Carrie Underwood - Carnival Ride
|
List Price: Our Price: $4.77 You Save: $5.21 (52%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $1.99 (click here) Category: Music CD See more new music releases 
|
|---|
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
Free Music Notes for Carnival Ride
Free Music Review: Underwood delivers a perfect 'ride' through country music on sophomore album
Hit: 5 Stars
After winning American Idol, selling 6 million copies of her debut album (pretty amazing in today's fast declining album market), and taking home too many awards to count on two hands, Carrie Underwood delivers sophomore album "Carnival Ride." Now obviously with the kind of awards and numbers her first album brought her, Carnival Ride has some colossal footsteps to follow in. The sophomore slump is the most common fate that befalls follow up albums to huge debuts, but thankfully "Carnival Ride" is far detached from the sophomore slump moniker.
The album is a non stop showcase of the perfect contemporary country music, and is not only on par but surpasses her debut "Some Hearts" in about every way. The album is also a slight genre change from "Some Hearts", as it is by far much more country and less pop than her debut was. Though the album leans a little more on the ballad side, it's a pretty well balanced album overall, as fast and upbeat songs like "Flat on the Floor" and "Last Name" mix well with soaring ballads like "I Know You Won't" and "Just a Dream." Possibly the most amazing thing about Carnival Ride is the sheer commercial potential of the album. Not since Come On Over has there been a country album with this many huge hits just waiting to be played on radio. Honestly every song has single potential, and they may as well just put names of the songs into hats and draw, because I don't know how else they're gonna pick the singles. The songs are very good beyond just commercial appeal as well.
The album begins with the above mentioned, fast paced, "Flat on the Floor". This song is definitely new territory for Underwood, as it's a full on country rock song. The song kicks off the album with a bang, is immediately catchy, and Carrie's gritty voice that I love to hear is taken to the next level on it. An immediate highlight of the album right off the bat. "All American Girl" is next and is about a teenage guy falling head over heels for an "All American Girl", and next thing you know he's skipping football practice just to be with her. On most other albums this would easily be a single, but on Carnival Ride I'm not sure it will be. According to Underwood this song contains the highest note she's ever hit. First single "So Small" follows, and was co written by Underwood. The lyrics are some of the best of the album talking about how people put too much attention on the little things. Though I do like this song a lot, I also like every other song on the album, and I'm not sure I think this was a great single choice, especially as the first, but that just shows how commercially strong this album is.
"Just a Dream" is a heartfelt ballad about a soldier's wife coming to terms with his death. This is one of the few songs I am sure will be a single, since it's tailor made for country radio. The song is also one of Carrie's best vocals as well. "Get Out Of This Town" is a carefree song about just taking off where no one else knows where you are. Very likable, and has a great lighthearted feel to it. "Crazy Dreams" is one of my personal favorites, a very upbeat song that is extremely catchy and has great lyrics about even the craziest dreams coming true. I have to say the intro of the song actually sounds similar to the beat of the Macarena in my opinion.
"I Know You Won't" is up next, and is my favorite of the ballads. Carrie gives her best vocal performance to date in my opinion in this larger than life ballad, that I'm sure will be huge if it's released. Simple but effective lyrics are really elevated by a great melody and Underwood's voice. Then my favorite song follows, "Last Name." This is no doubt "The Before He Cheats" of Carnival Ride, but it in no way sounds like a cheap rip off of that song. The very fun lyrics tell of Carrie having too much to drink one night and accidentally getting engaged without even knowing the guys last name. This is the other song along with "Just a Dream" that I'm positive will be a single. "You Won't Find This" may seem like a weak ballad at first in comparison with ones like "Just a Dream" and "I Know You Won't", and though I don't think it's as strong as those songs, it definitely is another very good ballad, and yet another single contender. Underwood's cover of Randy Travis' "I Told You So" follows, and Underwood does the great song justice. It's both very different and similar to the original.
"The More Boys I Meet" is probably the most humorous song on the album, as Underwood compares guys to frogs, and confesses, "the more boys I meet, the more I love my dog." Very lighthearted and fun. "Twisted" is probably the weakest track in my opinion, but is still good, and a bit of a nice change for the album. Underwood's personal favorite track "Wheel of the World" closes the album out very nicely. The song has exceptional lyrics of which the album title were taken from, and is yet another strong ballad.
"Carnival Ride" is the epitome of what a commercial country album should be, and everything from the lyrics, hooks, and Underwood's huge ever improving voice all come together amazingly well for one heck of a 'ride'. 5/5 Stars
My Top 5:
1. Last Name
2. I Know You Won't
3. Just a Dream
4. Crazy Dreams
5. Flat On the Floor
Free Music Review: Carrie's crazy `carnival ride' continues
Hit: 5 Stars
Carrie Underwood's sophomore effort, `Carnival Ride,' is the greatest country album of all time.
Yes, that may seem like hyperbole, but it is the truth. Coming off of her six-time platinum debut `Some Hearts,' Underwood brings her game to a whole new level by getting in touch with her "gritty Oklahoman" roots and connecting with audiences on emotional wavelengths few artists ever reach. Everything about `Ride' is meticulously calculated and orchestrated to perfection, from the track order to the ratio of up-tempo songs to ballads (not to mention Underwood has writing credits on four of the album's tracks).
Underwood kicks off the record with an all-out country anthem in "Flat on the Floor." "Floor," which was penned by Ashley Monroe and Brett James, displays an unmistakable mark of prowess obtained in Underwood's transition from an up-and-coming country/pop artist to a full-blown country vixen. Other fast paced offerings on `Ride' include the unofficial sequel to "Before He Cheats" in "Last Name" and the bread and butter "All-American Girl," in which Underwood's strength as a storyteller is documented.
The most pop-friendly track comes in the form of "Twisted," which is the only song that could truly fit on both `Ride' and `Some Hearts.' Underwood channels Martina McBride and Kelly Clarkson on the edgy "Get Out of This Town," and shows her humorous side on "The More Boys I Meet."
Although the up-tempo tracks on `Ride' are outstanding and country through and through, the ballads are the pinnacle of the album, as they display Underwood's vocal maturity. In "Just a Dream," Underwood tells the tale of a military widow's woes, her pain embedded in the fabric of the song. This vocal performance is the second-best on `Ride,' as she is able to captivate the audience and comes off as very believable. Although not the best overall song on the album, "I Know You Won't" is Underwood's best vocal performance, as she nails notes that most artists can only dream of hitting.
Other standouts on `Ride' include the album's first single, "So Small," which has already reached #5 on Billboard's U.S. Hot Country Songs chart, and the spunky, funky "Crazy Dreams." Underwood also covers the Randy Travis classic "I Told You So" and pours her heart into Cathy Dennis' and Tom Shapiro's "You Won't Find This."
`Ride' closes with the greatest recording Underwood has ever done next to "Jesus, Take the Wheel," as her personal favorite "Wheel of the World" delivers a message of hope and the lyrics are relatable to many ("God put us here on this carnival ride / We close our eyes never knowing / Where it will take us next").
Rest assured, the 24-year-old Carrie Underwood is about to tear up the charts once more with the instant masterpiece that is `Carnival Ride,' and the songstress has already achieved unimaginable success some artists twice her age could only dream of. As if winning two Grammy awards, two CMA awards, eight Billboard awards, five ACM awards, four CMT awards, two People's Choice awards, a GMA award, an American Music award, a Teen Choice Award, an ICM award, a Music Row award, and an NARP award do not give her enough credibility, `Carnival Ride' will certainly erase any and all remaining doubt that she is an established country star.
All signs point to Carrie's crazy carnival ride continuing for years to come.
Free Music Review: Country's angel soars to new heights...
Hit: 5 Stars
Carrie Underwood was afraid that she was too pop for her own liking and so she swore that with `Carnival Ride' she would transition into a full-fledged country music star. Well Carrie, consider your set goal met since `Carnival Ride' is undeniably country. I for one never saw `Some Hearts' as a pop album as so many other did presumably. Her debut may have had some catchy hooks but doesn't most new country anyways, I mean we never expected Carrie to come out with a bluegrass album nor did we want her too. This Faith Hill / Martina McBride sound suits her beautifully and she milks it well. Her sophomore album is just as fresh and rewarding as her debut and sets her as one of the best new acts in country music today. All those awards were well deserved, that's for sure.
In her effort to establish country cred she busts out a slew bonafide country hits like the opening track `Flat on the Floor'. Following in this vein are tracks like `All-American Girl' where she bellows about the girl that stole the hearts of her father as well as the high school football star. She continues this with `Get Out of this Town' which is one of the catchiest tracks here, one that demands you thump your foot and bob your head along. Tracks like `Crazy Dreams' reminds me of recent efforts by LeAnn Rhymes, as she does on the one-night-stand anthem `Last Name' where she recites an encounter in Vegas that ended in a ring on one finger and a last name she can't remember. `More Boys I Meet' is fun and reminds me a lot of her super-hit `Before He Cheats'.
`Twisted' is probably the closest track to anything found on `Some Hearts' with its catchy beat and chorus. It's a great track in itself and is just a lot of fun.
It's within the ballads that she truly soars though, on tracks like her single `So Small', a song that is already taking country radio by storm and reminds me of some of the more promising cuts by Hill herself. She revisits greatness on the beautiful and touching track `Just a Dream' as a young girl mourns the death of her fiancé. On `You Won't Find This' she rides the same wave to success but it's on `I Told You So' where she finds that beautiful balance between that country twang and her pipes. The greatest example of this young starlet's pipes is found on `I Know You Won't' where she belts out her chorus in such a controlled and flawless way. She closes out her album on a great note with the very serene `Wheel Of the World' where she sings of the importance of love.
I have to give this a few more listens before I can truly decide if it surpasses her debut (which I loved immensely) but I can say that it is a great follow up that will please her fans and gain her new ones and just further proves that she is by far the most deserving winner of the American Idol title.
Free Music Review: I just can't stop listening to it!!
Hit: 5 Stars
When Carrie won American Idol it proved she had Americas favor, but could she come out with her own songs and still have Americas favor? The answer is YES! Carrie gave us an extreamly good first album, but in my opinion Some Hearts dosn't even compare to Carnival Ride.
1)Flat On The Floor(7/10)The song is pretty good but it's missing something I think what it's missing is her beautiful voice. This song is very up beat and fun, but I just don't think her voice is as good as it usually is on.
2)All-American Girl(10/10)When I saw the title of this song I thought it would be about her being an all-American girl, but it's not. The song tells a great story about a father and a daughter, and the daughter falling in love and then the daughter's husbend wanting an All-American girl just lke her.
3)So Small(9/10)I really like this song. It's a little slow but Carrie's voice is really good. This is Carrie's single for this album, but I hope she release's a few more.
4)Just A Dream(12/10)At first I didn't raelly like this song but after I listened to it a few more times I LOVED it. The story is sad but Carrie's voice is aazing!
5)Get Out Of This Town(10/10)The tune to this song is great and somre of the lyrics are really fun. Carrie's voice is great.
6)Crazy Dreams(9/10)Fun song about dreams comming true.Great tune.
7)I Know You Won't(11/10)Carrie really goes for the higher notes in this song. I LOVE IT! I really don't know how a voice could get much better!
8)Last Name(11/10)I would compare this song to "Before He Cheats." I like this song better though. The lyrics are really really fun.
9)You Won't Find This(8/10)This song is very slow compared to "Last Name," so they are opposites. I like this song it just isn't as good as some of the songs.
10)I Told You So(5/10)My least favorite song on the CD. I usually end up skiping this song. It may just be that it's right after a slow song, and this song is an even slower song.Her voice is really good on this song but it's just not one I could listen to over and over again.
11)The More Boys I Meet(10/10)I love the lyrics on this song. This song is very up beat and fun.
12)Twisted(100/10)I LOVE LOVE this song. I don't know what it is but I could just listen to this song over and over again. I hope she chooses this one for her next single. She goes for higher notes on this song to and it's even better then on "I Know You Won't." A must hear song!
13)Wheel Of The World(10/10)Good ending song. Her voice is AMAZING in this song. It's slightly long, but a great song!
Carrie shows us she is still the best American Idol. This album is a must hear/buy. I can't wait for her third CD to come out!!
Free Music Review: Another monster hit for Carrie
Hit: 5 Stars
The night that Carrie and Bo were in the finals of American Idol I liked Bo and enjoyed his singing but I loved Carrie's style of music and her character and her voice. My brother says she ain't hard to look at either! And, by the way, has anyone ever seen a bad picture of this girl? I really, really wanted Carrie to win and I voted for her 550 times! (and yes, I kept count!)
The outstanding success that Carrie has enjoyed since her AI win has more than justified the time I spent on my phone that night and showed me that I certainly was not the only one in America who loves her. Her first album has now sold over 6 million copies and her second album, Carnival Ride, sold over a half a million the first week it was out. I am happy to say I have both albums.
I predict that this second album will match or surpass the success of her first album and I believe the song "Just a Dream" which I have not even heard yet on any country radio or television station will become as big as "Before He Cheats" or "Jesus Take the Wheel". "Just a Dream" is an outstanding song and if a video is made that does justice to the beautiful lyrics and to Carrie's beautiful singing, I believe this will be the video of the year in next year's CMA's.
Also, I have one thing to say to Carrie and her parents and her manager and her producer or whoever has ANY control over the videos she makes. Please, please, please resist the temptation to have Carrie slither around naked on a bed covered with satin sheets like some of the country "stars" have done. Carrie's face is so beautiful that she doesn't need to strip in order to get attention and her voice is so beautiful that people will buy her records because of her voice...not because someone made a video of her writhing around on a bed half naked!
We love her because she is a country girl who helped her daddy on the farm and because she seems to have a strong work ethic (she went back and finished college even after she hit the big time), and because she is unsophisticated (admitted she had never been on an airplane before AI).
I live in Nashville and I have seen other singers come to town with very similiar backgrounds and before long they are making the kind of video that a few years ago would have been banned from MTV. Keep it country, Carrie! You are a HUGE success just as you are so don't let some idiot try to change you.