Carrie Underwood
“Play On”
1. Cowboy Casanova
2. Quitter
3. Mama’s Song
4. Change
5. Undo It
6. Someday When I Stop Loving You
7. Songs Like This
8. Temporary Home
9. This Time
10. Look At Me
11. Unapologize
12. What Can I Say
13. Play On
Say what you want about American Idol, the show has given music two bona fide superstars in Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood.
And this year, both have delivered albums that serve as a reminder of why they’re so popular.
After a few listens, I’m not sure Carrie’s latest, “Play On,” has the mega-crossover potential of Taylor Swift’s “Fearless.”
But there are enough potential hits on the album to keep Carrie on the country music charts until she decides to release album number four.
Want sassy, revenge-minded Carrie in the “Before He Cheats” vein? She serves up a double dose here with “Undo It” and “Songs Like This.”
Want Carrie singing heartbreak tunes like “Just a Dream?” Get ready for another double dose with “Temporary Home” and “Someday When I Stop Loving You,” country ballads that remind us why Ms. Underwood won Idol way back in season four.
Speaking of Idol, Carrie also delivers a made-to-order theme song for the next Idol Gives Back special, a song called “Change.” Now, normally I’m not a big fans of songs that sound too preachy, but this one’s better than most.
Album number three saw Carrie teamed up with a familiar producer in Mark Bright, but a not-so-familiar set of collaborators.
For instance, there’s Max Martin, who co-wrote “I Kissed a Girl” by Katy Perry and “3″ by Britney Spears. For Carrie, he contributes a more PG-rated, but no less catchy tune called “Quitter.” (Sigh of relief, right, country music fans?)
Mike Elizondo is best known for his work with Eminem. But he, too, shows his versatility on “Play On,” helping pen the lead single “Cowboy Casanova,” which has already climbed to number three on the country charts.
Even Idol judge Kara DioGuardi gets in on the action, co-writing the aforementioned “Undo It” and “Mama’s Song.”
Meanwhile, Carrie pitches in with a co-writing credit on seven songs, compared to four on “Carnival Ride” and just one on her debut album, “Some Hearts.”
Does every tune work on “Play On?”
Hardly.
“Mama’s Song” sounds overproduced for the country ballad it’s intended to be. And you could just skip the last third of the album, if it weren’t for Carrie’s duet with Sons of Sylvia on “What Can I Say.”
But, for the most part, Carrie lives up to the CD’s title.
Download worthy: “Cowboy Casanova,” “Someday When I Stop Loving You,” “Temporary Home.”
Grade: B
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