NEW music
■ Carrie Underwood
— “Cry Pretty”: Carrie Underwood has always been a great singer, from the moment we met the Checotah, Okla., native on “American Idol” in 2005.
But she hasn’t always had great songs to sing. For every “Jesus, Take the Wheel” or “So Small” on her albums, there was plenty of pleasant country filler. But not on “Cry Pretty”: Start to finish, Underwood’s sixth album is easily her best, filled with songs that make the most of her voice, both physical and lyrical. The title track may be more poignant following Underwood’s fall last year that resulted in 50 stitches in her face and an uncomfortable focus on how she looks. But when she belts out the song’s final third, she is undeniable. Maybe the biggest surprises on “Cry Pretty” are the numerous risks Underwood takes that all pay off. Musically, she offers her poppiest song in years with “That Song That We Used to Make Love To,” which leans more toward Aaliyah-era R&B instead of anything currently on country radio. Lyrically, Underwood takes on issues that she has previously sidestepped.
”The Bullet” is a wrenching ballad about those left behind by violence that Underwood included in part because of the shooting deaths at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas. “You can blame it on hate or blame it on guns,” she sings with increasing intensity. “But mamas ain’t supposed to bury their sons.”
On “Love Wins,” one of the nine songs she co-wrote on the album, Underwood creates a soaring anthem of inclusion after pointing out pitfalls like “politics and prejudice.”
Of course, Underwood shines brightest with a string of future country smashes, including the celebration of classic country heroes on “Ghosts on the Stereo” and her fiery defense of home life on “Kingdom.”
“Cry Pretty” finds Underwood at the peak of her powers and she’s determined to use them for good.
■ Good Charlotte — “Generation Rx”: On their new album “Generation Rx,” Good Charlotte’s Madden twins, Benji and Joel, tackle current issues with the same brashness they used to puncture the lifestyles of the rich and the famous when they started out two decades ago. The single “Prayers” shows how much things have changed, as they use a straightforward rock framework to throw punches at “thoughts and prayers” culture. “I see a little girl who’s crying ‘cause she lost her family,” sings Joel Madden. “All these strangers sending thoughts and prayers, she’s buried underneath.”
It’s a powerful image, delivered simply, showing how effective a rock anthem can still be at that. On the soaring rock ballad “Cold Song,” Good Charlotte shows they can handle massive arrangements as well, using them to offer support, “I want you to know, you’re not alone.”
On “Actual Pain,” they take on the opioid crisis. “Shadow Boxer” takes on bullying and esteem issues with raging guitars. While their views on these topics may not be deep, they are certainly memorable, making “Generation Rx” a first step that could introduce fans to a lot of new ideas.