Beyoncé - act ii: COWBOY CARTER

[Funky]

Bodyguard is indeed the one. The first half of the album is magnificent, she had a masterpiece there if she'd kept it short. Not sure about the modern take ones featuring that rapper I've never heard of on 2 tracks and Post Malone, but of the more modern ones Ya Ya sounds great and is single material.

Spaghetti, Ya Ya, Tyrant are for the Lemonade/Renaissance I fans. For me her best moments are when she commits to the country arc. The epic opener is Beyonce reminding us she can do avant garde pop as good as any of them.

Not everything is for me but it's a piece of ART, that's for damn sure.

 

[Jark]

Presumably, out of the 27 tracks, at least 10 are short interludey things, yes?

7/8

 

[Joseph]

Just one listen so far and I’m really loving this album. Might be a touch long but still manageable.

Poor Sheryl Crow really picked a bad week to release something

 

[GinAg (39)]

Poor Sheryl Crow really picked a bad week to release something

Hasn't that been the case for Sheryl for the last 20 years?

 

[Joseph]

Hasn't that been the case for Sheryl for the last 20 years?

I think it’s her kink at this point

 

[octophone]

Sounds like Blackbird uses McCartney's original guitar track. Even the wee click sounds exactly right.

 

[OutSynk]

Daughter

 

[Pipo]

The Miley duet is TREMENDOUS.

Will we get a proper campaign this time or will she just FAFF around? Poor Cuff It and Virgo's Groove deserved more. My highlights are the same ones others have pointed out. the Shaboozey tracks did not disappoint

 

[Halli]

I had a whiz through some of it earlier - and the standout from what I heard was definitely BODYGUARD

 

[Loufoque]

Very preliminary Top 5

1. BODYGUARD
2. AMERICAN REQUIEM
3. DAUGHTER
4. TYRANT
5. FLAMENCO / JUST FOR FUN

But I find it hard to pull them apart. This is probably her most inaccessible work other than BLACK IS KING, which I have never managed to penetrate.

 

[Funky]

The lack of videos definitely harmed R1 and I can see it harming R2. There are so many possibilities to elevate this music with the right visuals that celebrate these different throwback genres that she’s exploring and deconstructing

It’ll still be huge but we’ll be left wondering WHAT IF

 

[RaspberrySwirl]

Oh wow at Bodyguard

Definitely sounds like one of those ASFM songs that I’m forced to give 3-4 points to.

 

[RaspberrySwirl]

Daughter is however a 20.

 

[Jark]

prelim top five

BODYGUARD
SWEET HONEY BUCKIN
JUST FOR FUN
TYRANT
II HANDS II HEAVEN

 

[Jark]

The lack of videos definitely harmed R1 and I can see it harming R2. There are so many possibilities to elevate this music with the right visuals that celebrate these different throwback genres that she’s exploring and deconstructing

It’ll still be huge but we’ll be left wondering WHAT IF

people seem to think a visual for all 3 acts will be coming in due course...

 

[Jark]

This is probably her most inaccessible work other than BLACK IS KING, which I have never managed to penetrate.

I would say for the most part it's very accessible! it feels much more GP friendly than Renaissance (largely due to being less aggressive), multiple songs could take off

 

[Joseph]

The lack of videos definitely harmed R1 and I can see it harming R2. There are so many possibilities to elevate this music with the right visuals that celebrate these different throwback genres that she’s exploring and deconstructing

It’ll still be huge but we’ll be left wondering WHAT IF

 

[Loufoque]

I would say for the most part it's very accessible! it feels much more GP friendly than Renaissance (largely due to being less aggressive), multiple songs could take off

I was in my bag for Renny, babe. Only the first listen of ARTPOP rivals it as a total fucking trip. But you're right, the amorphous song structures and sheer cuntiness were probably inaccessible to the heteronorms.

The first 10 tracks on Cowboy Carter are accessible enough (we have two covers and a #1 single, after all) - it's just thereafter that it goes a little bit batshit. I'm on my third listen and it's starting to make more sense deeper and deeper in.

 

[Pipo]

all these lyrics about her contempt for women going after her man; Dear Bey, I'm sure nobody is checking after Jay-Z sis.

 

[dUb]

Just finishing my first listen

 

[Music]

Bodyguard is a future classic.

 

[dUb]

Loved so much of it on first listen but need to get to grips with it better. I'll be listening to this way more than its predecessor.

 

[Pipo]

The story about Cowboy Carter apparently being considered released before Renaissance sort of makes sense if you listen to Amen followed by I'm That Girl

 

[Loufoque]

10 Ameriican Requiem
08 Blackbiird
08 16 Carriages
07 Protector
08 My Rose
09 Texas Hold 'Em
10 Bodyguard
07 Jolene
09 Daughter
07 Spaghettii
07 Alliigator Tears
09 Just for Fun
09 II Most Wanted
08 Levii's Jeans
09 Flamenco
09 Ya Ya
08 Riiverdance
08 II Hands II Heaven
09 Tyrant
Sweet Honey Buckiin'
09 Amen

 

[Joseph]

Well this confused me.

 

[Joseph]

She never rests

 

[OutSynk]

View attachment 25195Well this confused me.

@disneyteletubby

 

[GNL]

View attachment 25195Well this confused me.

Oh no, they've leaked part III (Celtic Carter)

 

[Ellie]

You know, I haven’t even been vaguely interested in any Beyonce music for about 10 years. But this is pretty good.

 

[Funky]

All these lapsed Beyonce fans (including myself) coming out of the woodwork for a 2024 country album is really not something we could have predicted... well, ever.

 

[POP!]

I can't get enough of "Levii's Jeans"

 

[Loufoque]

Jolene really is the weak link for me. I think a Jolene-sampling remix à la BREAK MY SOUL (THE QUEENS REMMIX featuring Queen Mother Madonna) would have been a better way to reference or not reference.

 

[GNL]

Jolene really is the low point. The new lyrics are deeply cringe.

Cover 9-to-5 if being vulnerable doesn't fit in your BRAND GUIDELINES, Beyoncé.

 

[untilted]

Oh this is an absolutely phenomenal album I genuinely don’t even know where to begin. I’ll come back with considered thoughts once I’ve collected myself!

 

[POP!]

I read the rumor of Taylor singing background on "Bodyguard" and can't unhear it.

 

[GinAg (39)]

I read the rumor of Taylor singing background on "Bodyguard" and can't unhear it.

I must have missed the cats chorus.

 

[POP!]

Biggest Spotify debut of 2024 so far

Global: 76,131,529

5	TEXAS HOLD 'EM	6 630 465
7	II MOST WANTED	5 328 563
8	JOLENE	5 075 802
14	AMERIICAN REQUIEM	4 255 012
16	BLACKBIIRD	3 942 307
17	BODYGUARD	3 785 687
19	SPAGHETTII	3 434 566
20	DAUGHTER	3 411 415
22	LEVII'S JEANS	3 375 681
23	16 CARRIAGES	3 296 064
25	PROTECTOR	3 229 301
29	SMOKE HOUR ★ WILLIE NELSON	3 011 533
31	MY ROSE	2 908 701
33	YA YA	2 876 380
35	ALLIIGATOR TEARS	2 700 375
43	JUST FOR FUN	2 537 641
50	FLAMENCO	2 340 940
56	RIIVERDANCE	2 270 362
64	TYRANT	2 131 659
68	OH LOUISIANA	2 078 158
70	DESERT EAGLE	2 072 639
77	II HANDS II HEAVEN	1 962 373
81	SWEET ★ HONEY ★ BUCKIIN'	1 922 150
119	AMEN	1 553 755

US: 39,512,344

3	JOLENE	2 648 157
4	II MOST WANTED	2 515 837
5	TEXAS HOLD 'EM	2 391 687
6	AMERIICAN REQUIEM	2 217 056
7	BLACKBIIRD	2 120 901
8	BODYGUARD	1 989 336
10	LEVII'S JEANS	1 842 734
13	DAUGHTER	1 799 035
14	PROTECTOR	1 766 347
15	SPAGHETTII	1 752 080
16	16 CARRIAGES	1 751 121
17	SMOKE HOUR ★ WILLIE NELSON	1 701 261
20	MY ROSE	1 594 053
21	YA YA	1 535 302
22	ALLIIGATOR TEARS	1 473 647
24	JUST FOR FUN	1 417 546
27	FLAMENCO	1 287 705
28	RIIVERDANCE	1 252 274
31	DESERT EAGLE	1 162 930
32	OH LOUISIANA	1 157 244
33	TYRANT	1 153 972
36	II HANDS II HEAVEN	1 084 897
37	SWEET ★ HONEY ★ BUCKIIN'	1 054 927
52	AMEN	842 295

 

[Joseph]

It seems to really be off to a massive start

 

[POP!]

It is 24 tracks (or at least the ones that counted) so not completely apples to apples but objectively great numbers regardless.

 

[Halli]

had a look through todays top 50 UK spotify earlier, and wow

Makes a pleasant change from DAVE, Central Cee and FUTURE