Defying Gravity by Keith Urban

Sobriety suits Keith Urban. On his new, aptly named album, Defying Gravity, the Aussie country star has come back from the depths of the murky music he made on Love, Pain & The Whole Crazy Thing to make some of the all-round enjoyable country rock that he made on other hit albums like Be Here, in 2004.

“Kiss A Girl” opens the record on a happy, jiving note, with light guitars that suit the song’s new-lease-on-life theme. In fact, this song is a precursor for the theme that runs throughout most of the songs on the record. Urban’s vocals are spot on all the high notes and as good as they’ve ever been. “Kiss A Girl” is Urban at his best.

The mood calms down a bit on “If Ever I Could Love,” as the singer moves closer to finding a woman he could love. It doesn’t have a catchy hook that’ll keep you listening repeatedly, but it’s enjoyable nonetheless.

“Sweet Thing,” like the opening track, is a jovial and smiley song that’s sure to make women everywhere swoon over Urban’s serenading. It’s also got one of his signature hooks and chorus lines that is sure to have listeners repeating the tune.

All the following tracks on the record are similarly repeatable and enjoyable, with “Hit The Ground Running” and “Why’s It Feel So Long” standing out among them. The dreary, almost depressing songs that used to intersperse songs like this on other albums of his are, thankfully, nowhere to be heard.

On “Thank You,” Urban pours his heart out to his new wife (Nicole Kidman, in case you’ve been living under a rock), and so ends the album with heartfelt hope and love in his music, just the way his fans love him best.

After listening to the whole album, you’ll soon realize Urban has, in fact, taken you on a journey of love and how he found happiness – from starting out looking to kiss a random girl, to thanking his wife for being in his life. It’s a happy journey that you’re glad to take with the singer and somewhat thankful he’s taken himself.

The country sound will definitely not please all listeners, so only go ahead with buying Defying Gravity if you’re after very light, easy listening, rock-tinged music.