Search - Keith Urban :: In the Ranch

Joalice M. from CROYDON, PA
Reviewed on 8/9/2006...

One of the first by this artist.

Those good ol' days...

DanD | 02/15/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Okay, so it wasn't all that long ago that Keith Urban had a little trio called The Ranch. However, after they broke up 'cause nobody heard their CD, Urban went on a solo career that brought him to superstardom.Ya'll know that bit. Here's the story you probably don't know: the wonderful music The Ranch made.Yeah, Urban's the frontman, but he isn't the only one. Drummer Peter Clarke and bassist Jerry Flowers add their own bits of talent, combinbing with Urban's guitar/ganjo licks into one musical, terrific sound. Now, even people who don't like KU will like this CD. Why? 'Cause it's more "country" than Urban's two CD's. It still has that rockin' edge that KU fans (like myself) enjoy, but it also has a traditional appeal...like, for example, "Just Some Love," a song that was taken right out of the cliched mid-90's. How about "Homespun Love" (I heard someone else singing this one on the radio recently, I think) about rednecks in love?For blues fans, there's "Ghost in This Guitar," a haunting ballad of a (white) student and his (black) guitar instructor in a racist town. For the rockibilly enthusiasts, there's "Some Days You Gotta Dance" (later massacred by the Dixie Chicks on their "Fly" album), about cutting lose, and the instrumental "Clutterbilly.""Walkin' the Country" and "Freedom's Finally Mine" have predominate rock sound. "Desiree", my personal favorite, is an emotional look at a man leaving a relationship because he's come to terms with the fact that his love is not reciprocated. "Man of the House" follows a similar vein. "Billy" is a rockin' look at a man who's doin time for murder, because the narrator of the song knows some things, "but no one ever asked." The remake of "Stuck in the Middle" is, dare I say, better than the original.There're some highs here, and there're some lows. Some of the lyrics will make you cringe; other songs, such as "Billy", "Desiree," and "Ghost in This Guitar" are poetry set to music. Urban's guitar licks are impressive; Flowers and Clarke are also superb performers. Why The Ranch didn't make it, I'll never know. But with this reissue, we get the chance to relive the past. Take the opportunity and buy this CD; and then maybe you'll know where Keith Urban is coming from."

Keith Urban - The Ranch

Tami King | Tucson, AZ United States | 11/26/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is highly overlooked in my opinion. It's a fabulous album. Why it never took off is beyond me! It is a wonderful album. I have everyone of Keiths Cd's and am so glad that I ended up adding this one to my collection. My favorite songs on this album are "Some days you gotta dance", "Walkin' the country", "just some love","homespun Love." They all are really good, but those are the ones I like the best. Don't pass this album up, it's truly a terrifc album that you will reach for again and again. Experience the early Keith Urban. This is where his real roots are. He will only continue to expand on this in the coming years. Lets make this one a platinum one for Keith!!!!!!!!!"