Carrie Underwood: ‘Denim & Rhinestones’ – Album Review

Carrie Underwood’s highly anticipated new album, Denim & Rhinestones is officially out now, June 10th on all streaming platforms. Listen to the record below and check out our full review.

The wait is over! Almost four years after her last solo country release, ‘Cry Pretty’, 8-time GRAMMY winner, Carrie Underwood is back with ‘Denim & Rhinestones’, a high-energy project with a nostalgic 90s country feel that is pure fun from beginning to end.

From catchy anthems (“Crazy Angels”, “Poor Everybody Else”, and title track “Denim & Rhinestones”), to love songs (“Faster”, “Pink Champagne”, “Wanted Woman”), to heartbreak (“Burn”, “Velvet Heartbreak”, “Hate my Heart”), to the kind of story tracks Underwood is known for, (“Ghost Story”, “She Don’t Know”), there is something for everyone on this record. Full of theatrical lyrics from top to bottom and even a bit of rock and roll, it is bound to be the soundtrack of the summer. 

“I really just wanted to make an album that felt like fun,” said the American Idol alum ahead of the release. “I feel like this one ended up being a bigger reflection of me as a person and as an artist. We have a lot of songs that could be considered throwback songs, but they sound super fresh. These are influences that are in me and work their way out and I just decided this time not to get in their way.”

The final track, “Garden”, ends the album with the softer side of Underwood; a tribute to the way she grew up and a reminder to us all that we can choose who to be in this world.

“If your words were seeds that were goin’ in the ground // And your love was rain farmers prayed about // If your life was sunlight we all needed // What kinda world would it be? // If you reap what you sow // What kind of garden would you grow?

Produced by Underwood and collaborator David Garcia, ‘Denim & Rhinestones’ features 12 songs, 11 of which the mom of two co-wrote with familiar names found all over her impressive discography, including Josh Kear, Hillary Lindsey, Ashley Gorley, and Chris DeStefano.

“We covered a lot of ground,” said Underwood when talking about her mindset going into the writer’s room and studio. “Hopefully it’ll just make people happy to listen to. It’s a very like sing into your hairbrush, in your house, in your room, kind of album, which I think is going to translate well.” 

After spending the pandemic on two Christian passion-projects, Christmas album ‘My Gift’ (2020) and gospel record ‘My Savior’ (2021), this time, Underwood was focused on getting back in front of fans. “I wanted to think about all the songs and how we’re going to perform them live and I feel like what we came up with was everything I wanted it to be and more”.

Neither Underwood or fans will have to wait long; the superstar hits the road this fall for an 8-month tour with fellow denim-and-rhinestone-clad special guest, Jimmie Allen. 

Underwood will also be returning to Las Vegas in 2023 to resume her residency, REFLECTION, which enjoyed sold-out runs in December 2021 and Spring 2022. For all tour dates, visit: Carrieunderwood.com.

Denim & Rhinestones Tracklist:

1. Denim & Rhinestones (Carrie Underwood, David Garcia, Josh Kear, Hillary Lindsey)
2. Velvet Heartbreak (Carrie Underwood, David Garcia, Hillary Lindsey)
3. Ghost Story (David Garcia, Josh Kear, Hillary Lindsey)
4. Hate My Heart (Carrie Underwood, David Garcia, Michael Hardy, Hillary Lindsey)
5. Burn (Carrie Underwood, David Garcia, Ashley Gorley, Hillary Lindsey)
6. Crazy Angels (Carrie Underwood, David Garcia, Lydia Vaughan)
7. Faster (Carrie Underwood, David Garcia, Hillary Lindsey)
8. Pink Champagne (Carrie Underwood, David Garcia, Ashley Gorley, Hillary Lindsey)
9. Wanted Woman (Carrie Underwood, David Garcia, Josh Miller)
10. Poor Everybody Else (Carrie Underwood, Chris DeStefano, Josh Miller)
11. She Don’t Know (Carrie Underwood, David Garcia, Hillary Lindsey)
12. Garden (Carrie Underwood, David Garcia, Josh Miller)

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