It has been seven years since she won over the hearts of  America on the fourth season of  “American Idol.” Carrie Underwood has been a chart-topping country singer ever since. In her new album Blown Away, Underwood brings out more of a dark storytelling side of herself to light in her music, telling stories with her songs in a theatrical sense. With an explosive and powerful voice like Underwood’s, that isn’t very hard to accomplish.
Blown Away starts off with three songs that really grasp the attention of the listener, taking them through the journey of the story she tells. The handclap, drums and edgy twist on her current Top 10 single “Good Girl” adds fire to Carrie’s electric vocals through swift melodies and with its catchy hook. The powerful track, “Blown Away,” opens softly and then bursts into spinning harmonies, and attracts listeners through its dynamic use of instruments throughout the piece. She then moves on to a more dramatic piece in “Two Black Cadillacs,” that takes one through a tale of revenge with deep percussion and its particular use of strings that set the frame of the song, taking more of a soulful twist in Carrie’s vocals.
Carrie then takes on a slower tempo in “See You Again,” really showcasing her vocal range and empowering lyrics. The soft and sweet track “Do You Think About Me,” takes a simple, acoustic-like beat and underlines it with more of a bubbly tune. The even gentler melody of “Forever Changed,” brings more of a peaceful sense on Carrie’s album along with her soothing vocals.
Carrie co-wrote eight of the album’s fourteen songs, which included “Good Girl” and “Two Black Cadillacs.” This continues the ongoing trend of her taking on more of a songwriter role on her albums. Later in the album, Carrie’s songs take more of an optimistic turn. The enriching sound and vesting “Nobody Ever Told You” gives more of a positive message, “You shine like a diamond and glitter like gold /You need to know and nobody ever told you.” The cheerful track, “One Way Ticket,” has more of a bohemian theme, showing off Carrie’s flowing vocals. In her tract “Thank God For Hometowns,” Carrie really takes the time to stop and express her love for hometowns and how much they mean to her.
Underwood’s soft and sincere track “Good In Goodbye,” gives an honest piece of advice to listeners through her storytelling, with her soft melody and striking  vocals. In a more playful song, “Leave Love Alone,” the spirited beats highlight the catchy lyrics. In an even more finger-tapping tone, “Cupids Got A Shotgun,” the dynamic change of melody brings more movement into the piece. Then, to slow it down, Carrie’s track “Wine After Whisky,” takes off with a soft melody that moves along with her powerful voice throughout the song. Underwood then ends the album with “Who Are You,” using her inspiring vocals to push through, leaving a satisfying ending to a vibrant album. Blown Away showcases Carrie’s dynamic range and unique vocals. Although the album begins with its darkest tracks, it lightens up in the end with its cheerful change in tunes. She paints a vivid picture with her vocals, and through her lyrics in each song, it will blow you away.