A few years ago, Nashville artist Matt Lovell had just finished his debut album "Nobody Cries Today," and was preparing to release his heartfelt creation. However, just a few months after he finished the recording process, he was carjacked, shot, and left for dead. In a miracle of grace under pressure, Matt was able to run and scream for help, and a bouncer at a nearby bar - who happened to have just finished an EMT program - stabilized him until the ambulance came.

After a difficult process of physical recovery along with several years of therapy to deal with the onset of PTSD, Matt is back and ready to take on the world. He is a resilient, Southern gay man, with a voice like velvet and a harrowing story to tell. The first single from his new album is called "90 Proof," and recalls when he was what he refers to as a "singer/songwaiter," working at a high-end restaurant in town. He was getting over a lost love, and the song kept coming to him in spurts while he was at work - he found himself constantly running to the bathroom to record voice memos of the melody. We are glad he was able to save this Soul-inspired heartbreak from the pages of forgotten memory, because it perfectly captures the moments of indecision and emotional vulnerability that always follow a bad break-up. "90 Proof" is an endearing, roots-flavored ballad served over a triplet shuffle that showcases Lovell's stunning vocal delivery and instinct for Gospel-flavored melodic embellishment.

I would call you up one last time
But you would say I'd lost my mind

This song is featured on our Roots Collection playlist.

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