Carrie Underwood – Denim & Rhinestones (2022) [Official Digital Download 24bit/48kHz]

Carrie Underwood – Denim & Rhinestones (2022)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/48 kHz | Time – 38:02 minutes | 503 MB | Genre: Country
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Capitol Nashville

Known for her faith (“Jesus, Take the Wheel,” 2021’s My Savior), fire (“Before He Cheats”), and fearlessness (“Two Black Cadillacs”), Carrie Underwood has said her ninth album is her “fun” record . . . and she delivers. Denim & Rhinestones is pure country pop—for the most part, the country here is Underwood’s twang—that you can imagine an arena full of people singing along to. Since her American Idol win in 2005, Underwood has always been polished, no raw edge showing. Her talents are almost inhuman; so big and perfect is her voice, it can sometimes overwhelm. But that belting is put to delightful effect here for the title track, which is kissed with smooth ’80s R&B flavor. “Crazy Angels,” meanwhile, embraces that era’s pop-rock radio hits: It’s super-sized and catchy, with slick guitar and anthemic lyrics meant for hollering along: “Yes, I’m one of those crazy angels/ Tilted halo with a neon shine/ Call me one of those crazy angels/ Even good girls wanna have a good time/ Heaven knows I’m flying low tonight.” Underwood borrows a classic-rock guitar line and unleashes the full power of her soprano on “Poor Everybody Else,” and goes for Miranda Lambert-style mischievous playfulness on “Velvet Heartbreak.” She haunts an ex-love on the sweeping grand drama of “Ghost Story” (“There ain’t enough whiskey for you not to miss me/ I’ll be waiting at the bottom of the bottle in the dark”), and it’s easy to imagine it being a pop crossover hit with a little production trickery. “Wanted Woman,” though, doesn’t even need that; it’s ready to be a summer pop hit with the right airplay. “Hate My Heart”—one of the album’s nine co-writes with Hillary Lindsey, who easily ranks among Nashville’s best contemporary songwriters (Keith Urban’s “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush”)—meanwhile, is ready for an arena stage. It also shows that, while Underwood may worship Dolly, her vocal power is the spiritual descendent of Shania. Shameless slow-burn guitar and the sweeping chimes of Top 40 R&B dress up the soulful love ballad “Faster,” and a doo-wop beat drives “Pink Champagne.” And traditional country gets its due near the end of the album with “She Don’t Know”—although even that turns the classic cheating song on its head: “Joke’s on her and that bed she’s lying in,” Underwood sasses. “What she don’t know is, she can have him!” – Shelly Ridenour

Tracklist:
1-1. Carrie Underwood – Denim & Rhinestones (02:48)
1-2. Carrie Underwood – Velvet Heartbreak (03:03)
1-3. Carrie Underwood – Ghost Story (03:01)
1-4. Carrie Underwood – Hate My Heart (03:03)
1-5. Carrie Underwood – Burn (03:10)
1-6. Carrie Underwood – Crazy Angels (02:36)
1-7. Carrie Underwood – Faster (03:17)
1-8. Carrie Underwood – Pink Champagne (03:23)
1-9. Carrie Underwood – Wanted Woman (03:19)
1-10. Carrie Underwood – Poor Everybody Else (03:45)
1-11. Carrie Underwood – She Don’t Know (03:29)
1-12. Carrie Underwood – Garden (03:02)

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