Music review: Keith Urban – 鈥楾he Speed of Now Part 1鈥�
One bright spot for my wife and mother-in-law during this pandemic is the arrival of a new Keith Urban album. They both have seen Urban perform over the years and always wait eagerly for new material from the country superstar.
Urban follows 2018鈥檚 鈥淕raffiti U鈥� by utilizing the extra time during quarantine to put the finishing touches on his 11th studio effort.
With 鈥淭he Speed of Now Part 1,鈥� Urban attempts to slow down the pace of everyday life and give others the opportunity to sit back and savor the latest tracks focused on loving with all your heart and living each day to its fullest.
鈥淥ut the Cage鈥� opens the set with an urgency to get back to normalcy as Urban sings, 鈥淒on鈥檛 know just how long/But I鈥檝e been trapped in here quite a while/Wonder if I鈥檒l make it out/I miss my friends, I miss the sky/Feel like I just live to die/But that can鈥檛 be what life鈥檚 about.鈥� Joined by Breland and Nile Rodgers, Urban immediately displays his knack for blending musical genres in an effort to produce his signature sound and crossover appeal.
鈥淥ne Too Many鈥� gives the traditional country tear-in-my-beer number a fresh pop vibrancy infused by Pink鈥檚 performance. Both artists possess voices that effortlessly extend beyond their musical categories as they deliver a modern tale of not realizing what you鈥檝e got until you lose it.
鈥淪uperman鈥漚nd 鈥淕od Whispered Your Name鈥� address the transforming power of love. The former is a jubilant arrangement that details the many experiences that left an instant impact on the heart as Urban declares, 鈥淲hen I was with you, baby, I was Superman/Yeah, we were sky high, there was nothing better.鈥� The latter number is a tender confessional about being lost until love was unexpectedly found and changed things forever.
Sparked by Urban鈥檚 spirited guitar playing, 鈥淟ive With鈥� and 鈥淭umbleweed鈥� are perfect cruising anthems that relay the urge to roll down the windows, press on the gas pedal and sing out loud as the worries of the day yield to living in the moment.
鈥淧olaroid鈥� is a charming love song that is certain to be played at numerous future wedding receptions. Urban tugs at the heartstrings as he describes the beginnings of a blossoming relationship when he confesses, 鈥淭he night it was taken, I didn鈥檛 have a clue/That someday I鈥檇 be something more/Than just a boy in a Polaroid with you.鈥�
With concerts halted until 2021, my wife and mother-in-law will have to patiently wait to see the 52-year-old singer-songwriter perform on stage again. For now, they can enjoy Urban at his very best and look forward to chapter two of his musical scrapbook.