If you know what to listen for, you can hear Keith Urban's late father all over the star's new record, Ripcord. Bob Urban was a drummer, his son explains, so his rhythms are not only apparent in the songs, but in the artist’s soul.

“His very strong rhythmic influence on me as a kid has been more and more apparent to me,” Urban tells The Boot. “This is a guy who was just bangin’ on stuff all the time — dashboard of the car, table at home during breakfast — and I find myself doing the same thing."

He says he often doesn’t realize he’s doing it until his kids join in.

“My kids start banging on the table and looking at me and they’re doing what I’m trying to do,” he explains with a laugh.

Urban’s dad also influenced the music he listened to — and still does — which seeps into his musical choices.

“Don Williams’ records I grew up listening to, ‘cause of my dad," the singer says. "Those records have that strong down beat, back beat, and little in-between rhythmic thing."

“That sounds like my childhood,” he adds, smiling.

The simple arrangements are also a result of Urban’s father’s impact. “On a song like 'Blue Ain't Your Color,' it’s a very stark minimalistic way of recording, which really comes from those records that Don and Garth Fundis did, they’re really incredible albums. To go back and listen to those, which i do very often, is to be reminded of just how little you need,” Urban says.

Another track that is likely influenced by his father’s rhythmic stylings is “Gone Tomorrow (Here Today),” which is also lyrically inspired by his father’s recent passing. It’s an up-tempo, almost EDM-style track about living in the present — one Bob would surely be proud of.

Ripcord officially drops May 6.

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