North Matchbox Twenty

• 1 Parade 04:12
• 2 She's So Mean 03:52
• 3 Overjoyed 03:06
• 4 Put Your Hands Up 02:53
• 5 Our Song 03:01
• 6 I Will 04:03
• 7 English Town 04:37
• 8 How Long 02:45
• 9 Radio 03:02
• 10 The Way 03:18
• 11 Like Sugar 03:47
• 12 Sleeping At The Wheel 03:48
• Total Runtime 42:24

Info for North

North is Matchbox Twenty’s first original album in ten years, since the release of More Than You Think You Are in 2002. Since then, Rob Thomas has focused on his solo career, and the band released their retrospective album Exile on Mainstream. So with such a long time in the making, fans of Matchbox Twenty would have high expectations of the new album. However, North may not live up to the fans expectations.

The album begins with “Parade,” a generic Matchbox Twenty song that is sure to become a classic. This is what my expectations were for the rest of the album. “She’s So Mean” is the first single off the album, which anyone who listens to commercial radio stations would have heard being overplayed. It is extremely catchy, and will only take a few plays to know every word to the song. After the upbeat “She’s So Mean,” “Overjoyed” unexpectedly slows the pace down. It sounds like it would have been a typical break up song; however the lyrics are sweet and is sure to be a fan favourite.

This is where the album changes. “Put Your Hands Up” is an upbeat single that features voice distortion mics. It is more of a dance mixed with pop/rock song and an example of the band experimenting with a new genre of music. This track had me hoping that the remainder of the album wasn’t going to follow suit. “Our Song” definitely kept me worrying; however it was an improvement on “Put Your Hands Up.” The chorus is very catchy, with a beat you can clap along to and the phrase “this could be our song” repeated, making you want to sing along.

After the two upbeat songs, it’s a relief to hear “I Will.” It starts off as simple acoustic guitar, with interesting lyrics that are telling a story rather than trying to be catchy. Ballads like this are often filler songs on albums; however “I Will” is a standout track, perhaps because it isn’t overly commercial and overdone. “English Town” starts off with soft piano; however the strings are an unexpected feature in the chorus, and build after the third verse. “How Long” came across as being produced better than some other songs, even if the lyrics are a bit predictable. “Radio” has a 1950’s feeling with a catchy hook in the chorus. (“We know its right; we heard it on the radio”). “The Way” is confusing as you quickly realise it’s not Rob Thomas singing, in fact it is guitarist Kyle Cook. He is a surprisingly good vocalist that perhaps should feature in more songs in the future. “Like Sugar” is an interesting mix of keys and guitars, however like their other songs, the chorus is catchy. “Sleeping At The Wheel” completes the album. It is another slow, downbeat song that perhaps should have been earlier in the album, as “Like Sugar” had a stronger ending.

Overall the album does experiment with new directions, and doesn’t have songs as strong as hits that have been released in the past. Fans of Matchbox Twenty will definitely purchase it, however it may take a few plays to grow on you. (Sarah Wykes, theaureview.com)

Rob Thomas, lead vocals, rhythm guitar, piano
Brian Yale, bass guitar, backing vocals
Paul Doucette, drums, percussion, backing vocals
Kyle Cook, lead guitar, banjo, vocals

Matchbox Twenty (originally spelled officially, and still sometimes known as Matchbox 20) is an American pop rock band, formed in Orlando, Florida, in 1995. The group currently comprises Rob Thomas (lead vocals, piano), Paul Doucette (drums, rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Kyle Cook (lead guitar, backing vocals), Brian Yale (bass guitar), and touring drummer Stacy Jones (drums). Matchbox Twenty rose to international fame with their debut album, Yourself or Someone Like You (1996), which was certified 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 double platinum in the United States. However, it was not as successful as the previous two albums, despite its singles receiving significant airplay.

The band then went on hiatus in 2004, and rhythm guitarist Adam Gaynor left the band in 2005, after performing on the first three studio albums. As a result, Paul Doucette took over rhythm guitar, and the band reunited and released a compilation album, Exile on Mainstream, in 2007, which was certified gold in the United States. After the release, former Push Stars drummer Ryan MacMillan filled Doucette's vacated drum spot. Matchbox Twenty then took another hiatus, but reunited again in 2010. The band released North, their fourth album, on September 4, 2012 which made it its debut at number one on the Billboard 200. Read more on the homepage...

Booklet for North