Carrie Underwood Lays It All Out In "Cry Pretty"

Country music can easily be written off for not getting too deep without drinking or… pickup truck references, and largely that’s true of some of the more popular acts. Sometimes though, an artist will dig through and take on something deeper. Carrie Underwood lays it all out in Cry Pretty, an honest record that really digs into some real struggles.

The tone of the record is really set by the opening track, the eponymous track ‘Cry Pretty.’ In this quieter introduction, Underwood really doesn’t stray from honesty. It’s like an introduction to herself and what she’ll be talking about on the rest of the record: namely, insecurities. These are addressed thoroughly in Cry Pretty, through songs like ‘Low,’ a powerful ballad that really explodes in an amazing build towards the end. Other tracks like ‘Spinning Bottles‘ have so many emotions that it’s almost hard to swallow. Underwood really doesn’t hold back anything on this record.

Cry Pretty is a mixed bag. Some songs like ‘Ghosts On The Stereo‘ and ‘Southbound‘ are more down to basics of country pop and don’t quite leave the same impact, but Underwood is out to keep things interesting on this record. ‘Drinking Alone‘ has this cool bluesy vibe to it that is really pretty catchy, while other tracks may not quite have the same vibe but definitely bring the energy, like in ‘Love Wins.’ Sweet songs like ‘The Bullet‘ help diversify the emotions on the record before ‘Kingdom‘ ends the record on an empowering note with gang vocals making the chorus sound huge.

Carrie Underwood lays it all out in Cry Pretty, her newest record that really aims to be honest and real. The songs all have a personal message inlaid within them, allowing for Underwood to really develop an intimate relationship with her fans and her own feelings.

Favorite Track: Low

Least Favorite Track: That Song That We Used To Make Love To

Rating: 74 / 100

Stream or buy Cry Pretty on Apple Music, and follow our 2018 Playlist on Spotify: