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Happy New Music Friday - this time on Saturday! Today I’m focused on two albums that are out today from music legends. Beyonce and Sheryl Crow. Let’s dig into these new albums:
Beyonce - Cowboy Carter
So, Beyonce has gone country? Well…sort of. There’s a big mix of country music along with gospel, R&B and it works so well. There’s been a ton written up recently about this and frankly, too much stupid outrage from people who clearly don’t think she’s allowed to expand on her audience and genres. Screw ‘em!
The latest album from Beyonce is beyond fantastic. A bit of some background - It was born out of an experience she had years ago where she didn’t feel welcomed. Because of that experience, she did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied the rich musical archive.
I won’t hit on all the songs - there are 27 of them - but here are some highlights from it. “Just For Fun” a duet with Willie Jones is a slow-simmer song that brings gospel tones into the song. “Protector” starts with daughter Rumi asking for “the lullabye, please” and Beyonce delivers with an acoustic gem about motherhood.
“16 Carriages” is right now my favorite song on the album - it’s powerful and her lyrics/vocals are so fierce. Feels very personal about her life and career. She’s brought in some greats as well - Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton and Linda Martell (the first black woman to play the Grand Ole Opry). It’s an album I’ll keep going back to for deeper listens, as I discover new things each time.
Sheryl Crow - Evolution
This wasn’t supposed to be an album. After Threads from 2019, Crow was satisfied to play live and throw out a couple singles. But she started writing songs, sitting in the quiet and writing from a deep soul place.
Upon first listen, it’s quintessential Sheryl Crow - and that’s a good thing. Kicking off with “Alarm Clock”, an uptempo, pop-ish song with some fuzzy guitars and handclaps. “Do It Again” sounds familiar - somewhat like “A Change Can Do You Good” - it’s an easy, breezy song that captures a real 90s vibe.
“Don’t Walk Away” is a gorgeous, heartbreaking piano ballad that showcases Crow’s still strong and beautiful voice. The title track “Evolution” is a symphonic rock piece about technology and human kind that’s got a searing guitar solo from Tom Morello.
She chose wisely by bringing on Mike Elizondo to produce the album. For someone who has been around the music industry as long as Crow has, the album has a true soul searching feel and while very personal, she’s got her finger on the pulse of her listeners. It’s a joy to hear new music from Crow.