American artist Cleo Reed is getting attention with their bold new album, the provocatively titled Cuntry.
Ella Moore was born and raised in New York City and Uptown DC, they chose the performance name of Cleo Reed taking the names of two of their ancestors. Their debut album Root Cause arrived in 2023, but its their second record that’s gaining international attention.
The album speaks to the experience of living in the USA as a Black, femme presenting non-binary queer person. It combines elements of folk, country and hip hop to give a distinctive sound.
The record has been the feature album on local community radio station RTRFM through the last week. The station’s Music Director Matt Perrett described the album as one that chops and changes production styles hopping between genres.
The album opens with country and folk sounds but over the journey through the tracks it moves more into electronic and rap sounds.
The record begins casually with Reed and backing singers chatting about places they’ve worked liked Whole Foods. Salt n’ Lime is a mix of rambling guitar, trembling drums and warm vocals that quickly brings us into Reed’s world. As the song progresses through the party vibes rise, but so does the intensity of Reed’s delivery, it’s like a night out drinking.
I’ve Been Out Here Hustlin’ is a gospel tinged acapella that is slow and sure. The pace picks up again with the instantly catchy The Women Are At War which sees Reed delivering a solid flow over folky rollicking guitar.
Nine Lives introduces some jazz elements with muted trumpets and syncopated beats running along under Reeds cascading vocals. Tally The Bill is day-dreamish plucked guitar and floating vocals. Sleep Song is peaceful and ambient until operatic vocals arrive to lift us into another realm before it morphs into a cut n paste world of vocal samples and hip hop beats.
Always The Horse Never The Jokey is one of the records many highlights. Strummed guitar and with mesmerising lyrics about being the prettiest horse and hoping to win the race, you can’t help wonder if Reed is making an analogy to something else.
With the thumping piano of Americana the album takes a turn more into a rap style, and electronic stabs and swoons enter the mix. Da Da Da continues the journey before Wash All Over Me returns us to the mix of ambient sounds and country plucked guitar.
No Borders is more intense with funky bass, a funky crunchy synth line and discordant chants melting together. By the time we reach the album’s closer Nona’s Jam we’ve moved into a psychedelic multi-layered sound with strong vocals that just as you think they’re building to a powerful climax falls away back into the subtle folk sounds at the beginning of the journey.
Cleo Reed’s Cuntry is out now.
