Genre: Mainstream Rock/Pop
Length: 11 Songs
Year: 2000
CC Rating: **** (out of five)
Matchbox Twenty can certainly claim a fair degree of dominance in the 90's rock scene. With the release of their first album, Yourself Or Someone Like You, the quintet from Orlando defined the energy and guitar work that became creedal in modern rock afterwards. The disc sold over ten million copies in the US alone, so expectations from fans for America's premiere mainstream rock group were high in 2000 when their second effort, Mad Season, emerged.
The disc gets off on the right foot with "Angry," using all the tools present to get a solid, catchy acoustic rock feel. Using plenty of instrumentation and electrics, matchbox twenty adds something to mainstream rock that had been regrettably absent through much of it's existence: melody.
The highlight though is lead vocalist Rob Thomas's emotive yet powerful singing and heartfelt lyrics. Even though Mad Season is dominated by themes of the loved and lost, Thomas sings out his blues with compelling energy and even optimism (reaching his most convicting moments in "Leave" and "Bent"). Thomas is so in command of his craft that even when the songs perhaps plateau in freshness, his words are rang out with irresistible force. You truly leave Mad Season with the impression that, however raw and broken, these words are straight from the author's heart.
Mad Season's plenteous melodies and smart guitar work will delight fans of the genre, but the overall mellow feel will likely bore hard rock enthusiasts. Still, "Mad Season" represents some of the best in mainstream rock, and it's a must listen for fans of this style.
