After seeing her first album, “Some Hearts” go on to sell over six million albums; Carrie Underwood was always going to have a tough time ‘capturing the magic’ again.  This is where the phrase “sophomore slump” comes in as with a typical artist, the story goes that they had all the time in the world to make their first album and less time to make the second. Well, being the winner of the 4th season of American Idol, Underwood not only had to record “Some Hearts” in a timely manner but she also had to do it during the time she was touring.  This gave Carrie the unique position of being able to record her sophomore album over a longer period of time, which is exactly what she did.

Not only did Miss Underwood record in a relaxed manner but the star also hosted a ‘writers retreat’ where she co-wrote many of the songs that ended up on “Carnival Ride.”  “So Small” was the pre-release single and the song found Underwood singing about realizing that sometimes you gotta pay closer attention to the things around you for the stuff that seems so out of reach might actually be right in front of you.  This song, which Carrie co-wrote with Hillary Lindsey and Luke Laird became her fifth single to go #1.  The follow-up single “All-American Girl” continued the streak of #1’s for Carrie as this song finds Carrie singing about how girls/women manage to help to change a man’s mind about what he wants or thinks he needs, which is, of course, an all-American girl.

The album’s next single was “Last Name,” which was her first up-tempo “rocker” to get released since the massively successful “Before He Cheats.”  Written with Lindsey and Laird again, this song finds Carrie dusting off the ‘all-American’ image of her last single and presenting an edgy, sexy song about a one night stand that turns into a quick, drunken marriage.  If this story sounds familiar to you it’s because Alan Jackson recorded a similarly themed song called “I Don’t Even Know Your Name” in the 1990s.  The beautiful ballad “Just A Dream,” which was written by Gordie Sampson, Steve McEwan and Hillary Lindsey, became the fourth hit single from the record as it found Underwood singing about the loss of her soldier fiancée.  Instead of getting married in her dress, she wears it to his funeral because her grief of losing him is so strong and it feels just like a bad dream. 

The last album to score 5 #1 hits in a row was Rodney Crowell’s album “Diamonds And Dirt” in 1988 and if Underwood’s recording of the Randy Travis classic “I Told You So” can manage to reach the top of the charts, she will tie that record.  The song, which is easily her most subdued and traditional-leaning single to date, was recently turned into a duet (read review here) with the songwriter Randy Travis and is available at digital retail. 
If the record label chooses to release a sixth single for this summer before releasing one from the new album this fall, it is likely to be one with tempo so that basically will leave the choices to the fun Ashley Monroe co-write “Flat On The Floor” or the Steve McEwan co-wrote “The More Boys I Meet,” a song some stations have played during the whole time “I Told You So” has run the charts.

While “Carnival Ride” isn’t a traditional Country album, it is the work of an artist who is confident in her song selection while also being one of Country music’s most gifted of vocalists.  With this album, Carrie Underwood proved to fans and skeptics alike that she’s in it for the long haul.

You can support Carrie Underwood by purchasing this album at iTunes | Amazon.