Keith Urban's Defying Gravity Reflects the Joy in His Life
Keith Urban's new album, Defying Gravity hits stores Tuesday (March 31), and if you're wondering what you'll find on it, Urban explains in this interview with USA Today. "It's a very up record. Once we got in the studio and started recording, the majority of the songs tended to be pretty up and joyous," he says. Honestly, it seems like it would be hard not to make joyful music like "Sweet Thing" when your life is going the way Urban's is. With his marriage to Nicole Kidman and the birth of their daughter, Sunday Rose, he has a lot to be thankful for and it seems like he knows it. In the article, Urban says one song, "Thank You," didn't start off being about Kidman, but co-writer Rick Nowles' music "pulled this story out of me, which became quite a confessional -- much more intimate than I might have written had I intended to write about (her). It was very instinctual and very much from the heart."
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Janet says:
Rolling Stone gave it a BAD review. Firsat two singles are nothing but pop crap. That is my beef with Keith more pop than country also all his uptempo songs sounds the same.
Alanna says:
After seeing Keith Urban over five times in concert, and being a fan from way back in the “Black Top” days, I must disagree. His songs contain tons of amazing, intricate electric guitar riffs. I suppose if you’re not a fan of the instrument and not too musically inclined, then you might think that Urban’s songs all sound the same. His sound is unmistakably country. When was the last pop song you heard that’s lead instrument was a banjo? …my point exactly.
Sara says:
EVERY artist gets mixed reviews when they put out a new album. Keith got VERY good reviews from Billboard, LA Times, New York Times and Entertainment Weekly.
Rolling Stone was disappointed Keith didn’t have any songs
about the economic crisis or the war. Keith doesn’t “do” political stuff….they OBVIOUSLY don’t know him as an artist.
MN_dbkugirl says:
Well said Sara!
RedMaZ says:
“more pop than country”? That doesn’t make any sense. You might want to try and explain that one. All of Urban’s solo work has been Pop music. The music with the band The Ranch had some elements of Roots Music in it, but nothing since. And of course his music is going to sound the same. It’s a formula that works in the Pop market that appeals to the masses without pushing artistic boundries(a definition of Pop Music)
To Alanna…you might have answered your own question…”when was the last Pop song you heard that’s lead instrument was a banjo?”. Since this is a blog about Keith Urban, I’ll say….Keith Urban. (actually it’s a Guitjo). Pop Music is not an individual genre of music. It’s an industry consisting of many different genres. Including Country. Without a doubt Urban is part of this.
I was also wondering why Urban can’t come up with anything original? “Defying Gravity” as an album name? The “Making Memories of Us” video was bad enough. Now this?
David Nisbet, Scotland says:
What Janet said. I have something of a love/hate relationship with the man & his music. On one hand it’s nice, gentle, light Pop fare. On the other hand it’s being promoted as Country, when it’s plainly obvious to anyone who knows anything about Country will know, that overall, he does not sing Country songs. Oh i’ll give you he’s done a few, such as Tonight I Wanna Cry or Raise The Barn w/Ronnie Dunn. I think the best song he has ever sung is a cover of Sarah Buxton’s Stupid Boy, although I prefer Sarah’s original. But this is far outweighed by the Teen Pop style of truly embarassing numbers such as Kiss A Girl.
If you’re not a teenage girl, you’ll also have picked up on the fact that if he was ugly, he’d be getting nowhere. The same would go for him if he was singing Traditional Country ala Chris Young.
In conclusion, i’d have a lot more respect for Keith if he would stop labeling his music as something it isn’t, and moved to Pop which is where his songs belong.
RedMaZ says:
So you’re saying Pop is an individual genre of music? Then would you agree there is no such thing as Pop Rock or Pop Country? If you say Pop is an induvidual genre of music, you must know a lot about it, so I was wondering if you could help me learn a few things. For example, it’s musical origins, instruments used, and key founding artists?
gloria says:
Same old love songs, light and fluffy pop.
Walterlinesjr says:
Kieth urban and kelliepickler and taylor swift and carrie u are the best
Nikki says:
“In conclusion, i’d have a lot more respect for Keith if he would stop labeling his music as something it isn’t, and moved to Pop which is where his songs belong.”
First of all Keith doesn’t label his music country; I’m pretty sure that he doesn’t claim to fit into any kind of genre. Keith just has a passion for music and he could care less about country, pop, rock…just call it whatever you want. And second of all Keith has said many times that he likes radio songs, he likes hearing his songs on the radio and he makes no apologies for that.
RedMaZ says:
Still waiting for your reply DN,S.
Nikki, Urban defines his music as Country, Pop Rock, and that’s just what it is…by definition. It certainly isn’t Country, Roots Rock…
RedMaZ says:
Care to explain, or defend your statements David Nisbet, Scotland? Well of course not. Don’t you just hate it when facts get in the way?
Tarheel says:
“Pop” is emotionaly authentic lyrical expression generally characterized by strong vocals, well crafted production values and melodic, “hook-driven” music. It has been around for ages and when done well as in the work of Cole Porter, George Gershwin or Stevie Wonder it is timeless, classic. When done poorly as in the collected works or Seline Dion or most of what Rascal Flatts calls country, it sucks. Keith Urban is a instrumental virtuoso who leans toward honest, open and sincere vocal treatments of love songs. This is very hard to do without crossing oven into the sugar sentiments of Air Supply. Were he not so damed talented he’s have already gone maudlin. But he makes it work because of his realness. He could stand to use a little more angst, in my opinion, but I have seen him live several times and I’ve tried as a musician to play and sing his tunes. What he does is more complicated and more country than it sounds. He is the real deal and the most gifted artist working today.
kristen says:
all this debate about what category keith falls into makes me laugh. keith said it best when he said there are only two kinds of music: the ones you like and the ones you don’t like. so stop debating and just enjoy, or it you don’t, then listen to something else. all i know i that keith has a god given talent for music and does it with passion, something i respect and appreciate from my musicians!
RedMaZ says:
You think Urban came up with that “two kinds of music” thing? I can recall that statement going back to at least Louis Armstrong. But that’s not we’re talking about here kristen. This is about genre description and definition. Not whether you like someones music or not.
Marsha says:
LOVE HIS MUSIC, WHAT EVER YOU CALL IT. IF YOU SEE HIM IN CONCERT YOU WILL BE AMAZED AT HIS TALENTS.
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