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Zero 7
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
Carnival Ride
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 10 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 59 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Arista Nashville
Release Date: 23 October 2007
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Country
Summary
The "American Idol" winner returns with her follow-up to her multiaward winning debut.
Also On The Web: Official Artist Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Entertainment Weekly
Carnival Ride covers its bases impeccably, from the roof-raising opener 'Flat on the Floor' to the gorgeous, torchy ballad 'I Know You Won't' and the already-massive anthem 'So Small.'
Read Full Review >Billboard
The Oklahoman delivers in spades on her sophomore effort, on which she was much more involved in the creative process.
Read Full Review >Boston Globe
Carnival Dreams, a worthy successor to Underwood's 6-million-selling debut, will surely install the blond belter from Checotah, Okla., on the crossover throne once occupied by Faith Hill and Shania Twain.
Read Full Review >All Music Guide
Sound and feel do mean a lot, but country records really survive on the strength of their songs, and the remarkable thing about Carnival Ride is that it's stronger song for song than Some Hearts, some of this due to Carrie herself, who bears four songwriting credits here, often in conjunction with some permutation of Steve McEwan and Hillary Lindsey, who pen a bunch of other tunes here.
Read Full Review >The New York Times
It's a straight-up Carrie Underwood album, and a very good one, with a handful of romps and laments that exist mainly to set the stage for the big-voiced, '80s-influenced, Southern-accented power ballads she sings so well.
Read Full Review >PopMatters
Carnival Ride doesn’t include anything as stand-alone stunning as the song she’ll still be singing at state fairs when she’s 64, but it’s a much better front-to-back collection than her debut.
Read Full Review >Blender
Cheery and unassuming, Underwood is a pleasant oddity: a pop star whose central belief is her own powerlessness.
Read Full Review >Slant Magazine
Carnival Ride simply doesn't offer anything for the unconverted in terms of Underwood's growth either as a vocalist or as an artist.
Read Full Review >Hartford Courant
A record with stronger songs that somehow manages to sound just as banal as her first.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 7.5 (out of 10) based on 59 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Victor gave it a10:
Great songs from the most beautiful woman...very powerful voice
Rob K gave it a10:
There is not another singer out there who can belt out a song like Carrie!!!!
Dustin s. gave it a10:
I love it Carrie and all of her cd's rocks i love all the songs especially: Just a dream
Chris N gave it a9:
Carnival Ride is another great album by Carrie. Her big voice lends a helping hand to some of the weaker songs on the album. Overall she did a wonderful job.
nick c gave it a0:
it would at least be funny if she tried to write her own songs
J F gave it a3:
I love how she gets more appreciation than Kelly Clarkson from critics.
William R. gave it an8:
It's great but I just wish she could've made it more personal, and different. Not like everything else you hear.
