{"id":2071465,"date":"2026-07-31T09:01:44","date_gmt":"2026-07-31T06:01:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2071465"},"modified":"2026-07-31T09:01:44","modified_gmt":"2026-07-31T06:01:44","slug":"shaboozey-the-outlaw-cherie-lee-other-western-tales-review-an-ambitious-cinematic-tale-of-love-and-vengeance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2071465","title":{"rendered":"Shaboozey \u2013 \u2018The Outlaw Cherie Lee &amp; Other Western Tales\u2019 review: an ambitious, cinematic tale of love and vengeance"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Shaboozey-Credit-Daniel-Prakopcyk.jpeg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"template-id-3332206\" class=\"post-3332206 tdb_templates type-tdb_templates status-publish post\">\n<div id=\"tdi_65\" class=\"tdc-zone\">\n<div class=\"tdc_zone tdi_66  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div id=\"tdi_67\" class=\"tdc-row stretch_row_1400 td-stretch-content\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_68  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_70  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_featured_image tdi_71 tdb-content-horiz-left td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_71\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"696\" height=\"442\" class=\"entry-thumb\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Shaboozey-Credit-Daniel-Prakopcyk-696x442.jpeg\" alt=\"Shaboozey The Outlaw Cherie Lee &amp; Other Western Tales review\" title=\"Shaboozey Credit Daniel Prakopcyk\"><figcaption class=\"tdb-caption-text\">Shaboozey. Credit: Daniel Prakopcyk<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_72\" class=\"tdc-row stretch_row\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_73  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_75  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_breadcrumbs tdi_76 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-breadcrumbs \" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_76\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span>Reviews<\/span><span>Album Reviews<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_title tdi_77 tdb-single-title td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_77\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Shaboozey \u2013 \u2018The Outlaw Cherie Lee &amp; Other Western Tales\u2019 review: an ambitious, cinematic tale of love and vengeance<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_subtitle tdi_78 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_78\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>On his conceptual fourth album, the country-fusion star is weather-worn and tougher than before<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_review_overall tdi_79 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_79\">\n<table class=\"td-review td-fix-index\">\n<tr class=\"td-review-footer rate_stars\">\n<td class=\"td-review-score\">\n<div class=\"td-review-overall\">\n<div class=\"td-review-final-score\">3.5<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_author tdi_80 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-post-meta\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_80\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-author-name-wrap\"><span class=\"tdb-author-by\">By<\/span> Kayleigh Watson<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_date tdi_81 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-post-meta\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_81\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><time class=\"entry-date updated td-module-date\" datetime=\"2026-07-31T10:01:44+01:00\">31st July 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_82\" class=\"tdc-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_83  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_85  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_content tdi_86 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 td-post-content tagdiv-type\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_86\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>The past two years have been life-changing for country-fusion star Shaboozey. Waking up to two features on Beyonc\u00e9\u2019s 2024 album \u2018Cowboy Carter\u2019, an unprecedented cosign of dreams, came first. Weeks later, his breakthrough hit \u2018A Bar Song (Tipsy)\u2019 topped the Billboard Hot 100 and his third album, \u2018Where I\u2019ve Been, Isn\u2019t Where I\u2019m Going\u2019, released to critical acclaim. There was no denying it \u2013 Shaboozey had arrived.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>READ MORE: Growth, girlhood, and getting down: for FLO, \u2018Therapy At The Club\u2019 captures the spirit of life and love in your twenties<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Yet such a spotlight comes with heightened expectations. Shaboozey\u2019s acceptance speech as the first Black male artist to win a Grammy for Best Country Duo\/Group Performance was met with scrutiny from Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr, who felt his remark that \u201cimmigrants build this country\u201d \u2013 an homage to his Nigerian roots \u2013 overlooked the contribution of Black slaves. With more eyes and responsibility upon him, releasing a 20-track concept album is a bold move.<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad0 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span><\/div>\n<p>\u201cThis is a tale about revenge and what lengths a woman would go to get hers,\u201d says Jamie Foxx on the intro to \u2018The Outlaw Cherie Lee &amp; Other Western Tales\u2019, warning \u201cthere\u2019s a hefty price to pay\u201d. A woman driven by her quest to avenge the death of her father, Cherie Lee\u2019s pursuit draws her deeper into cyclical bloodshed. On her journey, she meets and falls for an outlaw tied to the crooks who caused her pain, and so faces a conflict of love, murder and becoming what she hates the most.<\/p>\n<p>Shaboozey captures the dust and distrust of the desert wilderness on \u2018Sweet Revenge\u2019, where Cherie Lee sets out on her quest amidst riffing guitars and gospel harmonies \u2013 a meeting of worlds. The features mirror that same spirit, with Gunna, Kehlani, Leon Bridges and Orville Peck, plus award-winning actors Sam Elliott and Teyana Taylor all making appearances \u2013 they add character to the storytelling while reinforcing Shaboozey\u2019s newfound gravitational pull.<\/p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Shaboozey - Burn It Down (Official Video) ft. Leon Bridges\" width=\"696\" height=\"522\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/lFlHO5AngLA?feature=oembed&amp;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<p>\u2018If I Was An Outlaw\u2019, nails the flippant, anecdotal side of country that comes with a fiddle, a nudge and a wink. Meanwhile, \u2018Cowgirl\u2019 captures the feel-good frivolity of crushing hard with a raucous chorus and clapping rhythms, as does celebratory foot-stomper \u2018Born To Die\u2019, which pays homage to those who elevate us to achieve and the sacrifices made along the way: <i>\u201cPour something strong or don\u2019t pour at all\u2026 raise a glass to always living life\u201d<\/i>.<\/p>\n<p>For all its ambition, \u2018The Outlaw Cherie Lee\u2026\u2019 is more a concept album in spirit and less in conduct. The tracks are connected by a loose thematic thread instead of acting as chapters driving plot \u2013 it is uncertain at times whether we are hearing from Cherie Lee or Shaboozey himself, and it is here that the impact is diluted. But even as the world-building slips, there belies a vulnerability in the album\u2019s slower moments: \u2018Kissed By An Angel\u2019 sees Cherie Lee\u2019s love giving up wild ways over soft, introspective guitar (<i>\u201cIf I\u2019m out of second chances, I won\u2019t leave without a fight\u201d<\/i>).<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad1 id_ad_content-horiz-center\">\n<h5 class=\"taboola-mid-article-title\">Recommended<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n<p>By the time the reflective opine of \u2018Coyotes Point\u2019 comes round, Cherie Lee is weather-worn and tougher than before. Perhaps, in some ways, Shaboozey is too; for despite the responsibility bestowed upon him as a Black artist moving in the predominantly white world of country, he has stayed true to his vision, blending genres and, most importantly, himself.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Details<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3782516 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Shaboozey-Cherrie-Lee-Artwork.jpg\" alt=\"shaboozey The Outlaw Cherie Lee Other Western Tales review\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\"><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Record label:<\/strong> American Dogwood<\/li>\n<li><strong>Release date:<\/strong> July 31, 2026<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_tags tdi_87 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_87\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<ul class=\"tdb-tags\">\n<li><span>Related Topics<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Country<\/li>\n<li>Shaboozey<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_88\" class=\"tdc-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_89  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_91  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"vc_row_inner tdi_93  vc_row vc_inner wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column_inner tdi_95  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-inner-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"vc_column-inner\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper td_block_wrap vc_raw_html tdi_97 \">\n<div class=\"td-fix-index\">\n<h3>More Stories<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap td_flex_block_1 tdi_98 td-pb-border-top td_module_flex_1--card td_module_flex_1--card--highlight td_block_template_2 tdc-no-posts td_flex_block\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_98\">\n<div id=\"tdi_98\" class=\"td_block_inner td-mc1-wrap\">\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Music News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">Willie Nelson shares call for communities to \u201cfight\u201d against data centres<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Music News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">Kacey Musgraves cancels three US tour dates without explanation<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Music News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">Investigation launched after Morgan Wallen fan allegedly pissed on family of four at Baltimore gig<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Music News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">Brad Paisley defends marriage of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce: \u201cOne of the least pretentious weddings that I\u2019ve ever seen or ever will see\u201d<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Music News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">Watch Post Malone premieres new song \u2018Chrome Heartbreaker\u2019 at World Cup pre-game ceremony<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Music News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">Listen to Brandon Flowers\u2019 jaunty new single \u2018Paradise\u2019<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_99\" class=\"tdc-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_100  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_102  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper td_block_wrap vc_raw_html tdi_104 \">\n<div class=\"td-fix-index\">\n<h3>You May Also Like<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span><\/span><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span><span><\/span><\/span><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span><\/article>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_content tdi_86 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 td-post-content tagdiv-type\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_86\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>The past two years have been life-changing for country-fusion star Shaboozey. Waking up to two features on Beyonc\u00e9\u2019s 2024 album \u2018Cowboy Carter\u2019, an unprecedented cosign of dreams, came first. Weeks later, his breakthrough hit \u2018A Bar Song (Tipsy)\u2019 topped the Billboard Hot 100 and his third album, \u2018Where I\u2019ve Been, Isn\u2019t Where I\u2019m Going\u2019, released to critical acclaim. There was no denying it \u2013 Shaboozey had arrived.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>READ MORE: Growth, girlhood, and getting down: for FLO, \u2018Therapy At The Club\u2019 captures the spirit of life and love in your twenties<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Yet such a spotlight comes with heightened expectations. Shaboozey\u2019s acceptance speech as the first Black male artist to win a Grammy for Best Country Duo\/Group Performance was met with scrutiny from Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr, who felt his remark that \u201cimmigrants build this country\u201d \u2013 an homage to his Nigerian roots \u2013 overlooked the contribution of Black slaves. With more eyes and responsibility upon him, releasing a 20-track concept album is a bold move.<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad0 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span><\/div>\n<p>\u201cThis is a tale about revenge and what lengths a woman would go to get hers,\u201d says Jamie Foxx on the intro to \u2018The Outlaw Cherie Lee &amp; Other Western Tales\u2019, warning \u201cthere\u2019s a hefty price to pay\u201d. A woman driven by her quest to avenge the death of her father, Cherie Lee\u2019s pursuit draws her deeper into cyclical bloodshed. On her journey, she meets and falls for an outlaw tied to the crooks who caused her pain, and so faces a conflict of love, murder and becoming what she hates the most.<\/p>\n<p>Shaboozey captures the dust and distrust of the desert wilderness on \u2018Sweet Revenge\u2019, where Cherie Lee sets out on her quest amidst riffing guitars and gospel harmonies \u2013 a meeting of worlds. The features mirror that same spirit, with Gunna, Kehlani, Leon Bridges and Orville Peck, plus award-winning actors Sam Elliott and Teyana Taylor all making appearances \u2013 they add character to the storytelling while reinforcing Shaboozey\u2019s newfound gravitational pull.<\/p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Shaboozey - Burn It Down (Official Video) ft. Leon Bridges\" width=\"696\" height=\"522\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/lFlHO5AngLA?feature=oembed&amp;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<p>\u2018If I Was An Outlaw\u2019, nails the flippant, anecdotal side of country that comes with a fiddle, a nudge and a wink. Meanwhile, \u2018Cowgirl\u2019 captures the feel-good frivolity of crushing hard with a raucous chorus and clapping rhythms, as does celebratory foot-stomper \u2018Born To Die\u2019, which pays homage to those who elevate us to achieve and the sacrifices made along the way: <i>\u201cPour something strong or don\u2019t pour at all\u2026 raise a glass to always living life\u201d<\/i>.<\/p>\n<p>For all its ambition, \u2018The Outlaw Cherie Lee\u2026\u2019 is more a concept album in spirit and less in conduct. The tracks are connected by a loose thematic thread instead of acting as chapters driving plot \u2013 it is uncertain at times whether we are hearing from Cherie Lee or Shaboozey himself, and it is here that the impact is diluted. But even as the world-building slips, there belies a vulnerability in the album\u2019s slower moments: \u2018Kissed By An Angel\u2019 sees Cherie Lee\u2019s love giving up wild ways over soft, introspective guitar (<i>\u201cIf I\u2019m out of second chances, I won\u2019t leave without a fight\u201d<\/i>).<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad1 id_ad_content-horiz-center\">\n<h5 class=\"taboola-mid-article-title\">Recommended<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n<p>By the time the reflective opine of \u2018Coyotes Point\u2019 comes round, Cherie Lee is weather-worn and tougher than before. Perhaps, in some ways, Shaboozey is too; for despite the responsibility bestowed upon him as a Black artist moving in the predominantly white world of country, he has stayed true to his vision, blending genres and, most importantly, himself.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Details<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3782516 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Shaboozey-Cherrie-Lee-Artwork.jpg\" alt=\"shaboozey The Outlaw Cherie Lee Other Western Tales review\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\"><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Record label:<\/strong> American Dogwood<\/li>\n<li><strong>Release date:<\/strong> July 31, 2026<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/reviews\/album\/shaboozey-the-outlaw-cherie-lee-other-western-tales-review-3959389&#8243;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Shaboozey-Credit-Daniel-Prakopcyk.jpeg&#8221;] Shaboozey. Credit: Daniel Prakopcyk ReviewsAlbum Reviews Shaboozey \u2013 \u2018The Outlaw Cherie Lee &amp; Other Western Tales\u2019 review: an ambitious, cinematic tale of love and vengeance On his conceptual fourth album, the country-fusion star is weather-worn and tougher than before 3.5 By Kayleigh Watson 31st July 2026 The past two years have been [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,78],"class_list":["post-2071465","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-nme-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2071465","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2071465"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2071465\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2071465"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2071465"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2071465"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}