Keith Urban

Keith Urban might not have turned his back on country music, but he sure takes more than a sidelong glance off the farm on Pain. Urban works with hitmaker John Shanks to write "Once in a Lifetime," but it's the Aussie's willingness to create epic, sweeping sing-alongs that builds the tune into the biggest hit of his career. Urban balances the hits with some interesting risk-taking. He covers rising star Sarah Buxton's feminist tome "Stupid Boy" and then exposes his well-documented personal problems on "Used to the Pain."

Imagine Daryl Hall with Nashville guitar skills and an Australian's fascination with Southern
culture, and you have Keith Urban. With his platinum track record, recent awards and
marriage to Nicole Kidman, he would be an idiot to release a lackluster CD just now, and
this varied collection proves Urban is no idiot. Brass-flecked tracks like "Shine" and "Faster
Car" show he's best when he skips the singalong arena choruses; leaner product... More >