"Closer to Love" by Mat Kearney
Note: We focus on reviewing songs, and therefore cannot comment on the appropriateness of the album in its entirety. Please use your best judgment whenever purchasing or listening to music.
The Artist
Mat Kearney was born in Eugene, Oregon, on December 1, 1978. Mat is a Christian and a former youth pastor. He got involved in music later than most and didn't write his first song until he was halfway through college. He didn't let that stop him, though. Kearney moved to Tennessee in 2001 and began writing songs for major Christian artists like ZOEgirl and The Katinas. By 2004, Mat received a solo recording deal and was nominated for the Gospel Music Awards Newcomer of the Year. Mat later signed with Aware Records, a secular organization that liked his marketable songs and his resemblance to Coldplay. In 2006, he released his first mainstream album, "Nothing Left to Lose," which made the top 50 on the American charts. But Mat's career really started to take off when his songs began to be featured on TV ("Grey's Anatomy," "Scrubs," "Kyle XY," etc.). After spending the last 3 years on tour, Kearney returned to the studio to produce "City of Black and White."
The Album
Kearney's style is a mix of alternative rock and British pop that is very similar to Coldplay, but with a little less rock 'n roll. His music is mellow while remaining upbeat. "City of Black and White" is not an evolutionary step for Kearney's music, though it does represent a change in his lyrics. According to Mat, “At its core, this record is about community—finding it and losing it. There’s definitely the theme of this traveling/sojourner/vagabond kind of guy landing in the midst of people that he loves, and who love him—guy/girl, musician, old people, all of that. It feels as if the traveling sojourner of 'Nothing Left to Lose' has found a home, a group of companions, and a love. "Many of the songs deal with what happens after that—after someone digs roots, allows himself to fall in love, to clasp arms with a brother, to dig in through high moments as well as the painful ones. It speaks of vulnerability more than distance—a place where someone can be pinned down to perseverance and heartbreak.” In other words, Mat Kearney is growing up.
The Song
“Closer to Love” is a mellow song, with a powerful beat reminiscent of OneRepublic that goes well with a catchy little piano riff. Matt Kearney does a great job covering the wide vocal range of this song without any weak spots. “Closer to Love” is an ambiguously Christian song that can be interpreted in several ways.The heart of the song is laid out in the first verse. Lyric: She got the call today, one out of the gray And when the smoke cleared, it took her breath away She said she didn't believe it could happen to me I guess we're all one phone call from our knees As hard as that is for a lot of people to believe, this is absolutely true for all of us and even more so for Christians. We are all just a phone call away from finding out a good friend has HIV, a parent has died of a heart attack, or that we didn't get accepted to college. Life happens, and it is not all a bed of roses. As Christians, we have a different perspective on the tragedies and hardships of life in two ways. First, we believe that tragedy, hardship, and persecution are going to be part of our lives as Christians. We should be expecting this kind of thing. “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” (1 Peter 4:12-13) We should never say, “I did not believe it could happen to me,” because the Bible tells us that it will happen to us. But this is not a bad thing because our faithful suffering will help us to identify with Christ and will fill us with joy when He returns. Which brings us to the second thing that we know about tragedy from the Bible. “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (Romans 8:28, NLT) Whatever it is that happens to us, whatever life throws at us, we know that God is going to use it for our good! That is God's promise to those who love Him and are called to serve Him. God accomplishes this promise, in part, through the comfort and healing ministry of His Holy Spirit and through the ministry of His people, the church. We are called to minister to the hurting people of this world, to share with them the Good News of Jesus Christ, to let them know that if they place their faith in Christ, God will work all things to their benefit and for His purpose. Have you been so stuck in a tragedy that you felt you couldn't get out? Have you watched another person sinking without raising a hand to help? Or are you on the lookout for people who really need God right now?
Questions
Your opinions are important to us. We would love to hear your answers to our questions in the Comments!
- What did you think of this song?
- Have you ever been through tragedy in your life?
- Was it unexpected?
- Did God use it for your good? How?
- Have you watched other friends go through hard times? Were you able to help? How?
Lester Chambers Jr on Sep 11, 2009 said...
I love this song, my mom died of breast cancer last march and I was really brought to my knees because I loved her so much and she was my best friend. It was expected by others that she would die, but i believed for her healing almost until the day she died. God has showed me that although she died he is still a good God and I believe that he gave me more time with my mom then she really had left to live.God mercy endures forever and I will always be thankful to him for giving me such a wonderful and beautiful mom!!!!