RC f/u #30: Beyoncé and Mary Lattimore

Record Club attempts to keep up with all the new releases from our RC alumni. See a list of all previous follow-up reviews in our Supplemental Archives. Please let us know if you'd like to write a quick review for an album not already covered!

Please welcome PoYB Contributor Sara with her COWBOY CARTER review! I was dreading writing one myself, so I figured a certified Beyoncé fan might do a better job at it. And she did! I still listened to it (once), and attached my grade after that one listen, but that was all I did. Please see Sara's review, as well as one additional RC f/u review by yours truly, below

COWBOY CARTER by Beyoncé

Released: March 29, 2024

Follow-up to: RENAISSANCE, Week 202

COWBOY CARTER is a genre-bending good time. To start there is to hit on the largest theme of the album: genres and if we even need them. Genres put people into boxes, they give the ability to say whether people belong or not. They give Macklemore a way to win a Grammy over Kendrick Lamar's good kid, m.A.A.d city. Such a big theme that there is a speech in the beginning of "SPAGHETTII." The album feels very American to me. It's rooted in history and sounds that have shaped the music world for the United States. Rock, pop, country, hip hop, R&B. They all can be found woven throughout the album like the threads of a US flag.

"AMERIICAN REQUIEM" starts the album, setting us up for the ride we are about to take. Giving off rebranded Beatles, Sgt. Pepper sounds, filled with sitar sounds and swelling vocals. Adding in gospel elements really solidifies that this is further proof that the sounds of American music were built on the backs of Black people. Which makes a perfect segue for "BLACKBIIRD," a Beatles cover featuring up-and-coming black talent in the country world. While having the second track be a cover seems a bit off for an artist like Beyoncé, it helps to shape the story of the album. 

Moving through the album, we hear about familial relationships and Beyoncé's feelings on the music industry. Hailing from Texas herself, it's easy to understand why country holds a special place in her heart. "PROTECTOR" is a beautiful song about allowing your children to shine while watching over them. One of the trademark characteristics of Beyoncé is how private she is, so when we are granted a peek inside her life, it's always welcomed. It's also fun to see her put her children on as collaborating artists on tracks so they can earn royalties. I love seeing how the rich stay rich, maybe I'll try that with my daughter. 

"TEXAS HOLD 'EM" being one of the lead singles was a bit misleading, as this is probably the most overtly country-sounding song. Also, the overuse on TikTok and social media has kind of made me ambivalent to the song at this point. Most of the album works for me, and outside of my well documented hatred for interludes, there are only a few songs that I might actually skip. One of those is "JOLENE" I don't think it needs to be covered, and I think that, sung from the perspective of the same woman who wrote Lemonade, it's kind of a miss. Sorry, B, but people don't want your husband like that anymore. 

Using some heavy hitters for features is also very helpful on COWBOY CARTER. Miley Cyrus, Shaboozey, and Post Malone help to convince the masses that this is a country album. Since of course it's OK for Miley and Posty to cross over into country, wasn't much push back there. You all can come to your own conclusions on that one. Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton do voiceover interludes, giving their stamp of approval. Nelson giving a nod to his acclaimed "outlaw country." Who is a bigger outlaw to the country community than Beyoncé?

Overall, the album gives a lot of space to think, dance, reflect, laugh, and cry. It's a journey from beginning to end. If given the chance, listen to from beginning to end to follow the stories. Then shuffle the album sans interludes. It's nice to see an artist with over 25 years in the game give something different. Will it be marked as her number-one album of all time? No, it won't. But COWBOY CARTER will always be given its flowers for thinking outside of the box and challenging people to think what is "American."

Listen to this album in a sparkly cowboy hat on the way to the COWBOY CARTER Tour at the end of May.

SARA'S GRADE: 5 out of 5 Big Brens

JOE'S GRADE: 3 pukes out of 5 (it's hilarious and sincerely ballsy how little country music there actually is on this album, hats off to Bey for pulling the wool over so many eyes)

Rain on the Road by Mary Lattimore and Walt McClements

Released: May 10, 2024

Follow-up to: Silver Ladders, Week 101

As far as I can tell, Mary Lattimore is a great harpist. I wouldn't know. I don't listen to too many harpists. But I'm tied to Lattimore for the rest of our lives, since she was chosen as a solo artist for Record Club, and I'm committed to following her career now. In the almost five years since she released Silver Ladders, she has released only one solo album. This is her third album total since then, though (Goodbye, Hotel Arkada). She also teamed up with guitarist Paul Sukeena for West Kensington. Now she's teaming up with atmospheric composer Walt McClements for Rain on the Road. This is important, that she's doing another duet thing, because it says to me that Lattimore works best when she's bouncing off someone else. Perhaps you go so far as to say that the harp works best when it is supplementary to other music. I can't say that for sure, because harp music and ambient music and experimental orchestral music is so far out of my wheelhouse that I literally cannot compare to anything else.

I can't even compare to the previous three Mary Lattimore releases that I've listened to and reviewed, not really. I haven't listened to any of them since writing their respective reviews. And I probably won't listen to Rain on the Road after I write the final work in this review either. I can handle 45 minutes of ambience, but not much more. I don't think she's ever going to travel too far off this path that she's been on since I've known her. I'm okay with that, as long as she's okay with the fact that I'm going to keep writing about her but at somewhat of a remove.

West Kensington was cool because it was (implicitly) Philly-centric. I don't get that sense here. But I do think it's interesting that for the second week in a row, I'm listening to an album with the sounds of nature. Just like I had issues hearing the birds on Imperfect Cadence when I was listening to the Fox Chase birds next to them, I am now having issues hearing the rain on the roads of the album, as I currently sit hear typing this review and listening to Rain on the Road while rain pounds the Fox Chase roads. This is a good thing. I stand by my assessment from last week—listening to the sounds of nature is worthwhile.

I can't hang with Lattimore, but I almost with that ONR. had done what she and McClements do here, instead of attempting to soundtrack a maudlin Netflix drama. This is just pleasant background noise. Always has been, always will be. Bring in whatever random fucking dude to the studio that you want, Mary. I'll be here. And I'll appreciate it for what it is (and not much more).

GRADE: 2.5 pukes out of 5 (+0.5 pukes from original review)


NEXT TIME: Probably gonna touch on that new-ish Dua Lipa that I've mentioned a couple times on the blog in the past year, plus a review for Adeem the Artist's most recent album. UNLESS YOU WOULD LIKE TO WRITE ABOUT ANOTHER ALBUM! Let me know!