Matchbox Twenty “Exile on Mainstream” on Melisma/Atlantic Records

by Susie Salva 

6 brand new cuts pleasing their strong fan base, entitled "Exile on Mainstream." Th CD has debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200, while also premiering at #1 on SoundScan’s current Alternative Album chart. With 131,000 sold the first week, this marks the biggest first week of the year for a greatest hits collection.

As an aside, the album’s title pokes good-natured fun at the group’s tremendous popularity while playing off of the classic Rolling Stones album, "Exile on Main Street." "There’s a sense that somehow a band like us should be apologetic for making music for the masses," says lead singer Rob Thomas. "But I think it’s great that we can hit a chord that means something to us and means something to someone else too. That’s what it’s all about."

The albums first single, "How Far We’ve Come," merges apocalyptic lyrics with memorable, up-tempo choruses. Doomsday never sounded so good. "There’s no reason it can’t be sexy," claims Thomas about the end of the world discussed on the song.

The other new tracks include the promises of being a better person on, "I’ll Believe You When," discord in a faltering relationship on, "All Your Reasons," the heartbreaking ballad, "These Hard Times," the awe-inspiring "If I Fall," and finally the bluesy ballad, "Can’t Let You Go." One trait remains constant is Matchbox Twenty’s fairly pessimistic view of life. "Not happy, not happy," jokes guitarist Paul Doucette when reviewing the lyrics to their songs. "But that’s always been this band. We’ve always done more uplifting melodies with really downer lyrics."

 

When not working on the new material, the band selected the 11 songs for the greatest hits portion – which they decided to present in chronological order to trace the band’s musical evolution. The result is one of those rare greatest hits sets that really is all greatest hits – every song was a chart-topping single, and every one has a companion video. Included are such smashes as, "Push," "3am," "If You’re Gone," "Bent," "Disease," "Unwell," "Real World," "Back2Good," "Mad Season," and "Bright Lights."

Recorded in Los Angeles, these six new songs embody a central change for the band, with all of the group members writing the songs together at once. This is in contrast to Matchbox Twenty’s past three multi-platinum albums, where lead singer Rob Thomas wrote the lion’s share of the material, with his bandmates adding their parts later. This time, guitarist Paul Doucette, guitarist Kyle Cook, and bassist Brian Yale were included for the beginning, and the collaborative effort spawned a distinctly new sound on the tracks.

Matchbox Twenty was named Best New Band in the 1997 "Rolling Stone" Readers Poll, and they followed the enormous success of "Yourself Or Someone Like You," with two more multi-platinum sets – 2000’s "Mad Season," and 2002’s "More Than You Think You Are." Among their many accolades are five Grammy nominations and three American Music Award nominations, while Rob Thomas has earned three Grammy Awards on his own, with 11 BMI Awards and has twice been named "Billboard’s" Songwriter of the Year.

"I still hear ‘3am’ on the radio at an alarming rate," says Thomas. And that suits him and his band mates just fine, "Listen, my goal is to be this weathered guy who everybody’s like, ‘Oh, I grew listening to you.’ I think that’s the coolest thing in the world."

Now, with some 30 million records sold to date, Matchbox Twenty’s decade-long collaboration comes full circle on, "Exile on Mainstream," celebrating the past and looking ahead to a new beginning for the next generation of fans. Together, the members of Matchbox Twenty are focused on their future, and are looking forward to their first tour in four years along with the prospect of a full album of all-new material down the line. Pick up the new disc and you’ll find a photo album of the band’s early days up until present. It’s worth the sticker price of the disc.