Carrie Underwood Carnival Ride Review

Being a girl who has grown up in the South, I’m not adverse to country music. I even appreciate some of it, even if I am an indie girl at heart. Carrie Underwood’s second album, ‘Carnival Ride,’ is a little less pop, and a little more country. “Flat on the Floor” opens the album with strong vocals, and a distinctly country feel, it’s the kind of song country radio tends to love. “All-American Girl” is yet again, distinctly country. It tells a story in the way many of Martina McBride’s songs do. “So Small,” her current single, is a bit of a ballad, a bit of a mid-tempo song, with lyrics that most of us can relate to at some point or another. “Just A Dream” is another song that tells a story, of a girl who loses her husband in the war. It’s heartbreaking, honestly, because so many families have to deal with that. Country music always has a way of putting those sort of situations into songs, and that’s why they do so well, because people can feel the words. “Get Out of this Town” is country-pop, and those who prefer the more pop sound are likely to like this song more than the others. “Crazy Dreams” tells another story, with a bit of a faster tempo.

I think Carrie tends to like songs that tell stories, as most of her songs to date, have. “I Know You Won’t” is a sad-toned country ballad, with a slow, mellow vocal. “Last Name” is another song country radio is bound to love, as hardcore country fans love this stuff. “You Won’t Find This” is actually a song I really like on this album, it seems like it would have fit on ‘Some Hearts,’ but it works well on this album as well. “I Told You So” is another ballad that seems to reveal a bit of Carrie. “The More Boys I Meet” is an amusing song, because most of us girls, especially those of us in our twenties, can relate to it. “Twisted” is an up-tempo song that I also really like. It’s catchy, and it will be popular for those who like pop-Carrie. “Wheel of the World” closes the album with an introspective song about how things tend to work in life. It is where the album got its title, and I actually really like this song as well.

I would have to say this is a pretty solid follow-up to Carrie’s previous album. I believe it’s gone in the direction Carrie really wanted, which was more country. On ‘American Idol,’ she didn’t hide the fact she was the country singer, and that was the area in which she felt most comfortable. I believe this album will be well received by fans, and the country community, as they have embraced her tightly since she came up on the scene.

Download These: “You Won’t Find This,” “Twisted,” and “Wheel of the World”
Rating: Four out of five stars.

As far as whose second album is better between Carrie Underwood and Bo Bice? Carrie wins by a landslide, again.