Keith Urban

iTunes Review

Keith Urban’s self-titled 1999 album wasn’t his actual debut — he had previously released several solo records in Australia as well as a project with his combo the Ranch. But for all intents and purposes, Keith Urban served to introduce American country audiences to his engaging voice and formidable guitar skills. The album’s mix of down-home lyric imagery, Nashville studio excellence, and radio-friendly arrangements launched Urban on a stardom-bound trajectory that has yet to falter. It helps that the songs here are catchy, well-crafted and romantically-inclined — “I Thought You Knew,” “Your Everything,” and “Don’t Shut Me Out” are steadfast love ballads delivered with a tender edge. Urban carries himself with class throughout, avoiding faux-rebel clichés as he loosens up on upbeat tracks like “Where the Blacktop Ends,” “It’s a Love Thing,” and “I Wanna Be Your Man (Forever).” “Rollercoster” allows him to unleash his lightning-fast picking in a rollicking instrumental workout. As producer, Matt Rollings surrounds Urban with hot licks and driving rhythms, keeping things country enough to lend the pop elements some bite.