Oops! She Did It Again - Listen! It's Vetrano

In 2005, the world watched as a new country diva was born on the fourth season finale of American Idol. The first country star to come from the now juggernaut series has gone on to become not only the most successful Idol winner, but has become one of today’s biggest selling acts in music. Along side her reality competition title, Underwood has broken a number of industry records, won countless awards, including her reign as Female Vocalist of the Year, and was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry only three years after her Idol win. Her successful run capped off earlier this year when she took home the Academy of Country Music’s most esteemed award, Entertainer of the Year.

And now, a certified country diva, Carrie is ready to shed her Idol shell and move forward. Her new record, Play On, out tomorrow, has a recurring theme: the future. The disc, which is filled with 13 full bodied country-pop tracks, is full of life and showcases Carrie’s new found maturity. For fans that remember the sweet innocent way she let ‘Jesus Take The Wheel’, this disc will provide a more grown up view of the world. It’s harsh and blunt, but makes a point, when she belts out “You’re just a fool, just a fool to believe you can change the world” on the track, “Change”, reminding us of those less fortunate. The album’s title track provides a similar message, asking “Whatcha gonna do when the show is over?”, but wraps it up in an upbeat hook that calls us to “play on, when we’re losing the game.”

And while the sound and the overall theme is more grown up, Carrie still delivers the same formula that her fans have come to know on her previous efforts, Some Hearts and Carnival Ride. She delivers her famous all-American girlfriend on the upbeat “This Time”, a scorned girlfriend on the album’s first single, “Cowboy Casanova”, and the God-loving, faith driven woman on “Temporary Home”. Much like her male counterparts, Carrie has fallen into the trap of delivering the same material without reinventing much of the content. And while the album delivers something to set her apart stylistically, she struggles to continue to change the genre that was once dying.

At an attempt to reinvent the sound, Underwood brought in a team of writers that have previously capitalized on different genres, including Max Martin, who is most famous for his work with Britney Spears, Pink, and her fellow Idol-alum, Kelly Clarkson, and Mike Elizondo, who’s worked with 50 Cent and Eminem. The outcome provides some the most versatile tracks from the LP, but it’s her work with R&B heavyweight Ne-Yo that leaves us wondering what could have been. In an interview before the album’s release, Underwood said that the track the two penned together is “a keeper”, but not for this album.

Sometimes change is bad, or like the old adage says, “Why mess with a good thing?” Underwood’s third full length record is a masterpiece wrapped up in 13 well delivered tracks. And, while the formula is the same, the messages are stronger and more apparent. This time around the soft, delicate Carrie, is softer and the hardcore, rough ’em up diva, is even more fierce. The “Before He Cheats”-esque track, “Songs Like This” is much more Gretchen Wilson then we’ve seen from Carrie in the past while the third track, titled “Mama’s Song” is a delicate goodbye watching her baby move on, a performance that will likely continue her reign as Top Female Vocalist. But, it’s on “Someday When I Stop Loving You” that Carrie will likely win the hearts of the country community, showcasing the most growth and providing her most classic country sounding track, resembling a young Alison Krauss. “Undo It” partners Underwood with, now Idol judge, Kara DioGuardi where the twosome sample the pop/R&B-styled stutter to tell off a guy, one whom they wish they’d never met.

While our hopes were set a little higher for the Entertainer of the Year’s third effort, Play On delivers enough of that delicious country swagger to keep us coming back for more, knowing that just when we’re about to give up, Carrie will return with another round of all-American, scorned girlfriend, God-loving tracks to pick us right back up.

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