I’m not well-versed in Carrie Underwood’s discography, but I’ll never turn the station from one of her songs. Her new album,‘Denim & Rhinestones’ came out on June 10, 2022, providing fans and novices alike with a variety of songs to add to their summer soundtrack.

“She Don’t Know” was easily my favorite song from her new album. From the opening verse, it is impassioned and original, particularly the line “And I can feel her eyes on me, She’s checking me out in the check-out line,” pulled me in. This song, for me, is Underwood’s best song since “Before He Cheats”.

“She Don’t Know” details a woman trapped in an unhealthy relationship, bumping into her husband’s mistress at the grocery store. However, the narrator of this song is no victim, boldly proclaiming, “She don’t know, she can have him.”

This song does not tell the story of a miserable housewife realizing an affair, but of a proud woman reclaiming her dignity. Catchy, face-paced, and powerful, this song will be one of my favorites from the summer.

“Garden” is a beautiful and slow-moving metaphor that unfurled as the beat progressed. The bridge of this song is its most compelling component, begging the question: “If you reap what you sow, what kind of garden would you grow?”

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I think it’s an interesting question for many reasons, partially because it doesn’t assert you will reap what you sow, which I believe is a noteworthy rhetorical choice. But it’s also a creative way of asking if you’re proud of what you’ve done thus far in your life, and if you had to look at the fruits of your labor in a literal form, would you like their form? I think it’s a very pretty way of asking a very big question.

“Poor Everybody Else” felt like a classic Underwood song in terms of aligning with her signature style of country glam pop-rock. Lyrics like, “She’s a wrecking ball, looking for a wall to break…gasoline waitin’ on a match to strike, man-eater with an appetite,” helped to paint the picture of a classic Underwood heroine, a country party girl with nothing to lose and everything to prove.

“Pink Champagne” is the kind of song you’d want to play while driving to the beach with your friends during sunset. It’s about young love and its intoxicating qualities, as shown by the line, “I can get intoxicated on you, baby, anytime ‘cause you’re mine.”

I think that, although the premise may not be original, Underwood’s lush visuals and clever lyrics provide an enjoyable adaptation of a classic trope.

“Wanted Woman” is a fast-paced and fun love song, playing with the double meaning of what it means to be “wanted.” An example of this is the lyrics “It’s criminal, you drive me crazy” and “Chase me, love me, you know how to make a lady feel like a wanted woman.”

“Burn” is another fast-paced song, however, this one is about a break-up. The string tying together the lyrics of this song is various ways this relationship burns, including the memories. My favorite line was, “Hmm, it’s always gonna burn, just like this whiskey. It’s always gonna burn and make me wonder if you miss me.”