The black women featured feel more like accessories, in the background. Miley, Post Malone, Willie Jones, Shaboozey all got moments to shine. Why didn't the black girls get that?
Flamenco is definitely one of my favourite songs from this album, its just such a genuinely moving vocal performance. I think it could stay and Just for Fun and Alligator Tears could go as tonally they're kind of expressing similar ideas.
Also this hasn't been mentioned much but I don't like how the song titles are stylised for lack of a better term. I don't care for the all capitalised titles and the use of the letter I twice for some songs. Also I think a way to circumvent the issue around Black Bird (apart from rerecording the song) would have been to highlight in the lyric video who was singing which part, so at least you've got that. I've seen reaction videos where people think it's just Tanner singing which is kinda sad.
Finally I was on Beyoncé's website looking at the lyrics and I noticed on Smoke Hour 2 there's a part at the end where Willie says "Next up is Just for Fun by Beyoncé, that's with an I". So it seems like they've put the lyrics up from when the title of the album was supposed to be Beyince. I don't feel like this album had a clear narrative through line and I can see that's because Beyoncé seemed to have drastically changed some of the key ideas behind it at the last minute. Some have speculated that this was in some part an ode to her mother, similarly to what she did with her uncle on Renaissance, and I just think it's notable that she hasn't addressed the original title as far as I've seen in any of her statements.
I am a new listener to her music and had no expectations when listening to this album. In fact, I listened because I like country and Texas Hold 'Em is really good, so I was curious. I like this album and applaud he creative choices even the obvious ones. I see the intentional move of having these successful crossover artists IS an obvious way of pointing out that they did what she is doing without the flack. And it is very obvious but I also wonder if that is purposeful not because she doesn't trust the audience, but because she is tired to tiptoeing around the racism?
But I am with you, which is one reason why I have in the past not listened to her music. I want to enjoy her as an artists not as a political voice because that is not why she is paid to speak. She should not attach herself to social/political issues with her art if the art itself is in direct contradiction to the politics. She definitely needs an editor.
I hold most of the same opinion (convenient lol). I liked Jolene but get why people don't. I edited my personal Cowboy Carter to 9 songs and play through them only. YaYa is one of her best songs ever.
Kim, my jaw dropped when you said this is like I am Sasha Fierce…. now I can't unsee it. Just like that album, half of Cowboy Carter is no skips which it's definitely Volume 1. Love your critique.
The black women featured feel more like accessories, in the background. Miley, Post Malone, Willie Jones, Shaboozey all got moments to shine. Why didn't the black girls get that?
Flamenco is definitely one of my favourite songs from this album, its just such a genuinely moving vocal performance. I think it could stay and Just for Fun and Alligator Tears could go as tonally they're kind of expressing similar ideas.
Also this hasn't been mentioned much but I don't like how the song titles are stylised for lack of a better term. I don't care for the all capitalised titles and the use of the letter I twice for some songs. Also I think a way to circumvent the issue around Black Bird (apart from rerecording the song) would have been to highlight in the lyric video who was singing which part, so at least you've got that. I've seen reaction videos where people think it's just Tanner singing which is kinda sad.
Finally I was on Beyoncé's website looking at the lyrics and I noticed on Smoke Hour 2 there's a part at the end where Willie says "Next up is Just for Fun by Beyoncé, that's with an I". So it seems like they've put the lyrics up from when the title of the album was supposed to be Beyince. I don't feel like this album had a clear narrative through line and I can see that's because Beyoncé seemed to have drastically changed some of the key ideas behind it at the last minute. Some have speculated that this was in some part an ode to her mother, similarly to what she did with her uncle on Renaissance, and I just think it's notable that she hasn't addressed the original title as far as I've seen in any of her statements.
I am a new listener to her music and had no expectations when listening to this album. In fact, I listened because I like country and Texas Hold 'Em is really good, so I was curious. I like this album and applaud he creative choices even the obvious ones. I see the intentional move of having these successful crossover artists IS an obvious way of pointing out that they did what she is doing without the flack. And it is very obvious but I also wonder if that is purposeful not because she doesn't trust the audience, but because she is tired to tiptoeing around the racism?
But I am with you, which is one reason why I have in the past not listened to her music. I want to enjoy her as an artists not as a political voice because that is not why she is paid to speak. She should not attach herself to social/political issues with her art if the art itself is in direct contradiction to the politics. She definitely needs an editor.
I hold most of the same opinion (convenient lol). I liked Jolene but get why people don't. I edited my personal Cowboy Carter to 9 songs and play through them only. YaYa is one of her best songs ever.
Yeah I have the CD and the cover is Beyince
Kim, my jaw dropped when you said this is like I am Sasha Fierce…. now I can't unsee it. Just like that album, half of Cowboy Carter is no skips which it's definitely Volume 1. Love your critique.