CARRIE UNDERWOOD - Jesus Take the Wheel

Carrie Underwood - Carnival Ride, new cd Carrie Underwood became the fourth American Idol winner in May of 2005, then released a new single, "Inside Your Heaven," which went straight to No. 1. She has an album in the works, due out in November of 2005.

"People have so many stereotypes of people from where I come from. If you say you're from Oklahoma, it'll be like, 'Oh, so you milk cows, feed chickens, ride bulls, all that stuff, right?' And it's like, 'No. We don't ride around in covered wagons, either.'" -Carrie Underwood

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Carrie Underwood's 'Carnival Ride' a bunch of air


Carrie Underwood is essentially an ordinary background vocalist that got real lucky.

Nowhere is that more apparent than on her cover of Randy Travis' hard country classic, "I Told You So." In her hands, not to mention under the slickly overproduced tutelage of Mark Bright, the American Idol darling turns a barroom weeper into a vanity mirror confession.

During the tune, she's more concerned with hitting and holding those high notes than she is with finding the emotional core of the lyrics. That's been the main problem with Oklahoma's sweetheart since the release of her monstrous, six-million-selling debut, 2005's Some Hearts. Taking her cues from the louder-is-better mantra that defines Idol, Ms. Underwood goes out of her way on Carnival Ride to breathe herself into a belting stupor.

Listen to "All-American Girl," one of four songs she co-wrote here, and the current single, "So Small." On both cuts she delivers breathless choruses designed to impress the masses. Neither track sounds all that different from "Jesus, Take the Wheel," her breakthrough hit two years ago.

That's because toying with the formula now could seriously thwart Ms. Underwood's bottom line. She's a potential goldmine as Shania Twain was back in the late '90s.

So while Carnival Ride fiddles with a handful of traditional country instruments such as banjo, mandolin and steel guitar, her roots remain in radio-ready pop. Tellingly, the CD's best cut, "Last Name," is a rocked-up little corker about too much booze and a surprise Vegas wedding. It's a catchy guilty pleasure.

Ultimately, Carrie Underwood's artistic abilities amount to a bunch of air. Give her a batch of palatable pop nuggets, such as the breezy final track "Wheel of the World," and then let her blow. She'll blend perfectly with the proceedings. She'll even harmonize for you. Her voice will be purely pleasant white noise.

Just like any other background vocalist.

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