KEITH URBAN - Wildside - A Hit Red Records/Capitol Records Nashville

With a substantial buzz growing the heightened anticipation of Keith Urban’s next album, his first full-length in four years, the official announcement that HIGH will be out in September moved the needle to a deafening level as his current single “Messed Up As Me” continues to land strong impact at country radio.

Alongside the excitement of the album announcement, Urban also gifted fans with another piece of the 12-track project, “Wildside.”

With the innovation you’ve come to expect in the risks that he’s consistently been willing to take within each next layer of his career, the changing chord progressions of the songs build intriguingly grip the senses while also highlighting his signature flares as he stretches the boundary lines to expand the familiarity of his overall sound.

Loosely based on Joan Cusack’s Rosalie Mullins character from The School of Rock, Urban says on the inspiration for the song, “She’s the principal of a school by day, all prim and proper. And then, a few tequilas at night and all bets are off.”

Weaving the story of the good girl gone momentarily weekend bad, he first introduces us to her core character in the opening verse, painting the picture of her personality as being the Southern raised type who has always walked the line and was never reckless or crazy.

As the momentum pumps toward the chorus, teasing that she’s only “Little miss angel five days of the week,” he smirks into the punch of a hip popping groove that immediately has you dancing while he leans into stark descriptives that tell of who she is on those other two days of the week:

“She knows how to shut the sun down

Light up all of downtown  

Danger on the dance floor, Good Lord                         

Takes a man to handle

Gotta hold tight 

‘Bout to be a mile high

She’s bringin’ out her

Alabamalicious, supernova

‘Til the night is over

Wildside Wildside”

Impressively shifting melodically for a third time in as many minutes, the quicker pace and slick guitar licks embedded into the second half of the song expertly match the racing of his heartbeat as he confesses that she’s got him completely mesmerized.

While “Straight Line,” “Go Home W U,” and “Messed Up As Me” have all craftily set the anticipation level of things sill to come later this year, “Wildside” is the carefree, summer banger that becomes a playlist favorite during these warmer weather months and easily earns the tag as the song of the summer.

(Review Written By: Jeffrey Kurtis)

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