Product Description

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Track Listing

1. Flat on the Floor
2. All-American Girl
3. So Small
4. Just a Dream
5. Get out of This Town
6. Crazy Dreams
7. I Know You Won't
8. Last Name
9. You Won't Find This
10. I Told You So
11. More Boys I Meet
12. Twisted
13. Wheel of the World

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #173 in Music
• Brand: UNDERWOOD,CARRIE
• Released on: 2007-10-23
• Number of discs: 1

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

Carrie Underwood Photos

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Customer Reviews

Leagues Better Than her First Album.
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.

Carrie conquers contemporary country
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

Impressive Sophomore Album
All I can say is that she is the closest thing to the real deal in a long time. This young woman has the chops to be around for a very, very long time, much to our delight. Carnival Ride is a more mature collection and her classy hand shows in the selection and even some of the writing. Her voice is again clear and a balm to the ears, even the louder cuts.

I haven't taken this CD out of my home system since I got it and I'm purchasing a second copy for my car. What a breath of fresh air to have a talented young artist break away from the field of pole dancing objects being thrown in our faces. She dresses impeccably, behaves impeccably and has a voice that causes, no, forces my eyes closed just so I can enjoy the moment. Also amazing is that she offers her talent without apology. Carrie is in a class by herself, she obviously has the rare quality of surrounding herself with good, sane, and smart people and actually loves her Mom and Dad. Who knew a good kid could still make it in the current music market?