Keith Urban – Page 12 – Country Universe

Album Review: Tim McGraw, <i>Two Lanes of Freedom</i>

February 15, 2013 Ben Foster 8

Tim McGraw
Two Lanes of Freedom

Though Tim McGraw’s music was among the best to be heard on country radio in the late nineties and early two thousands, recent years have seen his choice of material embarking on a gradual downward slide before bottoming out entirely with last year’s Curb Records swan song Emotional Traffic. With McGraw’s recent output being what it is, and with him now being in the clutches of Scott Borchetta, it’s hard to approach Two Lanes of Freedom with high expectations.

Concert Review: Carrie Underwood with Hunter Hayes

December 3, 2012 Kevin John Coyne 9

Carrie Underwood with Hunter Hayes
The Blown Away Tour
Prudential Center
Newark, NJ
December 1, 2012

There’s a desirable sweet spot in every big performer’s career where they finally have a large number of hits to fill out a two-hour show, a compelling enough current album to sustain audience interest between the hits, and the appropriate level of earned confidence to take some bold risks in staging and presentation.

Carrie Underwood just hit that sweet spot.

2012 CMA Awards: Staff Picks & Predictions

October 28, 2012 Tara Seetharam 38

While the rest of the country fixates on “Nashville,” the 46th annual Country Music Association Awards air live from Music City with equal drama and ridiculousness November 1 at 7 p.m. CST. The CU staff picked and predicted the awards below. Chime in with your thoughts, and check back for our live blog on Thursday night!

Entertainer of the Year

Should Win:

Jason Aldean – Dan, Ben, Kevin
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
Blake Shelton
Taylor Swift – Jonathan, Tara, Leeann

Will Win:

Jason Aldean – Dan, Ben, Jonathan, Kevin
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
Blake Shelton
Taylor Swift – Tara, Leeann

2012 CMA Nominations

September 5, 2012 Ben Foster 60

The list of nominees for the 46th annual Country Music Association Awards has been released. Eric Church had a big breakthrough this past year, and such is reflected in the nominee list – Church leads the pack with five nominations. Current favorite power couple Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert follow with four each, including a shared Song of the Year nod for their co-write “Over You.”

iPod Check: Most Played Song by Twenty Country Artists

August 12, 2012 Kevin John Coyne 24

Since bringing back Recommend a Track proved so popular, I’m resurrecting another CU oldie but goodie: the iPod check.

I’ve only recently discovered the Most Played feature on iTunes, since it never had any relevance until iPods were large enough in memory to sync all of my music. So going back to early 2011, I have a lengthy list of the songs I’ve played the most.

Single Review: Jake Owen, "The One that Got Away"

July 22, 2012 Kevin John Coyne 6

It took me until nearly the end before I realized who Jake Owen was reminding me of on this one.

100 Greatest Men: #47. Rodney Crowell

July 8, 2012 Kevin John Coyne 10

100 Greatest Men: The Complete List

First as a songwriter, then as a new country superstar, and currently as an alternative country icon, Rodney Crowell has made an indelible mark on country music for nearly four decades.

Single Review: Keith Urban, “For You”

April 25, 2012 Kevin John Coyne 12

I want to like this a lot more than I actually do.

“For You” does well enough for what it is, even though the production is a bit overblown, in a Bryan Adams kinda way. Urban is typically sincere, and there are some good attempts at pathos.

Top 40 Singles of 2011, Part Two: #30-#21

January 2, 2012 Kevin John Coyne 2

The countdown continues. Scroll down to the bottom to hear samples of each song and to share your comments!

Top 40 Singles of 2011, Part Two: #30-#21

#30
Revelation Road
Shelby Lynne

Individual Rankings: #5 – Jonathan

It’s not for nothing that Tammy Wynette once claimed that Shelby Lynne had the best voice in country music, but, as Lynne has become increasingly subdued in the latter half of her career, she’s rarely explored the full range of her vocal talent. So when she unleashes that voice for the first time in a decade during the coda of “Revelation Road,” it may not be revelatory, but it sure is a most welcome return. – Jonathan Keefe

Single Review: Keith Urban, “You Gonna Fly”

November 19, 2011 Tara Seetharam 15

In this aggression-heavy era of Eric Church and Jason Aldean, it’s easy to take Keith Urban’s brand of swagger for granted. It’s a little smoother around the edges, a little less gritty – but when he finds the right song to marry it to, it’s as natural and dynamic as any in the field.