Carrie Underwood – "Cry Pretty"

[Ling-Ling]

[justlurkingaround]

I definitely like the first verse and the first chorus, mostly because they’re not too loud. I get what she’s doing with the buildup, but it sure feels overproduced from the halfway mark onwards.

I’m not sure how I feel about the song as a whole. I’ve listened to it 3 times and, while I like it more than Smoke Break, it’s definitely not my favorite lead Carrie single or even close to it.

I get the Aerosmith parallels but I’m not that big of a fan of that on this song.

[Massikur2]

Initial reaction: Nice to finally hear Carrie’s affinity for hard rock enter her own music. Towards the end I definitely started to feel strong similarities to Aerosmith, whom she’s collaborated with in the past. It’s much appreciated by me.

I really like the production. It’s different from the entirety of her catalog, which really speaks to her own influence as co-producer and UMG’s willingness to allow her freedom to make large-scale creative decisions. The lyrics are strong in their own right; emotionally insightful and engaging without being melodramatic or void of genuine intention. My only concern is that she’ll be chastised for over-singing, but there’s no way to control how people interpret that. You either appreciate it or you don’t.

Overall, very strong lead single. Beautiful and a favorable indicator of what’s to come.

[desertfloods]

Lyric video is up

[bornfearless2000]

Lyric video is up on youtube

youtu.be/CG9yQ8PXf6o

You beat me by a few second lol

[codyj100]

On initial listen: The first verse does everything a first verse should, it hooked me. The chorus may take a few more listens to have me appreciate it.

However, I truly like this new production direction. If this is just the first taste, I’m eager to see what else she has to offer. It helps too that the song is so well written. It’s good to have Carrie back.

I wonder how long they’ll wait before releasing the album?

[ILLUSION]

On Spotify and Apple MuMu now. Let the games begin.

My overall opinion is it´s not bad but kinda boring on first listen. It´s pretty and she sounds great but it didn´t stick on me.

[bornfearless2000]

Apr 11, 2018 5:58:02 GMT -5 ILLUSION said:

On Spotify and Apple MuMu now. Let the games begin.

My overall opinion is it´s not bad but kinda boring on first listen. It´s pretty and she sounds great but it didn´t stick on me.

Its a grower. Keep listening to it on Apple Music and you'll love it after a few listens :)

[aldo01]

a little more rock than country, but still a very good and powerful song!

[sgtoddball]

Reaction: Not a bad song but not a great song either. Not sure it feels like a lead single either. It doesn't wow me on first listen and feels like maybe the more I hear it the more it'll grow but I'm feeling like it would have been a better Album track or 3rd or 4th single. I am thrilled to hear Carrie's voice again on new material though.

[Deleted]

Underwhelming for a lead, but I can already tell it’s a grower. I had the hook stuck in my head.

[born]

“Co-written by Liz Rose and Hillary Lindsey”

This is going to be amazing. Gonna give it a listen when I get back home.

[Dreams]

I wish it was a bit... "hookier," more immediate, but I definitely like it.

[wavey.]

Yesss. It does lack a hook, but overall, the song is beautiful. We cry ugly out here❤

[trustypepper]

LOVE.

It’s actually more...country than I was expecting. And the rock elements are awesome.

[BackwoodsBarbie]

I'm not a big Carrie fan and I don't remember the last time I liked her song but this one is amazing. Lyrics are great and I really like production. I hope the sound of the whole album will be similar to this song.

[NeRD]

On first listen, it's a nice song. I too, welcome the change in sound. I hear lots of rock elements as well, and while listening I was like, "oh yeah, this could do something on HAC for sure." I just feel like the chorus/hook could have been written a bit better.

Not sure where it ranks with the other leads but it's a pleasant listen that I'll be returning to all day for sure.

[Deleted]

Great, great song! Love it. The only thing is that the first chorus was too over produced. I couldn't understand her the first time I listened, but I've since figured it out and I'm good now.

Can't wait to see what else is coming!

[carriekins]

Those are some damn relatable lyrics right there.

Good song - agree that it doesn't scream lead single, but I'm happy to have Carrie back on the airwaves with new music.

[dm2081]

The hook is a little weak, but the production is pretty good. I was worried we were going to get something extremely Pop sounding but this actually sounds like it fits on country radio. Could grow on me. Should do well at radio.

[carrieidol1]

So floored by this! She never disappoints... absolutely in love with this anthemic Rock/Country power ballad.

[Ling-Ling]

I've spun it a few times this morning. I think it's solid, not first single material, but good to have her back. I usually like her album tracks way more than her singles anyway, so I'm just sitting around waiting for the album announcement.

[The Brazilian Guy 🇧🇷]

I was expecting worse tbh... it's a good song. I really like the prominent guitar here and her vocals are a bit less over the top (which is always a good thing for me).

It's an alright song overall, I'm sure it will be a hit (of course), but I still prefer the sound of "Smoke Break"... I wish she could've explored that direction more.

[carrieidol1]

Considering the year Carrie has had, I think it's a perfect lead single. She's on her sixth album, I think she's passed releasing easy radio-made/ear-worm lead singles; or at least she doesn't need to. Her story and the power of the song are enough to make this a perfect lead single, in my opinion. It's not predictable and not really like anything she's ever done before. I do get that it's not very hook-y in a "Good Girl" or "Cowboy Casanova" kind of way, but it definitely catches your attention and keeps it from start to finish.

[austin]

Great vocal performance for her, she didn’t oversing this at all. The song is extremely boring though and the hook isn’t that interesting to me. Really wish she would give up co writing and just find the best songs Nashville has to offer. Almost all of my favorites of hers are ones she didn’t attempt to write.

[collinkottke]

This song is so well written. I don't know exactly what I expected with the title of 'Cry Pretty', but I wasn't expecting the rock production elements for sure. I dig it. It's a jam that will grow and grow on listeners, I think. It's exciting to have Carrie back. The production of this song with Carrie as the artist might help open up the eyes of having a wide-range of different sounding females in country music, hopefully.

[g8erboi]

Yep, this is everything I hoped and wished for. Very well written and her vocal performance is absolutely on-point. Sounds nothing like I expected, but in a good way! Love, love, love it.

[Kanenrá:ke]

Lyrically it’s not horrible but it is lacking. Especially given who wrote it I expected more.

I actually hate the vocal production. Maybe it’s just the speakers or something but it sounds like there’s a filter on her but just barely.

The rest of the production works though.

I hate the “yeah” after she sings “no no no no no no no”, it sounds really out of place.

And the ending doesn’t fit the message I was getting from the lyrics.

I’m kinda shocked how much I don’t like this.

[born]

The definition of “grower, not a shower”.

This is cute and ear-friendly. I wish it was a bit more fresh.

The only problem is that I can see it being a track on every album Carrie has released in the past.

[14887fan]

Already mentioned it in her album thread, but what excites me the most about this song is that it’s finally a song she wrote and recorded and released that’s about her. Not about a man, or a character, or a murder, or a story. And I know that’s been a gripe that many have had with her catalog, is lack of personality or emotion. It’s really great to see her finally do something in that realm, and with a song that essentially, in its very first verse, says “I’m not a person to really ever show emotion to the world.” I think it’s clear that quite a lot has happened in her world in the last couple of years.