Matchbox 20 never quite broke up. Rather, they simply faded away. One day, they were ubiquitous, the next, they just weren't there and they stayed hidden for the better part of a decade, cobbling together a hits album and accompanying tour in 2007 but taking their time crafting their fourth album. A full ten years separate 2012's North and its predecessor, More Than You Think You Are, a decade gap that seems slightly shorter due to Rob Thomas' pair of solo albums and also in how Matchbox 20 pick up where they left off, spending only the briefest amount of time reckoning with pop trends that have surfaced since their last record (i.e., the disco-rock pulse of "Put Your Hands Up" and a few groove-oriented cuts that betray the influence of Maroon 5). But that doesn't necessarily mean North is a relic of the new millennium, sounding like everything else the band's ever done. Remarkably, Matchbox 20 has lightened up with age, whittling away any excess and pretension, winding up with their first album that could truly be called pop. It's a big, bright, shiny record anchored with odes to the radio and partying, its few love songs sweet and easy, not tortured. At times, the slick muscular melodicism of North recalls prime Third Eye Blind more than Matchbox 20 -- hooks are always pushed to the forefront, everything is wrapped in alluring gloss -- but Thomas possesses a warm vulnerability that always eluded Stephan Jenkins, and Matchbox 20, as a whole, is coolly, expertly professional, turning out immaculate AAA pop that still manages to have personality. True, North feels more 2002 than 2012 -- something that may hurt its commercial potential, as there are far fewer outlets for this kind of pop in 2012 than there were in 2002 -- but Matchbox 20 has never made a record as cheerful or appealing or satisfying as this. Matchbox 20 never quite broke up. Rather, they simply faded away. One day, they were ubiquitous, the next, they just weren't there and they stayed hidden for the better part of a decade, cobbling together a hits album and accompanying tour in 2007 but taking their time crafting their fourth album. A full ten years separate 2012's North and its predecessor, More Than You Think You Are, a decade gap that seems slightly shorter due to Rob Thomas' pair of solo albums and also in how Matchbox 20 pick up where they left off, spending only the briefest amount of time reckoning with pop trends that have surfaced since their last record (i.e., the disco-rock pulse of "Put Your Hands Up" and a few groove-oriented cuts that betray the influence of Maroon 5). But that doesn't necessarily mean North is a relic of the new millennium, sounding like everything else the band's ever done. Remarkably, Matchbox 20 has lightened up with age, whittling away any excess and pretension, winding up with their first album that could truly be called pop. It's a big, bright, shiny record anchored with odes to the radio and partying, its few love songs sweet and easy, not tortured. At times, the slick muscular melodicism of North recalls prime Third Eye Blind more than Matchbox 20 -- hooks are always pushed to the forefront, everything is wrapped in alluring gloss -- but Thomas possesses a warm vulnerability that always eluded Stephan Jenkins, and Matchbox 20, as a whole, is coolly, expertly professional, turning out immaculate AAA pop that still manages to have personality. True, North feels more 2002 than 2012 -- something that may hurt its commercial potential, as there are far fewer outlets for this kind of pop in 2012 than there were in 2002 -- but Matchbox 20 has never made a record as cheerful or appealing or satisfying as this. false 2023-02-23 17:15:10 10 2012 2012-09-04 2012-09-04 42 Alternative Rock Pop Rock Power Pop Rock Soft Rock 112373 2153545 8b664a37-403a-4a96-a040-246f0a16d964 75af9d25-cf32-49c0-9192-60bd8e9784e6 1b6c629c-9920-4678-a578-8f78bb5558f6 Matchbox Twenty AlbumArtist Matchbox Twenty Artist Matchbox Twenty Matchbox Twenty 1 04:11 2 03:52 3 03:06 4 02:53 5 03:00 6 04:03 7 04:37 8 02:44 9 03:01 10 03:18 11 03:46 12 03:48 Matchbox Twenty (also known as Matchbox 20 and MB20) is an American rock band formed in Orlando, Florida, in 1995. The group currently consists of Rob Thomas (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), Brian Yale (bass guitar), Paul Doucette (drums, rhythm guitar, backing vocals), and Kyle Cook (lead guitar, vocals). Matchbox Twenty rose to international fame with their debut album, Yourself or Someone Like You (1996), which was certified 12× Platinum (diamond) in the United States and multi-platinum in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. Their second album, Mad Season, released in 2000, charted in the top three on the Billboard 200 and was certified 4× Platinum in the United States. Their third album, More Than You Think You Are, released in 2002, was certified 2× Platinum in the United States. The band then went on hiatus in 2004 after rhythm guitarist Adam Gaynor's departure. As a result, Paul Doucette took over rhythm guitar when the band reunited in 2007. They released a compilation album, Exile on Mainstream, which was certified Gold in the United States. After the release, the band toured to support it. Matchbox Twenty then took another hiatus while Thomas resumed his solo career but reunited again in 2010. On September 4, 2012, the band released their fourth studio album, North, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. Their fifth, Where the Light Goes, was released on May 26, 2023. AtlanticEmblem Records