Idols battle for America's buck

No genre polarizes audiences as much as country. Until recently, it has had ardent supporters and feverous detractors, but no middle ground.

And then Carrie Underwood came along.

There is no mistaking that Underwood's new album, Carnival Ride, is a country album, complete with the requisite dramatic voice, twang and bad lyrics. Somehow though, Underwood overcomes everything working against her.

Coming in at 50 minutes, this 13-track collection opens with a typical, empowering country anthem where Underwood asks her former lover "Baby baby baby baby/Tell me how you think you're gonna live without my love." The track, "Flat on the Floor," is a marker for the rest of the album in that it is upbeat and fun.

The album's best track is easily "The More Boys I Meet," Underwood's attempt at recreating "Before He Cheats," a single from her first album. The track lists Underwood's problems with every boy she meets and ends with the lyrics "The more boys I meet/The more I love my dog." Entirely laughable, it is this fun and carefree spirit that makes the listeners forget about how idiotic the songs are.

Carnival Ride's slow tracks are where the album falters. The lead single, "So Small," exemplifies this quality with its pitiful attempt at being inspirational. Lyrics like "That mountain you've been climbing is just a grain of sand" evoke thoughts of bad wedding DJs and gag reflexes.

Though not distinctive from any other country artist, Underwood's American Idol-winning voice is the star of the album. Her vocal abilities easily rise above the trite instrumentation, endearing her signature Southern twang to audiences more with each subsequent listen.

Maybe her status as the world's sexiest vegetarian makes her more lovable. Maybe it's because she has the seal of approval from Simon, Paula and Randy. The point is Carnival Ride is a country album that is surprisingly bearable, maybe even enjoyable. Maybe.