Young Love is the fourth studio album from Nashville singer-songwriter, Mat Kearney. It was released on August 2, 2011, although some who pre-purchased the album through Mat Kearney's site received it as early as July 29, 2011. On May 1, 2012, a deluxe edition of the album was released with five bonus songs and a video for "Ships In the Night".
Promotion
Over the months leading up to this, Kearney released several videos of his studio sessions. These videos revealed that this album features the rap style that could be heard on Nothing Left to Lose but not City of Black and White. Kearney described it as being a "return to innocence." Blinking Lights and Intimate Things was considered as an alternate album title.
Singles
The album's first single, "Hey Mama", was released on May 10, 2011 as a digital download. The album's track listing, artwork, and release date were revealed on June 13, 2011.
Critical reception
AbsolutePunk's Craig Manning said of Young Love that it "will reach the same level for me as the other two, but for now, it stands as one of my favorite records in what has been an extraordinarily strong year for music, and a big part of the soundtrack to my summer. If Kearney's next three records are half as good as these three, he'll be one of those guys I follow for a long time. Here's hoping."
Allmusic's Jared Johnson said of Young Love that it "could be considered his arrival record, finding the right flavor of hip-hop, adult alternative, and classic storytelling...comes off much like the opening weeks of a relationship, where moments bounce between earnest and playful, heavy and light, but each ultimately memorable in its own way...a noteworthy release that reveals more layers the longer you listen."
Alt Rock Live's Jonathan Faulkner said that it "may go down in history as being one of his best ever"
''CCM Magazines Matt Conner said' "the one element that separates Mat Kearney from the typical troubadour pack is his affinity for rap, hip-hop, and groove-induced arrangements, which blends tightly with sparse sound and his spiritually-charged songwriting...[and] Young Love [was] (a title inspired by his recent marriage)."
Christian Manifesto's Ryan Spooner said it "is engaging, authentic, accessible and fun. I’m out of touch with what’s on top 40 radio these days, but I’m pretty sure Kearney makes the kind of stuff that belongs there. And unlike a lot of that material, if Kearney’s music came on the dial I’m pretty sure I’d turn it up – whether I had heard it before or not."
Christian Music Zine's David Huey said it "is definitely more of a pop album than how he began his career. The acoustic guitars rarely make an appearance...You know how some pop albums feel like every song is exactly the same song with different lyrics? Young Love doesn’t give you that. I’m not the world’s biggest pop music fan, and I was able to listen straight through without wanting to skip around. This is definitely a positive album, rather than a Christian album. If you’re looking for vertical worship music, this isn’t what you want. It’s still good quality pop music that’s much more in line with what’s currently popular than the majority of the Christian pop albums out there...This isn’t a personal favorite of mine, but the pop loving crowd should be all over this."
Christianity Today'''s Ron Augustine said "the singer-songwriter attains his highest production values yet, resulting in a summer record that people of all ages and faiths can enjoy."
Cross Rhythms Neil Fix said "It would probably be fair to say that they mostly have a pop rock base, particularly the drums, which a friend described as tribal; but there is a lot more than that in them."
Jesus Freak Hideout's Jerold Wallace said it "is another solid release from one of the industry’s best talents. The album does not have many direct references to Christian themes, but it does manage to avoid any clichés with solid songwriting from beginning to end. The sound remains very similar to the previous releases, but with a bit more polish and confidence. None of the tracks seem to be flippantly thrown in to clutter the album; they are all significant inclusions and worth a listen."
Jesus Freak Hideout Nathaniel Schexnayder said it "works just fine in its own niche, I can’t help but wonder how the final result would have sounded if the album would have featured a little more the very best of what Kearney offered on previous efforts. Throw in the discretion that should accompany all of those who pick up the album, and you are left with a good project that falls short of being great."