Keith Urban - "'Til Summer Comes Around"
By: Bobby Peacock
When I reviewed Keith Urban's last single, I criticized him for releasing way too many shallow love songs in a row off Defying Gravity — indeed, "Sweet Thing," "Kiss a Girl" and "Only You Can Love Me This Way" were sorely lacking in the lyric department, although all three (especially "Only You") were redeemed to a certain degree by Keith's highly engaging vocals. (Okay, "Kiss a Girl" is still my least favorite song of his, but it's not terrible.)
For the album's fourth single, Keith has finally gone for something a little more substantial. In this song, the narrator is deeply let down by the end of summer, yearning for the girl that he met at the carnival. In the meantime, he waits for her to come back again. The chorus provides interesting little details, such as the two of them sitting on the ferris wheel as its car rocks, and the fact that he maintains the park's rides in the meantime; other details, such as the winter wind, only add to the melancholy feel. In some ways, it feels like a sequel to "Anything but Mine," my favorite Kenny Chesney song. The production and melody are appropriately somber, relying mostly on Keith's soft slide guitar licks and some soft organ fills. Urban steps up his game vocally (which says a lot), convincingly playing the role of one very heartbroken man.
As I said the last time I reviewed one of his songs, ballads have long been Keith Urban's forte, and "'Til Summer Comes Around" is no exception. In fact, I would say that it's a standout even among his many great ballads. Despite the recent influx of sad songs (e.g. "Why" and "Wayman's Song"), Urban easily has the momentum to get nearly anything to the top — even, and especially, a song that's this well-written and well-sung.
You can support Keith Urban by purchasing this single at iTunes | Amazon.
READER'S COMMENTS
Sam says:
Posted: Sunday, November 22, 2009
I do love both. In fact I own every album both have put out. And I recognize both have certain advantages. Actually I think dierks bently is lightyears above both thos guys vocally. That being said I even love this song and think he chose the right time to releases it. I just don't think Somone should rag on an insanley awsome artist that's just as good as urban when the reveiws are just being honest
Bobby says:
Posted: Saturday, November 21, 2009
Sam: Please, for the love of God, USE PUNCTUATION. That run-on took me ten minutes to decipher. Also, Matt is right. I don't dislike Keith Urban one bit; I just think that the first three singles from this album weren't quite up to par (even though I gave a generally positive review to "Only You Can Love Me This Way"), but I don't think that any of those songs were *bad*. As Matt said, "whimsy" isn't always a bad thing. i think that Keith is lightyears ahead of Brad as a vocalist (every time I've heard Brad live, he was pitchy, winded and muffled; his studio vocals often contain painfully obvious pitch correction, such as "every chance you *can*" in the otherwise-awesome "Letter to Me"), but I also believe that Brad is the better writer (except for "Then"), and that both men are great guitarists. Honestly, I don't see why people can't like both Brad and Keith, or both Carrie and Taylor. I do, even if I think that one has an advantage over the other in some department.
Sam says:
Posted: Friday, November 20, 2009
Dude your totaly lost when it comes to good music I've seen both Keith urban and brad paisley in concert and they are both great but American Saturday night sounds nothing like the world except maybe in the music ones a love song which you seem so fond about and the other is witty observations of this country which Rodney atkins and Toby Keith already proved can betaken to number 1 but till summer comes around isn't even a love song it's a song about the denial of a lost love and again the reveiwer gave it a good reveiw but you are trying to start somthing hating on one of my favorite songs ticks I like brads humor and keiths lyracal masterpeices they're both great isn't that allowed
MaeB says:
Posted: Friday, November 20, 2009
Matt...I was not starting a war...just giving my opinion as you and the reviewer did. You guys do the starting of anything by comparing artist's songs. I wasn't exactly talking about this particular review but others I've read on this site of Keith's. I wish I could see what all of you see in Brad, but I don't! ASN, to me sounds just like the World,just like THEN was very similar to his Everything to Me. If you could just see TSCA performed in concert..it is AWESOME. The radio cut doesn't do it justice. But you know maybe Keith will write something corny or about a piece of farm equipment on his next album and them maybe he will get some praise. What's wrong with love songs?? I'd sure rather hear a love song than something about ticks! I'm done and I'm out of here!
Matt B. says:
Posted: Friday, November 20, 2009
Maeb, I wrote the Paisley review and I REALLY enjoy Keith Urban's music. I have NEVER cut Keith down and neither did Bobby, The reviewer here. Please don't make a war between Brad Paisley fans and KU fans. They should be like their favorite artists, friends. The intro at the main page about this review is meant to get people to read it. Whimsy doesn't = bad. It's just we know Brad or Keith can and will do better than some of their singles. "ASN" and particularly "Welcome To The Future" are two of Paisley's best written singles, just like I think this song is for KU.
Sam says:
Posted: Friday, November 20, 2009
First of all paisley songs rock and American saterday night stand out among his current ones and second of all if you would tale the time to read it the reveiwer has nothing but good things to day about this song that being said it's one of my favorite songs of defying gravity would have loved hit the ground as well thought
MaeB says:
Posted: Friday, November 20, 2009
Til Summer Comes Around is so much better than Kenny's Anything But Mine or maybe I just love Keith's voice better than Kenny's. Sir, I read the review you gave on Brad Paisley's new song American Saturday Night like it was a masterpiece! It sounds just like all his other songs especially his The World, but I know you all think Brad can do no wrong and I just don't get that. His song Then was whimsy and it's been sung so many times before, but no you have to cut Keith down for doing what so many other artist do!! Will never understand that!
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