Album Review: North

B+

Matchbox Twenty are back with their fourth studio album North. As someone who has all Matchbox Twenty albums in their iTunes library, I had high expectations for North before I heard it. It’s the first album with all new songs since 2002 for the band so I was quite excited for the album to come out, and, overall, North gets a better than average score for being what Matchbox Twenty does best.

My first reaction to North is it combines the mainstream rock sound of Matchbox Twenty, which we’ve heard for the past decade, and Rob Thomas’ softer style from his solo career. I could distinguish between the two following the release of Exile on Mainstream (Matchbox Twenty) and ...Something to Be (Rob Thomas’ solo album) in mid 2000’s. However, North brings these two sounds together, and, complete with all new songs, this mash up is what makes the album good. North sounds more mature than Matchbox Twenty’s previous work and there are moments which show Matchbox Twenty have definitely learned a thing or two after being in this business for more than 15 years.  

North starts with Parade, which is classic, radio friendly Matchbox Twenty, and I like that the album starts on such familiar ground as it eases us back into the band following their absence. Overjoyed reminds me more of Rob Thomas’ solo album, as it is slower and more soulful, concentrating on lyrics rather than beat and tempo. Then, the two different sounds are bought together in She’s So Mean, which was also the first single Matchbox Twenty released off the album. It’s that feel good song which they generally release first, you know, like How Far We’ve Come, but this time about an upbeat track about a girl who doesn’t quite return the feelings.

Matchbox Twenty do their usual thing on North where all the songs sound a bit different, mostly upbeat and easy to listen to, but they conceal darker lyrics. Put Your Hands and She’s So Mean are good examples here. It’s something we’ve seen throughout all of Matchbox Twenty’s work (think Push off Yourself or Someone Like You). This technique is, however, nicely combined with the maturity from the band, seen in songs such as Like Sugar and I Will. They show how the band has grown over the years and talk about the cynical nature of love which comes with growing older. I like that these songs have a slightly slower tempo, rather than completely being masqueraded under a pop track.

Overall, North is a good album to listen to and it has all the right elements. Matchbox Twenty have never been a band to push boundaries and they don’t here. Apart from sounding a bit more mature, North gives us the Matchbox Twenty we know and love.