Fuse
Keith Urban
Released by Hit Red Records /Capitol Records Nashville
With a three-year gap between his last album that included throat surgery, a stint as a judge on Australia’s hit show The Voice, and a recurring role as an American Idol judge, it might be easy to think Keith Urban would have a hard time getting back in the game.
But with his seventh studio album Fuse, Urban pushes the boundaries with a variety of country rock and even pop songs that makes you remember why North Americans have fallen for him.
The New Zealand-born, Australian-raised, country rocker knows how to capture an audience, whether it is with his lyrics, guitar riffs, or his distinctive voice.
Urban said Fuse was a record where he wanted to take his sound to new places and see how far he could go before it didn’t sound like him.
This seems to be true, as he collaborated with a number of writers and producers, including rap and rock enthusiast Mike Elizondo, Norwegian duo Stargate, Butch Walker, and Nashville resident Nathan Chapman.
Fuse already has a number one single on Billboard’s Country Airplay with “Little Bit of Everything.” This mellow mid-paced song tells the audience about a character who likes to keep life simple instead of living high-end. “I don’t need too much of nothin’ / I just wanna sing a little / chill song/ Get my groove on/ Pour somethin’ strong/ Down in my drink,” Keith sings.
The opening track, “Somewhere In My Car,” is definitely more of a familiar sound from Urban, with the banjo and multiple guitars being the centre of instrumental attention. There is a solo that is as impressive as expected from the multi-talented musician. It’s a safe and catchy song that draws a clear image of a character wanting his former lover back while reminiscing about their intense relationship: “But in my mind we’re/somewhere in my car/And it’s raining hard on the / Streetlight glow/ You got your lips on mine/ it’s gasoline on fire.”
“Cop Car” is classic Urban ballad that speaks of two rebellious people who fall in love while doing what they do best—getting into trouble.
A heavier rock side of Urban comes out in “Even The Stars Fall 4 You,” which talks about not falling for a specific lover because everyone else is too. The mildly pop side is heard in “Shame,” which describes the idea of everyone having faults and not trying to be perfect.
One of the most country rock songs on Fuse, which draws Urban a little bit more away from what he is used to, appears to be “Good Thing.” It’s another love song that actually works with his style.
Urban’s collaborations do not only focus on writers and producers, but with other artists. He performs duets with country’s two rebels, Miranda Lambert on “We Were Us,” and Eric Church on “Raise ‘Em Up.”
The end product is definitely something worth listening to, though it would have been better to include fewer love songs, no matter how intriguing his voice is.
Fuse is a solid project that allows for experimentation and creativity that blossoms into something electrifying but not over the top, as the name suggests.
