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  3. Beyoncé’s findings were multidimensional, generation-spanning histories of the genre, as well as the culture that informed its image and heritage. The visual and sonic presentations of the record are meticulous and intentional, and her message is clear to those who are willing to engage earnestly enough to receive it. The nods are in the music but also in the language surrounding the album. It’s in the featured guests, the song titles, and the promotional marketing. It’s in the intentionality of her declaring: “This ain’t a country album. This is a Beyoncé album.”

  4. Her cover of the Beatles’ Blackbird is astute – Paul McCartney wrote it in tribute to the Little Rock Nine, a group of nine Black students who faced discrimination after enrolling in the all-white Little Rock high school in 1957 – if inessential, and there’s a distinct qualitative sag in the middle. It’s remedied by the simple expedient of going wildly off-piste: if the lambent soft-rock of Bodyguard gets you wondering whether the “departure into country” tag strictly fits Cowboy Carter, the sudden appearance of a straightforward hip-hop track, Spaghetti, confirms that it isn’t.

  5. At first Texas Hold ’Em seems like a straightforward floor-filler. Named after a variant of poker, it features Beyoncé calling on everyone to put down their cards and take part in a “real-life hoedown”. So far, so escapist. But when she announces, “There’s a tornado in my city. Hit the basement, that shit ain’t pretty” the mood changes entirely, like the song is offering comfort in the face of scary forces outside. As with all the best pop — and country — it is simple and complex at the same time and a seriously good addition to the Beyoncé canon.

  7. I always give Beyoncé a listen, because she’s an interesting artiste who can’t really be pigeonholed (oh, stop) and quality is a given. I’m impressed, as I usually am, by the energy and variety. Here she seems to be at once giving us an ironically knowing wink – this isn’t *really* country music – while delivering what country music is famous for, simple emotion. The best songs here will probably be covered by country artists, and why not? My favourite songs so far are …. oh shit. I haven’t listened to it at all. I might – it was at the Eel Market this morning – if someone whose critical judgement I respect gives it a thumbs up. Who am I kidding. I respect nobody’s critical judgement. Still, though … is this enough content, Lodes?

  8. About six years ago my wife purchased four hens as part of a project she was working on. Having taken her employer to court for not paying her as much as her male colleagues and settling out of court with the charity that she worked for accepting that she was unfairly paid less, Mrs Paws had to leave her job. With no job to go to, and feeling the stress of 18 months legal issue over a role where she would have been paid £18k pro rata, she decided to take a break. For no obvious reason other than to stick it to the man, my wife got about bricklaying, designing, building and putting in place the most spacious environment for four hens. On its completion Mrs P and Mini Paws nipped off to a local garden centre and purchased four hens, of which I was allowed to name one. Alongside Liesel, Muffin and Heidi we brought home Beyonce, a beautiful Rhode Island hen. She was the most receptive of all of our attention. I have multiple photos of my young daughter holding on to her without any fuss or bother. We all loved Beyonce and she was well known amongst friends and family, who would always ask “how’s Beyonce doing?”

    It was the toughest thing when finally Beyonce passed on, just shy of her fifth birthday. I would have hated to see the face of my daughter’s form teacher on the day she went into class in tears and said “Beyonce’s dead!”

    Anyway, the news that Beyonce Knowle has a news LP out fills my heart with gladness and reminds me of our beautiful red chicken. Are the songs any good?

  14. Well I’ve listened to it precisely once but thought it sounded fabulously listenable and enjoyable. Will see if that first impression holds up with further plays.

  15. I’ve listened to it repeatedly over the past couple of days. I’ve never been in the Beyhive©, but I think it’s an absolutely phenomenal album – rousing, witty, sassy, moving and consistently engaging. It’s certainly not the traditional ‘country’ album that many anticipated (although she disawowed that notion pretty
    sharply), but there is an organic feel across most of the songs both overtly (her cover of ‘Blackbird’ is gorgeous)and more subliminally. Her vocals and bv’s are outstanding, exuding warmth and emotion, and for the most part eschewing the annoying gymnastics that I have hitherto found rather alienating.
    It’s the first album in ages I’ve been really excited about.

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