Carrie Underwood has been up and down the last few years, making some of the most substantial music on the radio, while also leaning her sound more and more towards a pop sound. All in all, it’s hard to say much bad about Carrie. Yeah, she isn’t exactly traditional country, but she never claims to be, and she does write and perform songs with a lot of integrity and heart. Of course, she also has one of the best pure singing voices in country music history. So, with the announcement of her first Greatest Hits album, she has released her latest singe “Something In The Water”. The song is a perfect example of Carrie’s fantastic voice, and one of her better singles in an already impressive resume.
“Something In The Water” is a pop-country song with a story that is rooted in faith. Carrie has never been shy about her Christian beliefs, and it shows in her actions. Yeah, she has been known to show off her legs, but in an entertainment industry that thrives on selling sex and making harlots out of pop-stars, Carrie is as squeaky clean as they come. No sex tapes, no run-ins with the law, no contract disputes. She seems to be genuinely grateful for her opportunity and she seems to be a humble and kind-hearted person. Sometimes, when a country artist sings 6 songs about getting black out drunk on a tailgate and banging random country skanks, and then tries to tell you about Jesus (cough Chase Rice, Thomas Rhett cough) it comes off as insincere and pandering. When Carrie sings it, it comes from the heart. This song looks at the transformation that takes place after salvation and baptism, and covers “Amazing Grace” in the middle of it.
As expected with Carrie, she sounds fantastic. She nails every note, as she always does. Talent is never the issue with Carrie. It’s always song choice and production. “Somethin’ Bad” is a terrible song. “My Last Name” is a terrible song. “Blown Away” is a good song that is over-produces. “Two Black Cadillacs” is a great song that is over-produced. In all of those songs, however, Carrie sings the absolute crap out of it. The song is a little over-produced at parts for my taste, but that’s because I’m not big on the Contemporary Christian movement. I like my gospel music to be very low-key and traditional, even more so than my country. That being said, the fact that we have a modern country song about God and faith is very uplifting. Gospel and country music have a long and intertwined history, and I appreciate an artist like Carrie who keeps that connection tied.
“Something In The Water” isn’t going to win my Song of The Year or really make much of a difference in Carrie’s career. It will be a big hit, but it isn’t a career-defining song. That’s ok. This song has uplifting lyrics in a world of lyrical ruin. It is sung by a powerful, independent female in a world full of womanizing males. This song is another positive step for mainstream country music. I hope it makes a dent on the charts and brings Carrie some much deserved praise and accolades. Furthermore, I wish Carrie nothing but the best as she is expecting a little one in the coming year. Remember Carrie, when you start having a houseful of them, make sure those kids keep it country!
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