Customer Reviews

Nothing Left to Lose (Reis)

5 star:		(58)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Mat's unique combination of acoustic folk, spoken word, and hip-hop beats take the listener on a trip they never want to come back from. Beautiful, deep, meaningul lyrics that touch the depths of your soul. Give Mat Kearney a listen- it took me a few times to truly appreciate the magnificence of his talent, but now I can't get enough. He is amazing live too! I just saw him do an acoustic performance with only him and a guitar- it was perfect!

Mat is destined to go very far if he gets enough exposure. This is very unique music that is some of the best I've heard in quite some time.

If you've been watching TV recently, chances are that some of the songs from this album will sound very familiar. With his music appearing on hit shows like Grey's Anatomy, Kyle XY, Laguna Beach, Without a Trace and others, Tennessee based Mat Kearney is well on his way to cult status, and when you listen to this album you'll soon see why.

His music is an unusual combination of pop, rock, gospel, and hip hop, with swelling choruses, insightful and intelligent lyrics and songs you'll want to hear over and over again. "All I Need" (previously heard on Grey's Anatomy) is a poignant piano-backed song based on a couple evaluating their relationship during the height of the destruction of Hurricane Katrina, but notwithstanding this, the high point of the album is the song "Nothing Left to Lose", a song that Coldplay would have snapped up in a minute.

The first track "Undeniable" has R&B roots, and sounds not unlike the Jamie Foxx song "Unpredictable", except that the lyrics are more poetic, an example being:

"How am I gonna take it away in this winter wind
You found me on a summer breeze
How am I gonna run away when the autumn breaks
Now that you found me in the spring"

There are no bad songs on this album, although there are a couple of tracks that sound very similar and perhaps a few too many slow ballads. The other songs to watch are "Crashing Down"; "In the Middle"; "Can't Break Her Fall", and "Where We Gonna Go from Here"

Listen up for more Mat Kearney, coming soon to a TV near you.



Amanda Richards, April 27, 2007

The quality of Mat Kearney's debut "Bullet" blew me away and set high expectations for this album. Mat doesn't disappoint, with every track here as memorable as anything on his first album. Even though six of the tracks also appear on his debut, this album is a great purchase for new and old fans. Kearney's refreshing blend of adult alternative, hip-hop, and folk make him stand out as one of the best the music industry has to offer. Combine that musical style with sincere, Chris Martin-like vocals and personal, thoughtful lyrics, and you have Mat Kearney.

Undeniable - 9/10

Nothing Left To Lose - 10/10 - A safe choice for the first single, this song is great from beginning to end, showing Kearney's vocal range and biographical lyrics

Crashing Down - 10/10 - "What am I doing here/If you're not with me/What have I got to live for/If it's just my own dream/Take it back to the beginning/Back to the start/When gravity's pulling/You're still holding my heart" Outstanding chorus that I could listen to over and over and never get tired of

Girl America - 7/10

In The Middle - 9/10 - The version on this CD is different from the one on "Bullet." It's better produced and I like it more than the old version.

Can't Break Her Fall - 9/10 - Great song, great instrumentation, great feel

What's A Boy To Do - 9/10 - Mat writes excellent lyrics and his delivery is spot on

Wait - 9/10 - An example of Mat being spiritual and revealing, while staying away from preaching and clich?s, something he does very well that sets him apart from other artists under the Christian label

Bullet - 10/10 - The production on this one is a bit different from the one on his debut

All I Need - 10/10 - A touching piano-centric ballad. The melody, the lyrics, and the vocals are perfect. Quite possibly the song that will end up being my favorite off the album, the honesty and directness remind me of Coldplay's "The Scientist."

Renaissance - 10/10

Where We Gonna Go From Here - 9/10

Won't Back Down - 9/10

Saw Mat in Richmond, VA as the opening act for Train. At the time, we had never heard of him. After his set, he went to the souvenier table and signed autographs to any and all. Even had giveaway postcards to promote this album. I got one signed and later heard his music on a number of TV shows (The Unit, Grey's Anatamy, etc). I bought the album here at Amazon and have really enjoyed listening to his distinctive style of music. Very easy listening with a simple straight forward approach. This album is the type you can listen to over and over.

I first saw Mat Kearney in concert opening for Shane & Shane about 2 1/2 years ago. I'm a huge Shane & Shane fan but I have to say I was so blown away by Mat that he totally stood them up! He truly is a beath of fresh air plus the fact that he sounds like Coldplay is definitely cool. I picked up "Nothing Left to Lose" today and was rather disappointed though - perhaps this is my fault though. I thought this "new album" was all new songs but it wasn't - half of them are from "Bullet." I should have read it in the store but I was so excited that he had a new album, I just picked it up and bought it. It was worth it though. Just felt like someone should warn others... it's not totally new. I still think Mat is GREAT though... I am sure next time the new album will be all new. My guess is that this new one was by a new record label and marketed to a different crowd... perhaps some of his prior hits 'Bullet,' 'Undeniable' and 'In the Middle' just had to be shared with these new fans too! I saw him on "Good Morning America" weeks ago too... so kudos to Mat!

after watching mat's first single on VH1 over and over again, i've grown to love NOTHING LEFT TO LOSE. it's a very soft spoken and uplifting song that is truly nice to listen to.

so i figure i'd go ahead and get his album. of course i was expecting the same kind of style he did on NLTL. very john mayer/coldplay ish.

to be honest, i didn't even know he blended hip hop into his songs until i heard the first song off the album, UNDENIABLE. at the time i sorta regretted getting the album because i hardly EVER listen to hip hop and rap. but i decided to give the guy a chance and i listened to the entire album. it definitely took some time to getting used to, but instead of listening to his songs as hip hop tracks, i paid attention to his lyrics, which really made it a lot more appreciative. now his album has been playing on my mp3 player for the past month!

mat is now on the top of my best new artist list. i hope that he receives the exposure he deserves!

It's nice to see true artistry get recognized every now and again. Mat Kearney's music has been under the rug for far too long; his new release on Aware records is a breath of fresh air.

The tracks are really, really tight. I'm sure that the studio musicians were well paid. Each and every sound on the record is perfectly captured and reproduced; the production quality is stellar. Piano and guitar tracks weave together producing a lush backdrop for Mat's lyrics.

The lyrics convey at once both an unddertow of angst and a comforting reassurance that things will be alright in the end. I appreciate the various references to boyhood and manhood; Mat's treatment of the intricacies of defining one's self is honest and real. While he does not provide explicit answers to the problems he writes about, there is a certain amount of comfort I find in his acknowledgement of the situation, as if the shared emotions and cognitive process is perhaps more helpful than hearing someone who thinks they have it down pat.

The only negative aspect of the record, in my opinion, is the selection and order of the songs. Each and every track is amazing, but there seems to be no bigger picture, no metanarrative that knits the songs together. Thus, the album is a collection of good songs, but it doesn't necessarily flow from beginning to end. I felt that the second half of the record had several "false endings," somewhat like the third Lord of the Rings movie, where I expected the disc to stop spinning, but instead heard five more songs. This, however, is not a large detriment from my enjoyment of the music.

Nothing Left to Lose comes with my highest recommendation.

I miss Mat's beard, though.

Picked this up from the production department of the agency I work in (labels are always sending upcoming releases in hopes that we'll license the music for TV commercials...). I don't think this is going to sell any Mazdas, but it'll be a crime if this top-notch debut doesn't break out on the radio.

Mat Kearney's sound isn't particularly unique - it's basically a mash-up of Coldplay, Jack Johnson, and vintage G. Love - but it feels natural and his singing/rapping is solid, particularly on the opening "Undeniable" and the rocky "Bullet". The production is textbook new-millenium sensitive-guy pop-a good match for these songs, though it might have been nice to see Kearney push it at least a LITTLE bit here and there.

However, this record is so well-done that it's hard to fault him. There's really not a bad track on here. The lyrics aren't triggering the suck-alarm either, so that's another plus. I have a feeling that music critics are going to attack this album like a bunch of raging pit bulls - mostly for the Coldplay resemblance - but don't let that dissuade you. Give the first track a listen, and if it's your kind of thing, the rest of the album delivers in spades.

Nice job Mat. Good luck...

The first time I heard Mat Kearney was on A&E's Breakfast With the Arts. I was flipping channels, and heard this soft and sweet voice delicately intertwined with an acoustic guitar. It immediately attracted my attention, and I was downloading him on iTunes before he was finished singing. It was that captivating.

So I ge the CD, and the first song that I fell in love with was "Where We Gonna Go From Here." It's sweet and soulful. It's everything I want my music to be: raw, emotional, poetic, and smart. He seems very secure about what he wants to deliver.

However, there is an element that I don't understand on his album, and that is his foray into Hip-Hop. Yes, he not only sings like an angel, but he raps. This is where he loses me. And it's not that I don't like rap...(ok, it has to really, really be good) but I just don't see why he needs it. He's got an amazing vocal delivery when he sings.

It doesn't hurt that he's easy on the eyes.....but I expect Kearney's album to sell well. I think if you listen to acoustic music, definitely give it a listen. He reminds me of Luka Bloom. And remember, he raps, too.

Mat Kearney is an artist who in my opinion is the very definition of talent. While "Nothing Left to Lose" is primarily acoustic-driven, Mat is able to blend piano, spoken verse (rap), hip-hop beats, and soaring pop choruses into something really refreshing and extraordinary.

Clever and emotional lyrics resonate throughout this amazing disc. Stand out tracks are 'Undeniable', 'All I Need' (brilliant track), 'Where We Gonna Go From Here' (I just LOVE the toy piano overlaid with the chorus), and the track that showcases his musical genius, 'Nothing Left To Lose'.

My highest recommendation and I feel the finest CD of 2006!