Keith Urban - Fuse

Urban has never been afraid to mix his country music with other influences. That eclectic approach—combined with his high profile marriage to Nicole Kidman, with whom he has two daughters—has helped to make the 45-year-old artist a bona fide crossover star. For his seventh studio album, Urban pushes the boundaries even further, blending electronic elements with organic music. “I’ve always had a deep, deep fascination with the fusion of roboticism and human elements,” admits Urban. “Those things fused together are very appealing to me.” So while Fuse has bushels of mandolins, acoustic guitars and six-string banjos, there are also oodles of drum machine and sequenced keyboard parts. Highlights include “We Were Us,” a driving duet with Miranda Lambert, and “Raise ’Em Up,” a stirring collaboration with Eric Church about toasting the good things in life. Another song that strays from typical country is “Even the Stars Fall 4 U,” a thumping number that uses a spiffy pop production style. Living up to his surname, Urban is injecting city sounds into his vibrant brand of country.