Modern Love

Personnel: Zac Rae (guitar, baritone ukulele, keyboards, glockenspiel, drums, percussion, programming); Kristian Bush, David Levita, Aaron Tap, Michael Chaves (guitar); David Moyer (woodwinds, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone); Danny T. Levin (trumpet, flugelhorn, trombone, euphonium, alto horn); Chris Miller (tuba); Rainman (keyboards, programming); Ben West, Brandon Bush (keyboards); Jason McGerr, Shannon Forrest, Aaron Sterling (drums, percussion).
Audio Mixer: Mark Endert .
Recording information: Bespin Studio, Los Angeles, CA; Decibelle Recording, San Francisco, CA; EMI Studios, Santa Monica, CA; Pulse Studios, Silverlake, CA; Southern Tracks, Atlanta, GA; The Bank Recording, Burbank, CA.
Photographer: Max S. Gerber.
Before the success of "Come On Get Higher," Matt Nathanson always seemed stuck in half-famous limbo, faithfully championed by a small group of fans but unknown to pretty much everybody else. Things changed when "Come On Get Higher" became his first platinum-selling single in 2009, earning props from American Idol and Sugarland (who covered the song on the deluxe version of Love on the Inside) along the way. Nathanson keeps things consistent on his follow-up release, Modern Love, making relatively few changes to the blend of singer/songwriter balladry and smooth, sanded-down pop/rock that made his previous album a hit. This may be the guy's first record as a semi-star, but the glossy production and A-list cameo by Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles are the only signs that Nathanson has traded up, leaving behind the world of singer/songwriter anonymity for a slightly more mainstream place. Otherwise, he charts a steady course on these 11 songs, which should sound pleasantly familiar to returning fans. ~ Andrew Leahey