- Black & White
- Just Believe
- Smile
- I Want You
- Over Me
- Mystery
- Feel it Inside
- Wasting My Words
- Sweet One
- Your Love
- Alive
- Holy, Holy, Holy
Some attribute it to growing up; others chalk it up to strategic marketing. Whatever the reason, more and more female pop artists seem to be in reinvention mode these days. Rather than embrace the lightweight, bubble-gum sound that got their careers going, young women are doing their best to be taken "seriously." As a result, artists including Mandy Moore, Hilary Duff, and BarlowGirl have beefed up their musical skills (playing your own instruments is now a must!) while exploring weightier, more confessional lyrics (so is writing your own songs!).
Carried Away—comprised of sisters Colleen and Pam Walker, along with their cousin Christine Prankard—have also taken more artistic ownership with their sophomore release I Want You. Whereas their 2005 debut gravitated towards cover songs, the trio wanted to be in every part of the songwriting for their follow-up. Cynics might scoff and say that's just for show, but Carried Away's songs definitely shine brighter this time around, tackling themes like having the right priorities in relationships ("Wasting My Words (Been Where You Are"), God's love in light of human weakness, ("Sweet One"), and keeping an eternal perspective in life ("Mystery").
Their modern pop/rock style is as catchy as ever, especially on hooky, energetic tracks like "Black & White" and "Just Believe." The difference this time is that Carried Away has matched it with substance—a refreshing change from the norm for another girl group taking a stand for sexual purity and emphasizing the importance of making a difference in the world. Yes, some songs still fall prey to cliché (the overly cheesy "Smile," "Feel It Inside"). But overall this is a promising leap forward, and a sign that perhaps there are better things to come as Carried Away continues to reinvent their image and mature their sound.