Country star Keith Urban released his third studio album Golden Road on October of 2002 via his label, Capitol Records Nashville. It showcases his songwriting ability, since the Aussie singer either wrote or co-wrote eight out of the twelve songs.
Itpeaked at #2 on the Billboard Country Album Charts, and as of September 22, 2005, it has been certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Thanks to its commercial success, Urban was crowned the 2004 Country Music Association's (CMA) "Male Vocalist of the Year," and in 2006, he was honored with his first Grammy for the moving tune "You'll Think of Me."
Singles from the CD
The debut single was "Somebody Like You," which is one of the most successful songs of Urban's music career, since it spent six weeks at the top of the Billboard Country Charts, and he accompanies himself on guitar and banjo.
The second single released was the soothing ballad "Raining on Sunday." Although this song did not reach the top of the charts, it features his mellifluous vocals.
The third single was his up-tempo tune "Who Wouldn't Wanna Be Me," and it was followed by "You'll Think of Me," which deals with a failing romance.
Noteworthy Cuts
Aside from his radio singles, several other cuts are equally remarkable. "You're Not Alone Tonight," written by Urban, contain vivid imagery in which he reassures his significant other that she should not feel lonely.
"You Look Good In My Shirt" is a fun and catchy and was included in his Greatest Hits collection; moreover, it was released as a single in the summer of 2008.
One of the highlight is "Song for Dad," which is a fitting anthem for fatherhood. He reveals that throughout his childhood he may have not always had the best relationship with his father, since he felt that at times that he was hard on him, however, now that he is grown up, he realizes how much he was loved by him, and aspires to be exactly like him someday.
It closes with the inspirational "You're Not My God," where he confronts addiction, which may be in the form of money, alcohol or drugs, and makes a statement that he is not giving in to temptation.
Particularly impressive about this CD is that Urban includes a hidden track entitled "One Chord Song," which is a brief, yet captivating tune.
The Verdict
In summation, Golden Road is one of the most compelling albums of Urban's career, and it showcases his talent as a vocalist, songwriter and instrumentalist, better than any of his previous musical works. He connects well with his audience and sings with maximum emotion and soul.
For more information on Urban and his music, visit his official website.
Markos Papadatos - Markos Papadatos holds over six years journalism experience, authoring over 700 articles, many of which are feature profile interviews.
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