Customer Reviews

Young Love

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Dear Consumer,

Here are three reasons to buy this music:

1. I have found something worth hearing on every track. Be glad to know that this is one of those rare albums that is easy to listen to from beginning to end without touching a button - the kind of album you can put on your car stereo and listen to all week while you schlep back and forth to a job that is not your dream job.

2. You know how television shows these days love to use certain kinds of songs by certain kinds of bands in certain kinds of key moments to heighten the emotional impact of the story? Mat Kearney is a master of the TV show background song. If you find yourself generally liking the songs handpicked by the producers of the shows you're watching and you find yourself saying to yourself "nice song, I wonder who sings that" then you will find something to like on Mat Kearney's new album (and his previous albums for that matter).

3. Mat Kearney combines a catchy, atmospheric, pop-rock, Top 40 kind of sound with real singer-songwriter personality and depth, even if he borders on being a little too closely inspired by a few of his songwriting inspirations. Listen to the opening guitar lick on Kearney's "Young Dumb And In Love" and then cue up "Crazy Love, vol. II" on Paul Simon's GRACELAND. After listening to Kearney's "Rochester," switch to "Highway Patrolman" from Springsteen's "NEBRASKA." Hear any similarities?

FOR FANS OF: Cary Brothers, Coldplay, Snow Patrol, Springsteen, Paul Simon, anyone from Hotel Café

TOP TRACKS: "Ships In The Night," "Chasing The Light," "Learning to Love Again," Young Dumb And In Love," "Rochester"

FINAL GRADE: A

Sincerely,

Constant Listener

Mat Kearney has been through a lot in just a short while in the music industry. His original fans have been able to see the fluctuation of stardom that has came from his abilities as not only a songwriter and singer, but now as an entertainer. His debut "Bullet" and "Nothing Left to Lose," bred spoken word hip-hop with Coldplay esque rock ballads. It was harmony and a perfect way to introduce himself as an artist. His sophomore album, "The City of Black & White," aimed to be more contemporary and adult based. It was very laid back and relaxing music but missed Mat's originality that accompanied him with his debut. Many fans were disappointed in the exclusion of his hip-hop influence. "The City of Black & White" was still a great album, but it seemed as if he had something to prove to his fans with his third mainstream album, "Young Love." He has succeeded in making current fans happy while obtaining an entire new wave of listeners who are looking for outstanding music.

1.) Hey Mama - 5/5 - Absolutely one of Mat's best songs ever created. It's upbeat production is the perfect backdrop to Mat's lyrics and soul. One can listen to his love for his wife and what he is creating. It makes the song very inviting and catchy. It could be a song that goes under the radar for a while, but then makes a jump into the mainstream later, well after the album is released. Excellent song. Something that we might be surprised to hear after "The City of Black & White."

2.) Ships In the Night - 5/5 - Lyrically, Mat has always excelled. It's something that has kept his name in my playlists since I had heard of him while growing up in Eugene, Oregon. He is an exceptional songwriter. When he mixes great sounding melodies and choruses together it makes for a great harmony that excels from much of the other music that is currently on the airwaves. He's having fun with these first two tracks and it shows in vibe it creates.

3.) Count on Me - 5/5 - Another upbeat track that is once again single worthy. I can't stress enough the much welcomed style Mat has introduced back into his music. He's going back to his roots with these songs but has created music that can be considered pop without showing the desperation other artists fall victims too. "Count on Me" is another outstanding song from him that is probably going to be the favorite of the album for many.

4.) Sooner or Later - 4/5 - One could mistake this song from one that was included on his first LP, "Nothing Left to Lose." It's classic Mat Kearney and fans will love it. However, it feels as if we have heard this song before, but it shouldn't take away the greatness of the song, but for me it does a bit. If one were to google "Sooner or Later" song, there'd be unlimited results. I wish he would have separated himself a bit more here, but still, great song. The bridge is especially great.

5.) Chasing the Light - 4/5 - Another upbeat track that's production stands out. Execution wise, Mat tries to bring back his spoken word from his roots, but creates more of a sing song voice rather than actual "rapping." It is a toned down version of his style from his debut, but sounds even more fluid and comfortable. It's great that he feels that he can be creative the way he knows he can. It's a great song. The first five tracks are all repeatable, a great start.

6.) Learning to Love Again - 5/5 - Here he goes back to his contemporary style he drenched "The City of Black & White" with. It's a good song and it differentiates itself from the others quite obviously. It slows down the vibe of the album a bit, but it puts Mat's lyrics and voice center stage. Musically and lyrically, one of the best on that album.

7.) Down - 4/5 - The beat is sped up and produced "bigger" than the previous track on this one. It transitions well, because it isn't necessarily an upbeat song, but a faster and harder song than "Learning to Love Again." Again, this album is filled with phenomenal choruses and melodies. This one doesn't disappoint. The subject matter of this track takes Mat back to his roots as a Christian based musician, but is not overwhelming to the listener. Anyone of any religion can relate to the song due to it's lyrics not necessarily catering to one or another. It's about faith and most religion has faith beliefs.

8.) She Got the Honey 5/5 - This is a Mat that we haven't ever heard before. It's got swagger and a style that is not expected from him. It's a single worthy track. It has a tinge of reggae that makes listening to it create an atmosphere that is happy with good vibes. One of the best on the album. The songs that he writes that are influenced by his (now) wife seem to be the best on the album. His passion on these songs separates them a bit from others.

9.) Young, Dumb and In Love - 5/5 - If "She Got the Honey" had a reggae hint, then this track has a country vibe to it. It's another upbeat song. Great lyrics, great vibe. What else is needed?

10.) Rochester - 4/5 - A dedication to his father. It tells the story of his father and the way he came to produce Mat and his brothers. It's a great song that is heartfelt. It reminds me of Johnny Cash. In fact, one can argue that Mat borrows Cash's "Highway Patrolman" (originally written and performed by Bruce Springsteen). But Mat obviously adds his own meaning to it which can not be denied. A good ending to a phenomenal album.

It is great to see Mat shine with his latest. It's great music. Not because it is produced with the greatest pop makers, but because Mat shows his love for music with each and every song. The choruses stand out among the greatness, but also his passion and soul is unrivaled in current music. Call it a bias if you want, but this is the album of the year (maybe even the last 5) for me. 10 outstanding songs creating an album that will be on my Zune forever. I just hope that Mat gets the recognition and credit for one of the best albums of the last couple of years. Do yourself a favor and purchase this album and tell your friends to do the same.

I never write reviews on albums. Just figure other people will do that. One listen through this album and I figured I wouldn't be doing Mat Kearney justice if I didn't say something about his latest "Young Love". From start to finish it kept my attention. His lyrics are extremely personal yet absolutely relatable. Makes you feel better about life after listening. Honestly, who makes music these days that could make you say that. This dude is the real deal. Only wish there were more stars to award and more tracks to enjoy. Thanks Mat, freakin' amazing job.

Young Love is a catchy album. It makes you want to bop your head and sing along. I felt like I'd been pulled right into the music when Kearney started singing Hey Mama.

Out of the ten songs, eight of them sound similar. Not the same, but similar in this way: The background music seems to be the same. It's not made with instruments, but rather with equipment. It sounds like soft rock lyrics and singing mixed with rap background. It's a peculiar mix of genres, and I like it, but I feel like all the songs could be better if they all sounded different.

Hey Mama and Rochester were the exceptions. Hey Mama was lighter and relaxed and free sounding. Rochester was acoustic guitar and was a sad but sweet way to close an album.

If lyrics are important to you, you'll love this album. All the lyrics feel genuine and singable, and the story behind each one is worth listening to. I even after listening to it several times, I found myself listening to it the whole way through, and not skipping tracks. I liked all the songs.

All in all, I liked Young Love. I've listened to it a few times and I like singing along or listening in the car. I'd consider buying another one of Kearney's albums, or at least buy my favorite tracks off Amazon or I-tunes.

I have been a fan of Mat Kearney since I have seen him live on television. His music is so different then the stuff out there and it gives me hope that there are musicians out there that are about the music. This album is a blend of his two previous albums with some new twist and turns. Every song on this album is solid and can be listened to from beginning to end. I highly recommend this album; it will be a great addition to your collection.

If you like his previous CD (City of Black and White) you will enjoy this one too! Actually like most of the CD and feel anytime you purchase a CD that has 6 or more good songs it is a great purchase and this is one of those purchases.

Having previously heard and enjoyed other Mat Kearney songs such as Closer To Love and Nothing Left To Lose, I purchased this CD for myself. Good songs and songwriting, but I'm not sure it will make 'heavy rotation' because I'm not a spring chicken anymore. Still, Mat's songs and messages are uplifting for the young and the young at heart!!!

Most of the other reviews do a great job of describing the details of this album...but I simply had to add some thoughts, because this IS the best album of 2011 and I have listened to many others. It is extremely rare...probably less than 1% of all albums released have this level of quality throughout EVERY song. The combination of melody, voice and songwriting is superb. It is sad that he is not famous after this album. The final song about his father's life is one of the best you will ever hear in terms of brutal human authenticity. There are very few albums reviewed honestly on Amazon that have the percentage of 5 star reviews that this album has...and if you do yourself a favor and listen to it twice...you will know why.

It took some strong recommendations from a friend and the freedom to listen to music for free (thanks to Spotify) to finally just get me to listen to Mat Kearney. I heard he was really good and all, but I just never spent the time or money to check out his music until I noticed his latest release, Young Love, was doing rather well on the iTunes charts. I was sold after listening to some samples and was thankful for the opportunity to listen to it once I got Spotify soon after, and I've been totally digging this record ever since. After finally deciding to drop the $5 and purchase it on Amazon MP3 and listening to it several more times, I think a review is long overdue for this fun and (mostly) lighthearted album that just makes you feel good inside.

"Hey Mama" sets the tone that permeates many of these songs: one of lighthearted happiness and innocence, essentially. It's a catchy opening track that almost just makes me want to dance... and seriously, I'm no dancer. "Ships In the Night" quickly proves to be an even stronger track, though. It's hard for me to even describe why this song is so great; it just seriously hits all the right notes, Mat's falsetto in the chorus comes out so sweetly, and the rapped verses are simply golden. Next, "Count On Me" features some clever lyrics and infectious beats. After three solid lead-in tracks, "Sooner Or Later" comes in as my personal favorite from the record, though, again featuring some fantastic falsetto moments and hopeful lyrics that strongly resonate with me. These four songs give you a good feel for the ways this album simply thrives, basically with a soft rock style that feels refreshingly relaxed.

The rest of the album is rather strong, too. "Chasing the Light" is enjoyable and the acoustic-based "Learning to Love Again" effectively slows things down for a few minutes. "Down" is definitely an instant highlight with its gripping melodies and driving beats. "She Got the Honey" is almost as catchy and fun as "Hey Mama" and "Young and Dumb and In Love" also makes you just want to sing along. "Rochester" seems to pose a stark contrast to the rest of the album with its slower tempo and sadder emotions, but that's not to say it's a bad song. It's certainly moving and the lyrics even end with a touch of hope ("We're gonna walk right out into those heavenly fields / run like there was no more time to steal / my three boys and the grace of God revealed / knowing one day you're gonna take me out of here"), but it doesn't feel like the best way to end the album because the mood is so different from the preceding nine songs.

Young Love is catchy, fun, and upbeat despite the struggles it sometimes portrays. These songs are all musically strong and lyrically clever (the way Mat works with words is really quite impressive). If you want some music that's enjoyable, upbeat, laid back, and simply refreshing, Mat Kearney's latest is beyond satisfactory.

i hadnt heard of mat until i perused amazon...so glad i had time on my hands and clicked on his album. i just love the lyrics, beat, and up tempo of this album. give it a listen...you'll hear these songs in movies, and radio sooner than later. (i even got my 15yr old who loves avirl and 5fdp to liking mat...see...its a "WINNER"