TRACK X TRACK: Cowboy Carter.

Written By Corey Williams

Nothing really ends
For things to stay the same, they have to change again.
Hello, my old friend
You change your name, but not the ways you play pretend.

In the countless times I’ve listened through this album over the past several days, I still struggle to find the words to describe the artistry & complete satisfaction that this album brings. It is rare to find an album that one can listen to track-for-track with no skips, but ‘Cowboy Carter’ undoubtedly holds that capability. I wouldn’t consider myself to be a true Beyonce fan but as a Black boy living in the American South, I appreciate the history, heritage and homage to some of the pioneers and trailblazers of country music. My favorite part of the album’s release has not only how effortlessly the album flows from track-to-track but several other facts, theories & histories associated with the album — here are some of my favorites:

  • Beyonce starts the album with a requiem & ends it with a hymn.

  • act ii: COWBOY CARTER was created almost five years ago & just as it was about to release the global health & the international political crises ensured so Beyonce thought the world needed a ‘feel-good’ album so she realized RENAISSANCE instead; this is also why RENAISSANCE has no sad songs.

  • not only does COWBOY CARTER loop itself but act ii leads seamlessly into act i: RENAISSANCE.

  • you can feel the transition from country to house & disco throughout the album.

Additionally here are some of my favorite tracks & element of the album:

  • AMERICAN REQUIIEM / AMEN

  • the transition through THE LINDA MATRELL SHOW to OH LOUISIANA

  • THE SMOKE SHOW, PART I & all of the samples

  • SPAGHETTII

  • SWEET ★ HONEY ★ BUCKIN’ 

Corey Williams
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lessons in thirty.