Carnival Ride

Carrie Underwood

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 23, 2007)
• Original Release Date: October 23, 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Arista
• ASIN: B000VI70V8
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (263 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #204 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Carrie Underwood’s Some Hearts, hastily made and released some five months after she won the 2005 American Idol crown, was surprisingly solid and tuneful. For her follow-up, producer Mark Bright steers her toward the big Martina McBride skies, with a plethora of strings and huge emotional crescendos. Underwood co-wrote four songs, mostly with the tried-and-true tunesmiths who made Some Hearts soar. On the torchy heartache ballad "I Know You Won’t," she gives a beautifully nuanced and controlled performance, but if that song would suit any number of lush female pop stars from Celine Dion on down, "Flat on the Floor" rocks hard while preserving co-writer Ashley Monroe’s Appalachian angst. Still, there are missteps: the easy tears of the unlikely war ballad "Just a Dream," a too-obvious attempt to repeat the sass of "Before He Cheats" ("The More Boys I Meet"), and the Shania-ish bad-girl-on-Cuervo stomp of "Last Name." The big payoff, then, is how much 24-year old Underwood has improved as a vocalist. How often listeners line up for this Carnival Ride depends on their attitude about country music’s continual melding with pop, and how they feel about a princess upstart taking home the awards that used to go to her heroes. --Alanna Nash

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

86 of 107 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Leagues Better Than her First Album., October 22, 2007

By	A* (New York, N.Y. United States) - See all my reviews

While most country stars go forward and reach for mainstream pop records, like Faith Hill, Carrie Underwood went in reverse. Her first disc had more than a few pop elements but this disc starts off with a foot stomper, "Flat on The Floor" and doesn't let up with fiddles, twang and chorus after chorus that will make you want to shout them out of your car windows. To say she has made a solid country disc in the vein of vintage Reba or Dolly is an understatement.

Underwood has even learned some new vocal tricks, as if she needed more, "Get Out of This Town," builds from an already assured vocal into a firestorm. Underwood isn't afraid to just go with the vocal and give a stronger reading as well. That was evident in her cover of "I'll Stand By You," which was simply stunning.

"Carnival Ride," is void of any weak tracks and this day and age that's a rare finding, some are stronger than others but, Jebus, the girl is giving her all to prove that she's a more than just a pretty face who sings country, she's trying to prove it's in her blood. And when you hear "You Won't Find This," that brings about that sing songy chorus that Shania Twain loves so much, you'll be a happy camper with your purchase.

58 of 72 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Carrie conquers contemporary country, October 22, 2007

By	Amanda Richards "Modest to the extreme" (Georgetown, Guyana) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

The second album from Carrie Underwood packs slightly less punch than her debut, but is still more than enough to further cement her place in the contemporary country hierarchy. Solidly country, this album showcases Underwood as a singer/songwriter with writing credits on four of the tracks - first single "So Small"; the excellent "All American Girl"; "Crazy Dreams" and the comedy track "Last Name". (If you liked Alan Jackson's "I Don't Even Know Your Name", you'll see lots of similarities to the aforementioned "Last Name".)

All the tracks are worth a listen, but some are immediately worth an instant replay. My recommendations are:

Flat on the Floor - a hard-rocking track with attitude
All-American Girl - instant single material with heartwarming lyrics
So Small - soaring first single about not sweating the small stuff
Just a Dream - a tear jerker with a wonderful chorus
Crazy Dreams - catchy beat just slightly reminiscent of Pink Floyd's "Education"
I Told You So - slow ballad written by Randy Travis
Wheel of the World - an easy listening track with inspired backing music

If the four tracks on which she has songwriting credits are any indication, Carrie Underwood has nowhere to go but up - should be a wild ride. (4.5 stars)



Amanda Richards, October 23, 2007

13 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Undeniably BRILLIANT!, October 23, 2007

By	R. Olsen (Utah) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Wow. After the amazing success of Carrie Underwood's debut CD Some Hearts, I was very worried that Carnival Ride would be a let down. How can someone so new to the music industry hit it out of the park on her first 2 at bats? When So Small was released I was pleasantly surprised. Great message, voice, talent. But - could the rest of the CD be as good? YES! Right from the first song I was tapping my foot and singing along. By the time I got to All-American Girl, So Small & Just A Dream I was crying. Get Out of this Town had me thinking about Some Hearts & Crazy Dreams had me flashing back to AI & Nashville Star (not just Carrie, but ALL my favorites that are now on their way). Then WOW, Carrie just SINGS and drags you in emotionally with I Know You Won't, You Won't Find This and I Told You So (Randy Travis will be proud). In between, I am given Last Name (which I love but my husband says is NOT appropriate for the kids) and The More Boys I Meet - thank you Carrie - they are great, fun songs. The CD ends with two more great songs Twisted & Wheel of the World. The more I listen to this CD the more I love it. Have it on the ipod, the computer and in the car! Carrie you did it again (sorry if I doubted you a little - it will never happen again!)