Carrie Underwood: Blown Away – review

[LouisaJessie]

Carrie Underwood: Blown Away

Carrie Underwood: Blown Away – review
(Sony)
★★★

Seven years and four albums after winning American Idol, Carrie Underwood is turning her attention to the UK. Her first release here combines her current US album and tracks from the others, tracing her progression from sentimental country balladeer (Jesus, Take the Wheel) to glossy country-pop star (the opening Good Girl starts with a blast of rock guitar and Vocoder, asserting that the line between country and pop is fine indeed nowadays). However predictable the package, there's fun to be had in these tales of bad dads, cheating husbands and cold, cold hearts, and Underwood delivers them with sweet purposefulness. Generally, the more traditional songs, such as Thank God for Hometowns, coax out a characterfulness lacking in the pop crossovers – and the less said about One Way Ticket's stab at reggae the better. The modest incursions into the British charts made by fellow travellers Lady Antebellum and Taylor Swift mean the time is as right for Underwood as it will ever be, yet Blown Away may be too formulaic to give her much of a foothold.

[gaycarebear]

I actually just read this. Not a bad review, I just hate how the reviewer approached listening to the album. I hate this line: "may be too formulaic to give her much of a foothold."

Whatever. *Face palm*

[gaycarebear]

Btw, thanks for posting

[rainbow1]

Ugh!!

[Claire2004]

Predictable??? Formulaic???

Ugh.

[epicamends]

How is Blown Away formulaic? Like, at all? LOL.

[Ann055]

Ugh!!

[bigbluegrl23]

guys, honestly, who cares anyone. Carrie Underwood is just never going to be a critic darling. Not all iconic artists are liked by the critics. Critics don't make or break a career. Nor are they the be all, end all to what makes something good. Carrie herself said that what she enjoys is never liked by critics, whether its movies or music. We love the album and think its her best and think it could be a HUGE album for her. Thats all that matters.
Becca

[Ty]

I think this is actually pretty good. From what I've seen it takes a lot to really impress Guardian reviewers. 3 out of 5 isn't bad, at all, imo.

[opry051008]

Yay, it's starting just like it did here. Critics give Carrie bad/so-so reviews.... that means she's going to have a huge career in the UK. lol.

[Gator]

Not as good as I would have expected. But, still pretty good after reading some other of their reviews.

[kewlie78189]

really?? seriously??? BA is epic!

[12russ79]

Critics are like Aholes because....... They are Aholes.....LOL

[Farawayhills]

"Just so you know, I'm on the good side with y'all - I don't want this type of review, this superficiality - and I'm ashamed the Guardian doesn't appreciate Country Music"
(sorry - historic in-joke reference

Seriously, they're off target. Far from being a "predictable package" this is one of the most stylistic varied offerings I've seen from the Mainstream. Many of the songs are layered and innovative, and repay more detailed critical review than this writer attempts. I'm not a fan of "One Way Ticket", but writing it off as a "stab at reggae" the writer has failed to put it in the context of the "party songs" which are a definite sub genre for contemporary male stars, and another innovation for Carrie. Yes, "Hometowns" has a lot of character - but why not even mention several of the other songs that are extending Carrie's range and "characterfulness"? (And if "Good Girl" is Pop, I'm going to have to look up Beyonce Knowles)