Album- Blown Away
Artist- Carrie
Underwood
Carrie Underwood is one of the best acts to come out of
American Idol, with a voice that many would kill for and a understanding of
what she is as an artist. With this fourth studio album, has Underwood raised
the bar, or created an album that sees her transgress from musical evolution?
Track 1- Good Girl
The albums lead single is a feisty song that features more
of a rock based sound than country. It’s not very original as lyrically it
follows the same vein as one of Underwood’s previous songs Cowboy Casanova. But
it embodies that saying if it broke, don’t fix it, and the more rock edge gives
a truer edge to this track. The simple chorus also allows us as listeners to
hear why she was chosen as the winner of American Idol: she has a voice many
would want to die for.
4/5
Track 2- Blown Away
This track is another songs that’s not as easily
identifiable country track. But just because she is a country artist doesn’t
mean she can’t branch out. And this is a great song. The dark edge lyrically,
vocally and production wise is a great new change of pace for Underwood. The
lyrics are an example of simple but great storytelling, with this being a song
that many people will be able to identify with. And vocally this is a grand,
powerful track, with the layering of Underwood’s vocals within the pre chorus
giving a nice, almost ethereal quality to the song. And in terms of production
this song is handled great, with clattering drum beats, simple electric guitar
and small but superb flourishes such as the simple three note xylophone usage
(at least that’s what I think it is).
5/5
Track 3- Two Black
Cadillac’s
This a conceptual song that isn’t personal to Underwood, but
is great as it is a sign of how artists can produce great stories within their
work. And the epic nature of this tale of betrayed wife and mistress conspiring
to murder the cheating husband gives the song a proper filmic quality.
Underwood also performs great vocally in that she keeps it rather simple and
doesn’t over perform the song. The problems are that the song is dragged on for
too long, with the guitar solo section in the last minute of the song just
unnecessary. And also the track would have perhaps been better suited in
another slot on the record, as next to the previous track it makes the album
feel too dark, and the songs are a little too similar despite their many
differences.
3.5/5
Track 4- See You
Again
From the darkness of the previous tracks we enter into a
more positive spin on this track, with Underwood talking about how she will
definitely see her love again. Her booming vocal in the chorus leaves us in no
doubt that what she is saying will happen, and it contrasts nicely with slow
soft verses. The steady drum backbeat, use of violins and guitar strumming
greatness truly elevates the message of the track, giving a sense of power,
even if the lyrics are very cliché driven. The choral vocal “oh oh oh”
throughout the track are also a nice flourish that give a sense of both perhaps
lamenting that your love is gone but a sign of hop that you’ll meet again.
3.5/5
Track 5- Do You Think
About Me
Featuring the first true country vibe of the record, this is
a sweet and simple track that is really child out and one that you can just
kind of sit down and bop along a little too. It’s a little sickly sweet but is
a sentiment that easy to identify with, and lyrically it another good
storytelling moment. The chorus could be a little better as the “oh ah”
beginning is just a tad grating, but it really keeps with the simplicity of the
song, which Underwood also really brings out with her voice, although it is
perhaps used a little too harshly in the final sections of the song. The
production value is also good because simple violins and guitars are used to
create a steady rhythm.
3/5
Track 6- Forever
Changed
This delicate piano and guitar led song is a really
vulnerable track that is so simple and pure it is just so good. Lyrically the
song is another story led number, but what is great about this particular song
is that the story really unfolds in the verses whilst the chorus is largely a
repetition of the line “forever changed”, which gives a sense of more tangible vulnerability.
And this vulnerability is also really brought out through the delicate vocal
performance of Underwood, who always plays the song at a low level and lets the
lyrics really do the talking. It’s a song that many will identify with and is
one of the most beautiful moments on the record.
4.5/5
Track 7- Nobody Ever
Told You
The tempo is raised up from the previous track for this
classic country number. The verses are really acoustically driven and
delicately sung, which gives the chorus an extra kick with its more emphasised
guitar moments and greater vocal register. The chorus is a simple repetition
refrain that gives an empowering message to Underwood’s fans, although this is
a cliché. The “na na na” moments are
something to either sing along to or just find a bit annoying, and certain
production elements such as the male vocal ad libs in the second verse are just
unnecessary, but otherwise the tracks a country song to enjoy or skip.
2.5/5
Track 8- One Way
Ticket
This slightly reggae infused number is a breezy chill out
song that allows you to just throw away your cares for a moment and bask in a
sense of revelry. The whistling production and easy drum beats give a really
nice grove to the track that will have you slowly bopping along to the track.
And lyrically it’s a great call to carefree arms, creating images of sunshine
and endless frivolity. This ideology is definitely enhanced by Underwood’s,
vocals, with slow vocal emphasis on the end of each line in the verses really
enhancing that chilled vibe, whilst the chorus is definitely a sing along
moment. The handclapping bridge into the final chorus signals it as a great
live track moment, and the way the song just simply fades out really gives that
sense of us and Underwood just driving off into the sunset life.
4/5
Track 9- Thank God for
Hometowns
This track brings the album back to a more down tempo stage
and is a typical country ballady track. The sentiment is great and will be
something that the homesick people the world over will identify with. But
production wise the track just feels to stereotypical country that it makes the
song feel like a bit of a waste, and although vocally Underwood is on point,
she doesn’t really strengthen the song emotionally in the same way that she
does on other tracks on the record.
2/5
Track 10- Good in
Goodbye
This slow burning number is a cool piano driven song that is
a similar to other songs in sensibilities and vocally, but this does allow for
a cohesive quality to this record. And though the song kind of sounds too
similar to the last track in the way the message is conveyed, Underwood uses
her voice well in never overplaying the song, and the way the track builds to a
rousing guitar number that definitely gives a powerful kick to the record.
Lyrically it’s either something to wash over you or to understand and feel is
something deep. ]
2.5/5
Track 11- Leave Love
Alone
This really up tempo country stomper is pretty lyrically
sparse but at the same time sounds so awesome. The simple refrain is really
memorable and is one of those moments where you have to really sing along. And
the plunky guitar rhythms are so right out of Nashville that it really shows
that Underwood will never forget her musical roots. Vocally its quite subdued
until the final section when Underwood really lets rip, and when you have to
really be stomping right alongside her.
3.5/5
Track 12- Cupid’s Got
a Shotgun
The fast paced up tempo guitar rhythm and violin flourishes
give a real sense of lyrical and all round musical urgency. The song lyrically
explores the idea of Cupid really going hard in the name of love and has that
aggressive edge that really gives a sense of power to the song, helped by
Underwoods vocals. The only problems are that the country guitar solos within
the song really just last too long and though pleasurable kind of feel like they have been put in the place of
lyrics that Underwood and her co-writers couldn’t find.
3/5
Track 13- Wine After
Whiskey
It’s a this point that the album feels a little bloated. The
track is a bit too stereotypical Underwood, lovelorn and very on point vocals,
and country production that is so country you have to really love the genre to
full get into the song. The only thing that maybe salvages the song from being
a simple slow number is the lyrical quality, which uses a cool metaphor to
unfold the idea of a relationship
2.5/5
Track 14- Who Are You
The final track is a nice powerful ender and is a cool
number in that a little sense of smokiness is given to Underwood vocals, and
the repeated refrain of “who are you” is actually cool and sweet rather than
annoying. The song is a little bit to eurgh in terms of production as its too
samey, and as it was written by Robert “Mutt” Lange, the mastermind behind the
country star that is Shania Twain, it’s a bit too hark back to old country vibe
of the past rather than this is country in 2012. Still, a powerful end to the
record.
3/5
Final Review
This is a stylish, coherent record that really cements who
Underwood is as an artist whilst still showing a delving into other genres.
There are issues with the album, such as the placing of too many songs on the
record, the similarities between some songs, and in certain cases the tiresome
production, and so this stops us from enjoying the record as a whole, but there
are just some great tracks that you cannot help but enjoy.
6/10
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