Album Review – Carrie Underwood’s “Carnival Ride”
October 22, 2007 by Jeanne
Carrie Underwood’s new album “Carnival Ride” officially hits stores tomorrow. Is it worth buying? Read this review (this is one guy’s opinion, so keep that in mind).
Most contemporary female country singers start out on the traditional side, then grow increasingly pop as they become more successful. Carrie Underwood reverses that trend on her second album, “Carnival Ride.”
After the six-million-selling “Some Hearts,” where the “American Idol” champ sparked arguments about whether she was country or pop, her second album goes out of its way to prove she’s as down home as any of her Nashville peers.
On songs like “All-American Girl” and “Crazy Dreams,” Underwood presents a rootsier, more organic sound that highlights her middle-American, girl-next-door personality. Moreover, her second album shows growth in how Underwood brandishes her powerful voice. Showing more sensitivity in her range and in interpreting lyrics, the 24-year-old Oklahoman sings with a control that makes her uplifting voice even more effective.
Underwood co-writes four of her new tunes, although working with Nashville pros, it’s hard to detect how big of a role she plays in crafting the lyrics or melodies. The songs range from the album’s first hit, “So Small,” a song with as direct a religious message as her previous album’s “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” to the one-night-stand tale of “Last Name,” in which Underwood challenges her squeaky-clean image by growling lines like, “It started out, ‘Hey, cutie, where you from/Then it turned into, ‘Oh no, what I have done?”‘
Overall, “Carnival Ride” is a strong sophomore effort, with Underwood flashing a surer sense of who she is and where she belongs. However she defines herself, though, the world is wide open for her from here.
CHECK OUT THIS TRACK: On “I Told You So,” the only cover song on Underwood’s new album, she takes an old Randy Travis hit, strips it down to its acoustic core, then fills it with emotion through a perfectly restrained performance.
Tags: carrie underwood, carnival ride, album review, carrie underwood album
I like her new cd! I think it’s good, my fave song on there is So Small! I just love that song, it’s got a great message and is so true.
That song she did of Randy Travis’ I Told You So is great! I always liked it, Randys sounds so sad, if you haven’t heard it, check it out. I remember hearing it when I was little and I would always cry when his version came on! lol
Wow! I didn’t think she could top the first one, I was wrong. There is a song or two that make you think, “Hmm, that sounds familiar”, but only in the beginning and then the song takes on a life of its own. “Just a Dream”, made me cry and I’m not one to react like that but I guess the story fits in so well with what many military families are going through and it makes you hurt for them. “I Know You Won’t” is a pleasant change from her usual sound and another great song. Many #1’s on this cd. Keep it up Carrie!
I really love this CD. I thinks it’s a lot better than the first one, because it sounds more powerful and a bit more edgier and fast-tracked.
Keep up the good work, Carrie!!!