Women in Country: March Album Reviews
The month of March was THE month for women in country music to debut some highly anticipated new music. I have been spending the last few weeks taking in these new releases and giving the music a chance to sit with me. That being said, I couldn’t let a heavy release month like March go by without reviewing three of the albums that country music fans are all talking about. So, in order by release date, let’s get into it!
Deeper Well by Kacey Musgraves
On March 15th Kacey Musgraves released her sixth album, Deeper Well. Following an album that addressed her divorce, fans really didn’t know what to expect from Kacey, but Deeper Well turned out to provide a breath of fresh air. With the release of the title track, “Deeper Well”, as a single, fans could instantly tell that this album would be full of deep self reflection packaged into some folksy sounds. Taking the folksy route with these songs really made for an appropriate release for Spring, as this collection of songs really feels like Kacey has taken the time to look within and rebloom as a woman in her 30s. Songs like “The Architect”, “Sway”, and “Deeper Well” are all particularly heavy with self reflection. Another theme I noticed throughout the album is her importance on highlighting the joy of the little things in life and how their impact is the most important in having a fulfilling life. While listening to this album and having been someone who has followed Kacey’s music career from the beginning, I feel like this album is one that she essentially needed to get off her chest following her rise to fame and public divorce, creating a clean slate for herself. While I do find the album to feel refreshing, I wouldn’t necessarily consider it one of her best releases. Despite appreciating the work put into it, I don’t think it compares to some of her previous bodies of work such as Pageant Material and Golden Hour. Although this record probably provides the deepest self reflection compared to her others, it does unfortunately lack the sharp-tongue and witty writing that Kacey has previously mastered before. Of the collection “The Architect”, “Dinner with Friends”, “Deeper Well”, and “Cardinal” are probably my favorites and I find myself going back to these, however, the album as a whole sort of came off as one note. Overall, I view this album to be sort of a necessity for Kacey to make in her writing process and self reflection. I feel that this album is very appropriate following her divorce album and sort of acts as a cleanse from those experiences. And while this may not be my favorite of her releases, I do think that the work she put into these songs and herself in the process will result in her next album likely being one of her best. To rate the album, it would give it a 6.5/10.
Trail of Flowers by Sierra Ferrell
Sierra Ferrell released her fourth album, second with Rounder Records, titled Trail of Flowers, on March 22nd. I did want to acknowledge that although Sierra isn’t as well known as the other women in this article, this album was highly anticipated by me and other country music fans so it would be a disservice for me to not review it. This album follows her 2021 album, Long Time Coming, where country music fans really started to notice her. I became a fan of Sierra Ferrell in 2021 when she started releasing singles for the Long Time Coming album and I have been obsessed ever since. After devouring Long Time Coming, I have been craving more music from her so I welcomed this album with open arms. Something I initially appreciated about Sierra’s music is how well she blends folk country roots with a fresh, unique take and Trail of Flowers continued that same theme. This collection of songs hits all the points I look for in a country album such as storytelling, fun time music, self reflection, and heartache. Probably my favorite track from the album is “American Dreaming” because it really encompasses her journey so far, looking back on where she has come from and the success she has accomplished, while acknowledging the tough sides of that success. While this album reflects the wisdom that Sierra has gained through her somewhat vagabond life experiences, there are also songs that give off the vibe of just a group of musicians getting together to jam to songs that have been passed down from generations just for the hell of it. Songs like “Money Train”, “I Could Drive You Crazy”, and “I’ll Come Off The Mountain” really give that vibe and also represents Sierra’s consistent nod to her roots. There is also such a great mixture of highs and lows to really highlight Sierra’s range. The song “Fox Hunt” is such a fun song with a killer fiddle that makes you want to dance around, while we also get a look into her tender side with the song “Wish You Well”. Overall, this album provides so many different experiences all in one collection with the perfect mix of folk, bluegrass, classic country, and even some southern jazz to make this collection feel so complete. To rate the album, I give it a 8.5/10.
Cowboy Carter by Beyoncé
Last but certainly not least, Beyoncé released her highly anticipated country album, Cowboy Carter, on March 29th, which is the second act of a trilogy of albums following her release of Renaissance in 2022. To start, one thing I have always appreciated about Beyoncé is the respect and emphasis she puts on creating an album as an entire body of work. Every album of hers is a full experience and Cowboy Carter was no exception. Upon hearing that Beyoncé was going to release a country album, I was really interested in which direction she would take because she is from the south and has southern roots, but also has such a large range of talent that I wasn’t sure if she would lean full yee-haw or not. Once she released the album, it was so nice to see that Beyoncé put her own twist on country music, which she made sure to clarify that the album isn’t really a country album, but simply a Beyoncé album. Immediately upon listening, I was so obsessed with her addition of the Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, and Linda Martell radio broadcast recordings in between songs because it really tied the album together to create a complete nostalgic experience. This album has so many layers to it where Beyoncé is exploring her upbringing, proving her talent to those who have doubted her, paying homage to black voices in country music, and paying respect to country and blues legends like Dolly Parton, Chuck Berry, and Patsy Cline. More specifically, her rendition of The Beatles’ “Blackbird” where she included up and coming black country singers to not only lift others up with her, but also highlight the dark underlying meaning of the song “Blackbird” while also honoring the significance of black musicians in southern music. The album also represents the duality that Beyoncé’s music brings with the fun crowd favorites such as “YA YA” and “II MOST WANTED”, which features Miley Cyrus, and heartfelt deeper songs like “16 CARRAGES” and “PROTECTOR”. I feel like this album also allowed Beyoncé to give credit where credit is due and give so many artists their flowers, while also still pointing out injustices where needed. This whole collection feels like not only a love story to her roots, but almost a theatrical experience too, while incorporating so many other talented individuals to really tie everything together. This album is a full conceptual blend of not just country but blues, funk, soul, folk, pop, and more to create a modern Americana piece of work and celebration of southern black culture unlike any other that has been done before. I think Beyoncé achieved what she intended to achieve with this body of work, while also extending her talents to people who otherwise wouldn’t give her music a listen. All in all, I think this was such a fun and different approach that only Beyoncé could do and I give this album a 8.5/10.
March was such a huge month for new music and these three woman had country music fans, and fans outside of the country music genre, in the palm of their hands.
Thanks for reading!
