Style: Acoustic rock; compare to Amos Lee, Jason Mraz, John Mayer
Top tracks: “Ships in the Night,” “Hey Mama,” “Count on Me”
Mat Kearney found a quick start in the Christian hip-hop scene, but over the past few years has made an effortless leap into secular acoustic/pop-rock. On Young Love, the singer-songwriter attains his highest production values yet, resulting in a summer record that people of all ages and faiths can enjoy. His music has never sounded as crisp and catchy as it does here. The lyrics don’t explicitly reflect Kearney’s Christianity, but nothing indicates a stray in his ideology. On “Down” he tells a story of fallen individuals, and in the chorus reminds listeners that “we all need forgiveness.”
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