missing would definitely make me feel short changed as a fan.
March 31, 20241 yr It is a bit weird that it wipes out the Linda Martell contributions. I was 50/50 on buying it but now I think I'll definitely pass tbh, the digital version is fine for me
March 31, 20241 yr Presumably it is just a case of her continuing to work on the album after copies had already been pressed, this has happened a few times recently and this is far from the most egregious case (see Nicki Minaj's 'Pink Friday 2' missing over half of the final tracklist on its physical version!), though I think it might be the first time that the album has gone out physically with a completely different title lol. Maybe if they were more transparent about it being a different tracklist (e.g. marking the digital only songs as bonus tracks) it'd be a bit less dodgy but really artists should just either commit to the tracklist if they want physicals out on the first week, or accept having a belated release for the physicals if they insist on making last minute tweaks. You can't have both.
March 31, 20241 yr Author My pre-ordered CD hasn't even arrived yet. I assume because it's the Easter holidays.
April 1, 20241 yr For some inexplicable reason Beyonce has a writing credit on the Blackbird cover. She doesn't have a writing credit on the Jolene cover.
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