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Carnival Ride | 
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| Artist: Carrie Underwood
Label: Arista
Category: Music
List Price: $18.97
Buy Used: $6.92
You Save: $12.05 (64%)
New (58) Used (26) Collectible (5) from $6.92
Avg. Customer Rating:  238 reviews
Sales Rank: 59
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.5 x 4.9 x 0.4
MPN: 886971122121
UPC: 886971122121
EAN: 0886971122121
Release Date: October 23, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | Flat on the Floor - Carrie Underwood, James, Brett | | • | All-American Girl - Carrie Underwood, Underwood, Carrie | | • | So Small - Carrie Underwood, Underwood, Carrie | | • | Just a Dream - Carrie Underwood, McEwan, Steve | | • | Get out of This Town - Carrie Underwood, McEwan, Steve | | • | Crazy Dreams - Carrie Underwood, Underwood, Carrie | | • | I Know You Won't - Carrie Underwood, McEwan, Steve | | • | Last Name - Carrie Underwood, Underwood, Carrie | | • | You Won't Find This - Carrie Underwood, Shapiro, Tom | | • | I Told You So - Carrie Underwood, Travis, Randy | | • | The More Boys I Meet - Carrie Underwood, McEwan, Steve | | • | Twisted - Carrie Underwood, Lindsey, Hillary | | • | Wheel of the World - Carrie Underwood, Lindsey, Hillary |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
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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 More from Carrie Underwood 
Some Hearts |
American Idol Season 4 - The Showstoppers |
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| Customer Reviews: Read 233 more reviews...
 Leagues Better Than her First Album. October 23, 2007
82 out of 102 found this review helpful
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 October 22, 2007
56 out of 69 found this review helpful
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
This CD is fantastci October 24, 2007
7 out of 9 found this review helpful
Even better than her first CD, if that was possible. I love the music and I love the words to the songs. The themes are current and thought-provoking. My favorites are "All American Girl" and "Just a Dream". Carrie runs the gamut of emotions on this CD. Definitely worth every penny! This CD will stay in my player for who knows how long!
Underwood delivers a perfect 'ride' through country music on sophomore album October 23, 2007
11 out of 15 found this review helpful
After winning American Idol, selling 6 million copies of her debut album (pretty amazing in today's fast declining album market), and taking home too many awards to count on two hands, Carrie Underwood delivers sophomore album "Carnival Ride." Now obviously with the kind of awards and numbers her first album brought her, Carnival Ride has some colossal footsteps to follow in. The sophomore slump is the most common fate that befalls follow up albums to huge debuts, but thankfully "Carnival Ride" is far detached from the sophomore slump moniker.
The album is a non stop showcase of the perfect contemporary country music, and is not only on par but surpasses her debut "Some Hearts" in about every way. The album is also a slight genre change from "Some Hearts", as it is by far much more country and less pop than her debut was. Though the album leans a little more on the ballad side, it's a pretty well balanced album overall, as fast and upbeat songs like "Flat on the Floor" and "Last Name" mix well with soaring ballads like "I Know You Won't" and "Just a Dream." Possibly the most amazing thing about Carnival Ride is the sheer commercial potential of the album. Not since Come On Over has there been a country album with this many huge hits just waiting to be played on radio. Honestly every song has single potential, and they may as well just put names of the songs into hats and draw, because I don't know how else they're gonna pick the singles. The songs are very good beyond just commercial appeal as well.
The album begins with the above mentioned, fast paced, "Flat on the Floor". This song is definitely new territory for Underwood, as it's a full on country rock song. The song kicks off the album with a bang, is immediately catchy, and Carrie's gritty voice that I love to hear is taken to the next level on it. An immediate highlight of the album right off the bat. "All American Girl" is next and is about a teenage guy falling head over heels for an "All American Girl", and next thing you know he's skipping football practice just to be with her. On most other albums this would easily be a single, but on Carnival Ride I'm not sure it will be. According to Underwood this song contains the highest note she's ever hit. First single "So Small" follows, and was co written by Underwood. The lyrics are some of the best of the album talking about how people put too much attention on the little things. Though I do like this song a lot, I also like every other song on the album, and I'm not sure I think this was a great single choice, especially as the first, but that just shows how commercially strong this album is.
"Just a Dream" is a heartfelt ballad about a soldier's wife coming to terms with his death. This is one of the few songs I am sure will be a single, since it's tailor made for country radio. The song is also one of Carrie's best vocals as well. "Get Out Of This Town" is a carefree song about just taking off where no one else knows where you are. Very likable, and has a great lighthearted feel to it. "Crazy Dreams" is one of my personal favorites, a very upbeat song that is extremely catchy and has great lyrics about even the craziest dreams coming true. I have to say the intro of the song actually sounds similar to the beat of the Macarena in my opinion.
"I Know You Won't" is up next, and is my favorite of the ballads. Carrie gives her best vocal performance to date in my opinion in this larger than life ballad, that I'm sure will be huge if it's released. Simple but effective lyrics are really elevated by a great melody and Underwood's voice. Then my favorite song follows, "Last Name." This is no doubt "The Before He Cheats" of Carnival Ride, but it in no way sounds like a cheap rip off of that song. The very fun lyrics tell of Carrie having too much to drink one night and accidentally getting engaged without even knowing the guys last name. This is the other song along with "Just a Dream" that I'm positive will be a single. "You Won't Find This" may seem like a weak ballad at first in comparison with ones like "Just a Dream" and "I Know You Won't", and though I don't think it's as strong as those songs, it definitely is another very good ballad, and yet another single contender. Underwood's cover of Randy Travis' "I Told You So" follows, and Underwood does the great song justice. It's both very different and similar to the original.
"The More Boys I Meet" is probably the most humorous song on the album, as Underwood compares guys to frogs, and confesses, "the more boys I meet, the more I love my dog." Very lighthearted and fun. "Twisted" is probably the weakest track in my opinion, but is still good, and a bit of a nice change for the album. Underwood's personal favorite track "Wheel of the World" closes the album out very nicely. The song has exceptional lyrics of which the album title were taken from, and is yet another strong ballad.
"Carnival Ride" is the epitome of what a commercial country album should be, and everything from the lyrics, hooks, and Underwood's huge ever improving voice all come together amazingly well for one heck of a 'ride'. 5/5 Stars
My Top 5:
1. Last Name
2. I Know You Won't
3. Just a Dream
4. Crazy Dreams
5. Flat On the Floor
The new and matured Underwood October 23, 2007
8 out of 11 found this review helpful
First I must say that I absolutely loved Some Hearts, although I thought Carrie had some trouble connecting to a few of the songs. "Carnival Ride" is wonderful. Breathtaking ballads "I Know You Won't", "I Told You So" and "You Won't Find This" put Carrie up there with the all time greats. I would say her voice is very comparable if not even better than Martina and Shania. There are a few other somber tracks, such as "Wheel of the World", a valid reflection on life, and "Just A Dream" a haunting story of a soldier lost at war and his wife's roller coaster of emotions. Other downright sassy tracks such as "Last Name" "The More Boys I Meet" and "Flat On The Floor" show Underwood's other side. I'd say her element is more ballad-esque; but she does pull off these songs. Highly catchy and singable "Get Out Of This Town" "Twisted" and "All-American Girl" are simply irresistible. Carnival Ride exceeded my expectations, and I didn't think Some Hearts could be topped, but I was proven wrong, once again.
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