Keith Urban - Be Here

Keith Urban has been a consistent presence in the Top Ten of the country singles charts since 2000, scoring eight consecutive entries as of the release of his third U.S. solo album, Be Here, the eighth being the disc's leadoff track, "Days Go By." And there's plenty more where that came from. Unlike most other country artists, Urban doesn't restrict himself to ten selections from the Nashville songwriting establishment for his albums. This one contains 13 songs at a generous 55-minute running time, and Urban's name is on nine of them as a co-writer. Thus, the collection can be viewed as more of a singer/songwriter effort than the usual Music City product. From that point of view, the album has a distinct storytelling arc, beginning with the carpe diem sentiments of "Days Go By" and continuing into a series of songs that celebrate life and love, notably Rodney Crowell's unabashedly romantic "Making Memories of Us," which finds Urban doing his best Crowell imitation. Suggestions of struggle begin to intrude as of "God's Been Good to Me," however, and eight songs in Urban abruptly changes the sound and the mood with the piano-and-strings weeper "Tonight I Wanna Cry," a song this reformed drinker confesses in his press materials that his sponsor might not approve of. "She's Gotta Be" picks up the pace, if not the mood, and Matraca Berg and Jim Collins' "Nobody Drinks Alone" brings the singer to a sodden rock bottom before he changes the subject by covering Elton John's "Country Comfort" and finally overcomes adversity in "Live to Love Another Day," then rewrites the album's opening song to look forward again on the album-closing "These Are the Days." The album-length story of optimism and perseverance in the face of romantic turmoil and alcoholic temptation is told musically with Urban's usual collection of fast-picked string instruments, including electric and acoustic guitars, banjo, mandolin, and Dobro (the last played by Bruce Bouton). It's a muscular sound indebted at least as much to rock and bluegrass as to traditional country, but it supports his light, flexible tenor and his essentially upbeat message. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide

Name Credits Adam Ayan Mastering Andrew Southam Photography Andy Ackland Digital Editing Armen Garabedian Violin Berj Garabedian Violin Betsy Cook Management Bob Peterson Violin Brady Barnett Engineer Bruce Bouton Guitar (Steel), Dobro Bruce Dukov Violin Charles Stegeman Violin Charlie Bisharat Violin Chris McHugh Drums, Percussion Chris Rowe Digital Editing Chris Thile Mandolin Christiév Carothers Stylist Dan Huff Mandolin Dan Smith Cello Daniel Caudill Stylist Daniel Smith Cello Dann Huff Mandolin, Guitar (12 String Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Producer Darin Murphy Booking David L. Robinson Assistant Engineer David M. Robinson Assistant Debra Wingo Hair Stylist, Make-Up Denise Jarvis Art Producer Denyse Buffum Viola Drew Bollman Mixing Assistant, Assistant, Assistant Engineer Endre Granat Violin Eric Darken Percussion Evan Wilson Viola Gary Borman Management Greg Lawrence Assistant, Assistant Engineer Jeremy David Cottrell Assistant Engineer, Assistant Jesse Amend Assistant Engineer, Assistant Jimmie Lee Sloas Bass Jimmy Nichols Synthesizer Strings, Keyboards, Piano Joanna Carter Art Direction Jonathan Sparks Assistant Engineer Jonathan Yudkin Cello, Fiddle Josephina Vergara Violin Julian Peploe Design Justin Niebank Mixing, Engineer Keith Urban Mandolin, Handclapping, Guitar (12 String Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Producer, Guitar (Acoustic), Vocal Harmony, Soloist, Slide Guitar, Banjo, E-Bow, Vocals (Background) Kevin Pickle Assistant, Assistant Engineer Larry Corbett Cello Mark Hagen Engineer Matt Chamberlain Percussion, Drums Matt Funes Viola Michelle Hall Art Producer Mike "Frog" Griffith Production Coordination Natalie Leggett Violin Paul Buckmaster Arranger, String Arrangements, Conductor Paul Bushnell Bass Paula Hochhalter Cello Peter Kent Violin Rachel Stegeman Violin Robert Matsuda Violin Roland Kato Viola Rudy Stein Cello Russell Terrell Vocals (Background) Sara Parkins Violin Scott Kidd Assistant Engineer, Assistant Steve Churchyard Engineer Steve Genewick Assistant Engineer Steve Nathan Piano Steve Richards Cello Steven King Accordion Suzie Katayama Orchestral Coordinator, Cello Tim Akers Accordion, Organ (Hammond), Organ, Piano, Keyboards Tom Bukovac Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Guitar, Wah Wah Guitar, Slide Guitar