Just like my mother’s chocolate chip cookies, every good thing starts with a recipe and ingredients. In the case of 2005 “American Idol” winner and country singer Carrie Underwood, it takes a special recipe to create award winning albums year after year.
Underwood released her third album, “Play On”, on Nov. 3, 2009. It was produced by Mark Bright at Arista Records in Nashville, with the majority of the songs being written by Underwood herself.
Underwood has been known in the past for topping the charts with her soulful love ballads and upbeat man-hating songs, and this album is sure to fit that mold.
So what are the ingredients for a chart topping Underwood album? A mixture of angry break up songs, family directed and inspirational songs and songs about leaving and loving are on the list. These ingredients seem to be present on each of Underwood’s albums, and “Play On” is just another slice of the pie.
The album kicks off with a sultry man-hating song about a man Underwood refers to as a “Cowboy Casanova.” While in her previous album, “Before He Cheats” warns the man to think before he acts, in the upbeat “Cowboy Casanova,” Underwood warns the females to look out for this suave deceptive man referring to him as a “drug” and a “disease.”
“Mama’s Song” is a song written to a mother from her daughter. It is a strong and heartfelt song that depicts a girl telling her mother that she has found the man she is going to marry. She encourages her mother to be happy because “he treats your little girl like a real man should.” This ballad is soft and gentle and sure to be a tear jerker for all of the listeners who are mothers. It sounds like Underwood is actually singing to her mama.
As always, Underwood tries to use her position to influence and inspire her audience. The song “Change” boldly challenges the thoughts that a single person can’t change the world. It encourages her listeners to take advantage of small opportunities in their lives to help out someone in need, such as giving change to a needy woman or sponsoring a child in another country. The strength of Underwood’s voice is evident as she belts out her plea that we can change the world.
A country album would not be complete without heartbreak. In the song “Someday When I Stop Loving You,” a broken romance has left the singer alone watching her partner move on. She claims she’ll move one just as he did someday when the “grass turns blue.” While the song is smooth and not “twangy” like classic country songs, the message of the song is country to the core.
“Look at Me” is a love song toward the end of “Play On.” It is a sugary sweet ballad in which the singer becomes completely transparent in front of her lover. She is brutally honest - hopelessly in love and cannot hide it. The song is slow and sappy, and just what you want to hear your significant other say to you.
While the ingredients in a Carrie Underwood album are capable of selling millions of records and winning many awards, the recipe is not unique to Underwood. Nashville produces hundreds of artists each year such as Brad Paisley and Taylor Swift who are criticized for this very recipe. The recipe is accused of being predictable and boring. However, I call it genius and just what the fans are looking for.
The fact of the matter is that “Play On” is not an album for the risk taker. It is poppy and predictable. If you are searching for the next big change in country music, this is not it.
But to me, the bottom line is that as a Carrie Underwood fan, it is exactly what I wanted. While outsiders may not enjoy the combination of love and angry songs with a few tear jerkers thrown in, to the Underwood follower, it is the perfect mix. There is a song for the broken hearted, the lovesick and the humanitarian.
To anyone who is a country music fan, Carrie Underwood fan or simply a lover of a strong, beautiful and pure voice, I highly recommend “Play On.” Once the timer is up, you will not be disappointed with what Nashville has popped out of their oven this time.
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