Beyoncé - Cowboy Carter

Beyoncé goes country in her latest album Cowboy Carter, which is a brave step of restyling herself and music.

The Cowboy Carter artwork gives you a sense of being very American and patriotic running through the theme with Beyoncé looking majestic riding sideways on a white horse, wearing American national colours in a one piece leather clothing, holding up an American flag, which together seems to make a statement of I am here, whether you like it or not, or even if you agree with me or not, whichever angle you look at it, is just from the viewpoint of power!

With the name of the album in a banner it looks like she is running for the top job in the world - President!

It is interesting that popular artists and musicians who have had successful careers so far, often want to expand their once limited horizons of just dishing out hits after hits and sucking up to the radio friendly pop music, and in Cowboy Carter, it seems as if Beyoncé has turned that corner because there is more than just music here.

For starters Beyoncé wanted to highlight not only the contribution of Black America has had in the United States of America but pitching this album to country and many other genre offshoots, is the lesser known, or commonly known in the industry as often overlooked because it seems Black people cannot do country, which sounds ridiculous.

American Requiem hits the road running and it has a very powerful message of making a stand for what is just.

There are beautiful covers like The Beatles soft Blackbird, which has thick vocals and features Black country singer-songwriter Tanner Adell and Brittney Spencer, and Paul McCartney provides guitar again; and while Dolly Parton was very keen for someone to take her little songs and blown up them globally, and while she features as a radio presenter in the fictitious radio station KNTRY, eventually like a wish come true Beyoncé did indeed record Jolene, with some additional lyrics provided by Beyoncé and a team of songwriters, and not to mention that Dolly Parton provides vocals in Tyrant.

16 Carriages and Texas Hold 'Em are two gritty and organic country and folk songs with the shaking of chains either connecting carriages together while racing through the barren dry American deserts, while the latter references a knowledge of being born and raised in Texas, and how you carry yourself.

Protector features Beyoncé daughter Rumi and displays the natural bond a mother has to her children and what a responsible mother does to make sure their young stays safe in a good environment for a better chance in life, with the sentiment transferring to Daughter.

Spaghetti reverts to the slamming and dunking of a hustling city with rapping and a harder edge to the pumping of the beat, with some elements of country, Americana and folk roots being injected towards the last third of this track.

It is fitting that America doesn't naturally have crocodiles, maybe a few in Florida, and Alligator Tears is more relevant from a southern Texan girl Beyoncé.

Getting to a good old sing-along with a bunch of talented singers including Miley Cyrus accompanying Beyoncé is Just for Fun, and the following themed song II Most Wanted, but with a little more funkiness, though a livelier track with Ya Ya including some elements of These Boots Are Meant for Walkin' and lyrics from The Beach Boys.

A rather intelligent but cheeky song Levii's Jeans, where another hard hitter in the music industry Post Malone doesn't just want to be the jeans Beyoncé is wearing, but spars with Beyoncé in this song.

A few short muses My Rose, Flamenco, with radio presentation influences of Smoke Hour featuring a cool sounding Willie Nelson, and The Linda Martell Show, then the romantic Oh Louisiana, with Desert Eagle, which are often high in the thermal hot air of the southern American States.

With fingerpicking acoustic guitar mixed with a kicking drum pounding along in Riverdance like marching through the sand or going up a hill, and this is extended in a more spiritual religious II Hands II Heaven amongst the coyotes and whiskey, and the last song Amen finishes a packed full of different styles album.

Sweet Honey Buckin' is another track that has a pounding kick beat but heavier, which is about another American pastime going to the rodeo, or partaking being tossed up, down and around.

The sheer number of songwriters, musicians and singers this album has had a lot of work put into it, and the result has produced something of class.

It is important for Beyoncé to produce this project, which is part of a trilogy the first being Renaissance, and the follow up will be interesting and will leave us guessing in what direction that forthcoming album will be both about and sound.

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