The Singles Jukebox

Hope?

[Video]
[4.14]

Tim de Reuse: A near-prerequisite to fame and fortune in country music these days is a voice with a lot of, ehr, “character”: some twangy affectation on which you can market your authenticity. This is not a deal-breaker, but it makes duets difficult. As evidence: the absolutely tuneless, straining harmonies that ruin the singability of this song’s otherwise decent chorus. “Turn the want-you off whenever I want to” is a genuinely poignant turn of phrase; it’s a real shame that the two voices delivering it are too busy competing for the foreground to manifest a coherent melodic line.
[3]

Thomas Inskeep: The epitome of “power ballad,” solidly written, featuring one singer who can pull it off sometimes (Aldean) and one who couldn’t be more perfectly suited for it (Underwood, of course). Shame their voices have absolutely zero chemistry together.
[5]

Nortey Dowuona: Jason’s voice is so unsteady that the instruments nearly topple over, and it’s only when Carrie’s howl and shiny guitar come in that the song reaches equilibrium. As Carrie flies right above the same 8-bar phrase without a flaw, Jason’s return in the chorus feels even more superfluous.
[5]

Alfred Soto: Once again, I dwell on the mystery of how guitars this crunchy and kickdrums this well-deployed can power a duet this vapid. What’s Jason Aldean doing that Carrie Underwood couldn’t take care of herself — including the romance? And will they breathe COVID into each other’s mouths as proof positive of their love?
[4]

Juana Giaimo: When power ballads are performed right, they just hit you, and Carrie Underwood should be thanked here for that. Just listening to all the higher harmonies and how she begins the last chorus makes me want to be in a car alone and sing this out loud, pretending I’m heartbroken. 
[7]

Ian Mathers: Actually, plenty of people (deep breath) mind being alone, keep checking their phones, take the long way home just to drive themselves crazy, lose sleep remembering everything [person] said to them, want [person] to the exclusion of all else, can’t let go, aren’t good by now, barely get by somehow, find it hard to miss [person], wonder who is with [person], can’t “turn the want you off” when they want, cry sometimes, fake a smile, play it off with a lie when someone asks how they’ve been, try to find someone new, are in the state they’re in, find it hard to see [person], know how much they need [person], hate that they still feel like they do….. all without currently or sometimes ever loving [person]. Your sample size is bad and you should feel bad.
[2]

Mark Sinker: cope –> mope –> nope 
[3]