Mat Kearney's Young LoveReview

I was first introduced to Mat Kearney by my best friend, Teresa. She is very involved in music, and we have very similar musical tastes. Every month on her Web site Hotel Cafe Junkie, she chooses a new artist to spotlight. So it was through her I discovered Mat.

Mat's new album, his third, Young Love, debuted on the #1 spot on iTunes Album and Rock charts and is currently sitting at #7!

Propelled by the sunny handclap and catchy hook of hit single "Hey Mama", Young Love is quickly making listeners fall for Mat all over again.  Check out the video for "Hey Mama" here. 

If you aren't familiar with Mat's music you've probably heard some of his previous hits on your favorite TV shows.  Past songs have appeared on 30 Rock, Grey's Anatomy, The Hills, Friday Night Lights, Scrubs, NCIS, and numerous other television shows.  Mat's been winning over crowds on tours with everyone from John Mayer and Sheryl Crow to Keane and The Fray.


Mat's style is varied. He is popish and folkish and also does a little bit of rapping! I know!! My favorite songs are Ships in the Night and Sooner or Later. I am a big lyrics person, and Mat write wonderful lyrics. His tour starts Wednesday, so check him out in  town near you!



I was sent a copy of Mat Kearney's Young Love CD from theO2O network for the purposes of this review. No other compensation was received. All thoughts are my own opinion.

Kaleidoscope Heart is in stores now!!

If you have ever heard Sara Bareilles before, then your ears are in for a real treat!! I have been a fan of hers for a very long time, since her (and my!) Hotel Cafe days, and i am sooooo excited that her second studio album has just been released. The first single, King of Anything, has been out for awhile. It is very peppy and high energy, yet the lyrics are very real and grounded. You can watch the video here as well as a few of her other videos.

Here is some info on the album, in Sara's own words:

Kaleidoscope Heart is my new album, and I’m beyond proud of this collection of songs, in no small part due to the fact it was like pulling teeth to write them. ...

As the time passed, I slowly started writing again, and truly amazed myself with just how horrible the songs were. And then the fear set in.
I think I fell victim to what a lot of artists go through with a second record: the expectations, the pressure, the anxiety of what’s to come, the idea that maybe I’ve already written my best work…
Weeks before I was supposed to start recording, I was in full-scale panic-attack mode, feeling pressure to start the ball rolling again, but not having material I cared about. I only had about 4 new songs that I really loved, and the rest were truly embarrassing. Thankfully, over a margarita, my good friend Matt said something profound and poetic that made it all come clear:
He said, “You can’t polish a turd. A bad song is a bad song. Ask for more time.”
And so I did.
My manager suggested only recording the 4 songs I loved and I agreed. Thank God he did, because the floodgates opened after a taste of what being in the studio would look and feel like. It was easy, and exciting, and infinitely inspiring. I wrote the rest of the record in about a month, largely based around the song “Uncharted” that still feels like the centerpiece to me. My fear of what was to come was keeping me from doing anything. And finally, I cared about what I was saying.
As homage to the song that freed me, I took the title of the record from its lyrics...


I can’t wait to see these songs come to life.
I can’t wait to reconnect with fans from the stage. I can’t wait to see how many times the word “Kaleidoscope” gets misspelled.
I can’t wait to get on the ride again.

Watch Sara on the Today Show!

I am anxiously awaiting my CD to arrive in the mail (YES I am old skool that way!!!) but you can instantly download the album on MP3 for $9.99 on Amazon. You can also get to the CD from Amazon for $9.99 as well.

I hope you all buy her CD - you will not be disappointed!!! And if she is touring in a city near you, go see her! She is AMAZING live!!