Nothing Left to Lose

Album Review

If you were lucky enough to catch Mat Kearney's debut, Bullet, then you, like me, have probably been eagerly awaiting his follow-up. His blend of acoustic guitar and hip-hop, paired with deeply personal lyrics, reveals a level of honesty that can be hard to find in today's music scene.

The folksy "What's a Boy to Do" puts Mat's storytelling on display. Its account of a boy growing up without a father figure makes it one of the highlights on the disc. The title track, "Nothing Left to Lose," sounds like it could have come from Bullet. Don't get me wrong: it's still a great song, and it has even managed to get some radio play in certain markets.

As it turns out, though, Nothing Left to Lose, while still a very good disc, is disappointing in how much it retraces Mat's earlier steps. Six of its thirteen songs appeared on his previous effort. Those returning songs also make it easier to notice how strong the material on his debut was compared with some of the new tracks.

Mat Kearney fans may find that Nothing Left to Lose fails to break much new ground for either the artist or pop music. For all of Mat's effort, the album doesn't yield many new results. But it still makes for a pleasant listen.

His statement would have carried more weight if he had recorded an album of entirely new material. Still, I should probably quit harping on that and take it for what it is: a mellow rock album textured with folk and hip-hop, without a song worth skipping.

Here's hoping Mat can navigate a path through the world of commercial pop music. Do yourself a favor and pick up one of his albums, and catch him in concert if you get the chance. He is even better in a live environment.

Review by Anthony P. Hanna