Carrie Underwood is Ready to Blow You Away on New Album 'Blown Away'

With a title like Blown Away, expectations are automatically high (through the roof, if you will).

Faithful fans of country superstar and American Idol-alum, Carrie Underwood, will most likely be blown away by the sonic progression to a decidedly more arena-rock/country-pop sound on the multi-platinum star's fourth LP. Taking a deliberate step to fill shoes once filled by Shania Twain, which can even be seen on the dramatic diva styling of the album cover—a departure from the more wholesome covers that preceded it—Underwood is taking on material that borrows influences from artists ranging from Joan Jett to fellow country spitfire Miranda Lambert.

Slowly fading are the safe production choices and cliché lyrics that held back the material on much of Underwood's first three albums, ultimately keeping her from bursting all the way through the country stratosphere and into the mainstream musical landscape—barring the crossover smash hit "Before He Cheats," of course, from her 2005 multi-platinum debut Some Hearts. That song was a monster of its own and hasn't been replicated since, despite several so-so attempts ("Last Name" from Carnival Ride and "Undo It" from Play On).

Instead, Blown Away takes the listener on a ride, albeit a front-loaded thrill, with the album's highlights being mostly on the first half. Kicked off by the lead single, country/pop-rock hybrid "Good Girl," and followed by the epic title track, excitement builds. The lush, dramatic production surrounding the always-powerful vocal performance from Underwood takes the song's cinematic lyrics to the next level on "Blown Away."

She sings the story of a young woman who has locked herself in the basement as a, you guessed it, twister blows past the house above her taking an alcohol-abusing father with it. The chorus is catchy and the verses are meaty. ("Dry lightning cracks across the skies/Those storm clouds gather in her eyes/Daddy was mean ole mister/Mama was an angel in the ground/The weather man called for a twister/She prayed blow it down.") The tune is an instant country classic.

"Two Black Cadillacs" follows and continues the dramatic storyline, this time with a woman teaming up with her husband's mistress to end the misery of the man who they've been sharing. Drama ensues accompanied by ominous production and a powerhouse vocal. Sensing a pattern yet?

These are the highlights. Others include the sweet "Do You Think About Me" (which wouldn't sound out of place on a Taylor Swift album), the Ryan Tedder-produced gem "Good in Goodbye," arena-ready stomper "Leave Love Alone," and the slightly saccharine, yet totally-undeniable "See You Again," a song about loss, but in true Underwood fashion, incorporates faith for healing.

Where Blown Away goes awry is on the moments when Underwood isn't experimenting with either dramatic production or more dynamic tales. Songs like the nostalgic "Thank God for Hometowns" and sentimental "Forever Changed" aren't bad, per se, but they're beneath a star who continues to ascend to higher heights at this point in her career.

And let's just say that the beachy, sun-kissed tunes ("Nobody Ever Told You" and lyrical low-point "One Way Ticket," where she tells us to "lick it" in the chorus) are best left to the Kenny Chesneys of the country world. But all is forgiven, because ultimately, it's a refreshing sonic shift for Underwood at the very least.

All in all, if there's one thing to learn from Blown Away, it's that Underwood is well on her way to solidifying her stature as a country music icon on par with some of the greats. And that she can still kick your butt in the meantime.