No complaint can be made about Mat Kearney's third studio album, Young Love. The Oregon native singer-songwriter has done it yet again, writing 10 fantastically addicting songs that range from slap-happy pop tracks to raw and unfeigned folk ballads. And best of all, Kearney is coming to The Jefferson Theater Sept. 20 for one of the first stops on his "Young Love" tour. Luckily for tableau, Mr. Kearney took some time to give a little insight into what went into creating this superb record
Your music ranges from pop to folk to even a hint of rap; how would you label your style?\nThat's always a hard question. I definitely meander into many genres on my records, but I'm a songwriter first. I'm really moved by rhythm and groove and so I guess that's where a lot of the beats and spoken word come from.
Why do you consider yourself a songwriter first?\nI don't really know how to do anything else. Songwriting for me just comes from pouring my heart out to myself, and it's almost therapy in dealing with the world and with life. But I think in that process, you come across these songs that are despair yet hope, pain yet redemption, and I think those kinds of things exist throughout my music because they are very dear to my heart and my experience in life.
Your lyrics often show Christian influence - how would you describe this element of your music?\nMy faith is a huge part of why I write music - it's just a huge part of my life. It forms how I view relationships and situations, and so I guess it comes out in these songs because I'm honest in the way I feel about life and what I experience. It's hard because when I write, I don't just write for people who share my view of life and metaphysical matters. But it's impossible to keep it back because for me; it's what makes life beautiful.
You've explained the single "Hey Mama" as the story of your first encounter with your wife. Is that the experience that inspired this album?\nFalling in love with another human being is huge - and deciding to spend my life with another is an undertaking that filled up a big space in my life in a beautiful way. But I think when you decide to walk out a journey with another person, you're instantly forced to deal with all the junk of both of your pasts to make the future work. I think that's sort of what Young Love is: falling in love, but also looking back at this time when you lost some innocence coupled with a desire to reclaim some of that innocence.
What is the most significant experience you've encountered during your musical journey?\nI have a box of letters that people have given me over the years talking about a moment when my music was something special to them. This wasn't what I set out to do, but it's why I do it now - to be some sort of encouragement to people.
What did it feel like to wake up on the day Young Love was released and see your album sitting at number one on iTunes?\nVery surreal. I didn't have time to prepare - it was just like "Bam!" I shed some tears and called everyone. It's just amazing to work so hard on something for so long and then have it be received so well.
When I was looking at your iTunes page, it suggested I look at an iTunes Essentials album entitled "Soccer Mom Chillout." Thoughts?\n(Laughs) I have no idea how they come up with those playlists, but I'm down. I fully embrace the soccer mom chillout group playing my songs.
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