Matchbox Twenty has released a vibrant album after a 10-year hiatus.
Fans of the group will find that “North”, the fourth studio album, has been worth the wait. It is everything you would expect from the group, and so much more. This album is more meaningful, and stronger than ever.
The band, which formed in the 90’s in Orlando, FL., continues rocking after 17 years — and with five Grammy-nominations under their belt.
Their new album includes the energetic “Put your hands up” that will make you want to actually put your hands up and start dancing. My favorite, the beautiful and simplistic “Overjoyed” includes the lyrics: “Then maybe if you hold me baby/ let me come over I will tell you secrets nobody knows/ I cannot overstate it/I will be overjoyed.” It is about the journey of a relationship and how special it can be. It represents the essence of Matchbox Twenty.
Their first single, “She’s so Mean,” has proven that their pop/rock sound remains true to who they are. There’s nothing like a rant about incredibly mean girls. Lyrics like “She’ll make you take her to the club, but then she leaves with her friends/ She likes to stay late at the party cause the fun never ends/ And all her clothes are on the floor, and all your records are scratched/ She’s like a one-way ticket cause you can’t come back” are incredibly clever and it’s just a fun song to listen to.
Every song delivers on this 12-track album, and Matchbox Twenty manages to make every track sound effortless. Listeners will be singing along without even realizing it. They have the kind of songs that get stuck in one’s head, and for good reason.
Lead singer, Rob Thomas, drummer Paul Doucette, and guitarists Kyle Cook and Brian Yale have spent the last decade (aside from a mini album released in 2007) working on independent projects. Doucette wrote film music and worked with his other band, The Break and Repair Method, while Cook worked with a band, the New Left. Thomas worked on solo albums like the Grammy-nominated Something to be and Cradlesong.
New fans may want to check out the band’s older albums. One of their past albums, Exile on Mainstream, is a great one, with hits like How far we’ve come, and These hard times.
Matchbox Twenty has proven that they have what it takes to stick around another 17 years —and continue heading north.
Sidebar:
Here are five of their most popular songs to check out:
1. These hard times
2. 3 AM
3. Bed of Lies
4. If you’re gone
5. Push
