Keith Urban Announces Long Awaited New Album 'High'
'High' was born out of a “prior record,” with Urban scrapping a previous project he found “musically limiting” in 2022.
Keith Urban (Source: Supplied)
It feels like forever since we’ve heard a new album from Keith Urban.
His most recent album, The Speed Of Now: Part 1, was released in September 2020. Over the last year, he’s been teasing songs for his forthcoming album, dropping Straight Line, the current radio single Messed Up As Me, and his collaboration with Lainey Wilson, Go Home W U.
Now, Urban has released another single, Wildside, and announced that his long-awaited new album, High, will drop via EMI on Friday, 20 September.
About Wildside: Urban’s latest single is a party song loosely based on Joan Cusack’s character in the beloved 2003 film School Of Rock.
He explained in a press release, “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.”
You can check out Wildside below.
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High was born out of a “prior record,” with Urban scrapping a previous project he found “musically limiting” in 2022 and going somewhere different.
“At the time, I was on tour. I’d do a concert, go back to Nashville to record, do a concert and come back to record, and over again,” he explained. So, I thought I’d call the album 615. That’d keep me on track – focused and disciplined.”
However, “There was no continuity. The songs didn’t work well together. I learned that what I thought was a framework to create within turned out to be musically limiting.”
On Instagram, he added, “This album is the result of a prior record I started in 2022. It’s 40 minutes top to bottom, and is completely expressive, true, honest and is so much more of what I actually wanted to say when making that scrapped record. I hope these songs bring you joy, levity, some new understanding, energy, and escape!”
Urban says that his latest album is inspired by “living in the moment” and finds his high—“a place of utopia”—in his family, friends and his musical journey.
“I’ve always been drawn toward the subject of living in the moment because it’s all there is, and it’s hard to do,” Urban said. “And these days, with so much ‘content’ flying at us, it can feel like drinking from a fire hose.
“What makes you ‘high’ can mean whatever you want it to mean,” he added. “It might be physical, spiritual, herbal, meditative, chemical or musical, but it’s definitely a place of utopia.”
He continued, “For me, it’s my family, my friends, and this rollercoaster musical journey I’m on. Playing guitar, writing songs and the place where I always feel high – playing live. Every night, I get a chance to bring an energy and a release to people.”
You can pre-order/pre-save High here.
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