After great success with his sixth studio album "Some Mad Hope," Matt Nathanson has proven to be one of the best, most dedicated, and most independent artists in music currently. He has gotten great recognition on VH1, appearing in TV specials like "The 100 Greatest Artists of All Time" and "The 100 Greatest Songs of the '00s." He also made it big with his hit single from "Some Mad Hope," a ballad called "Come On Get Higher" that also received a lot of praise on the VH1 Top 20 Video Countdown in 2008.
His seventh album, "Modern Love," will be a smash for Nathanson's fans, but if it were to be recognized by a more mainstream audience, people would find that it is a flawless CD of 11 near-perfect tracks that soothe the soul and get you bopping, and I'm not just saying this because I'm a fan of Nathanson's music.
The first song on the CD, "Faster," is a hip, cool rock 'n' roll tune that inspires the style of classic 80's Bruce Springsteen or George Michael, with Matt singing about a girl that spikes his blood, brings on all-night noise, and makes his heart beat faster and faster. A very catchy song that is a great opener on the album. The same style of "Faster" can be applied to "Mercy" and the title track "Modern Love," which are equally as catchy.
Some of the best songs by Nathanson on the CD are the ballads, and let me tell you, these are the types of ballads that inspire pure emotion and maybe even a tear now and then. The "Come On Get Higher" of the album is "Run," a sexy and raw collaboration with Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush. The voices of Nettles and Nathanson blend so well together, and their lyrics certainly get the juices flowing. Other highlights include "Kiss Quick," "Love Comes Tumbling Down," a beautiful song with an irresistible melody, and "Room at the End of the World."
One song, "Queen of (K)nots," shows a darker edge to Nathanson that he doesn't show much on the album, singing about a love that was "sweet turned to sour." I prefer the mellow, happy side of Nathanson, but this song is also a stand-out.
The main theme of the album is obviously love. But it also says something about loneliness, and the idea that maybe the relationship that this performer sings about can't last forever, but the time spent together should be embraced. It's time for Matt Nathanson to be lifted away from VH1 fame and into the more mainstream ears. Check out "Faster" and "Run" after the conclusion of this review.
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