Beyonce continues to prove that she is unrivaled with the arrival of her eighth studio album, ‘Cowboy Carter.’
Serving as Queen Bey’s much-discussed foray into Country music, the eclectic set blends a wide range of genres – including Folk, Soul, R&B, Rock, and even Opera. The result? A delicious sonic fusion that many are deeming the megastar’s best work yet.
Led by the Billboard Hot 100 #1 ‘Texas Hold ‘Em,’ act ii (of the three-project arc) also features contributions from the likes of Miley Cyrus, Post Malone, Dolly Parton, and Willie Nelson, as well as rising Country talent such as Tanner Adell and Willie Jones.
Having marinated on the 27-song set, That Grape Juice has tallied our top 5 tracks from ‘Cowboy Carter.’
Join us after the jump…
Bodyguard
A bouncy, bodacious bop, this is ear candy in the most sonically satisfying way. Surely an imminent single?
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Jolene
Much talked about before its existence was even confirmed, Beyonce’s take on the Dolly Parton classic came with tall expectations. And thankfully it delivers in earnest. Boasting a hilarious introduction from Parton herself, Bey flips the track into a stern warning – brandishing Ms. Jolene as a “bird.” And aptly, this is flying up the charts. Deservingly so.
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Riiverdance
Beyonce is renowned for making the masses move and this soulful jam – which blends a myriad of sounds – serves as one of the album’s most tempo-driven moments. She commands the listener to “bounce on that sh*t, dance.” And with a song as infectious as this, one has no choice but to heed her demand.
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Ya Ya
Explosive! Reminiscent of an early Tina Turner, this fiery anthem possesses a heat that scorches in the best way. The mere thought of seeing this performed live or in visual form has us all sorts of excited!
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Tyrant
Perhaps the most traditional Beyonce “sounding” cut on ‘Cowboy Carter’ continues her trend of melting sounds (and, quite literally, songs) for maximum effect. This all-at-once manages to be hard-hitting, daring, melodic, and demanding of the listener’s ear. We can the Urban format eating this up!
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Honorary Mentions: ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ and ’16 Carriages.’
Already beloved here at TGJ, both were stellar choices as singles and set the sonic scape of what followed on the album at large.
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What do you think of our picks?