The only real experience I've had with country music is through reading the standard "anything but country" statement under the category of favorite music on Facebook profiles. Well, that and the infamous Taylor Swift moment with Kanye at the VMAs, which might not count as a run-in with country, but I'm going to allow it anyways.

Due to my extremely limited knowledge of the genre I was apprehensive about listening to Carrie Underwood's Play On, the American Idol's third album. I researched and found that Underwood has many of the stereotypical traits of a country star, not making the fear of country any less prevalent. From a rural farm? Yeah, in Oklahoma no less. A member of a sorority in college? Yes. A bubbly blonde? Of course. Loves cowboy boots almost as much as Jesus? Well she did title a song "Jesus Take the Wheel." Graduated magna cum laude? Umm. Vegetarian since the age of thirteen? Alright, I'll admit that after learning that, my idea of Underwood changed.

Boasting an impressive resume, including Grammy award winner, being a multi-platinum selling artist, and having the best-selling solo female debut album in country music history, Underwood seems unstoppable in the county music scene. During the fourth season of American Idol she was never in the bottom three, and only a handful of Idols can say that. The public's votes came in, so she must have done something very right.

I decided to put my biases aside and try my hardest to forget that Underwood has said things such as "there is never much of anything going on in my head" and to let her album Play On.

For this album Underwood has stated that it was really important to her to put her own spin on the songs, and helped co-write seven of the thirteen on the album. One of the seven, and the album's first single, "Cowboy Casanova," gives the record a lively start. The beginning sounds vaguely like a Katy Perry song, but when the guitar comes in you know it's a country anthem, if the title itself didn't give it away already. The song has a very pop sound lending itself to be a huge hit. A gripe I had with the song was that the listener knew where it was going, and then it went there. There is not much to the song lyrically other than that it conveys the point of bashing creepy men "standing by the record machine," who might "look like a cool drink of water/ but are candy-coated misery." In an interview, Underwood says that she chose this to be the first single because it is "fun to talk about, fun to sing about, and fun to listen to" which is important for a song that will last her through weeks of record promotion

Initiated..

Like most albums, love is a main theme of Play On, but there are some songs that thankfully take a break from romance. An example is the song "Change," which is about how one person can change the world and that the "smallest thing can make all the difference." The premise might sound cheesy, but I respect that Underwood tries to send a positive message to her younger audience members. This, along with the emotional "Mama's Song," did help me see another side to country. The powerful songs that you can tell are close to Underwood's heart led me away from my earlier thoughts of country stars coming home from a hard day of being at the hair salon and voting against gay rights only to make dinner for their boot-wearing husband.

I found that the songs I liked most on the album were those that were slower and in which you could really hear her voice. Other than being a bombshell, Underwood does have a lot of talent I will admit. In songs like "This Time," the words might be cheesy and cliché but the fiddle and her voice led to my foot tapping (much to my surprise). Underwood's voice shines through the instrumental accompaniment in the title track "Play On," which is about fighting even through the hard times. However, the album does get a little instrument-crazy. Especially in "Undo It," a high powered song in which the instrument and Underwood's vocals seem to be fighting to be louder rather than working together.

Even with my lack of country music knowledge, I did enjoy listening to some of the songs. Her voice is impressive, but sadly, it did not convert me to a country fan completely, so my Stetson and lasso from Halloweens past will stay in the closet.