Matchbox Twenty points ‘North’

by Erin Gerken

North to a New Matchbox Twenty Album

“Yeah, you want her,” and chances are you will want the new Matchbox Twenty album, “North” when you hear it. The album, which dropped on September 4, features 12 songs, including the band’s catchy and enticing new single, She’s So Mean.

The record features many different sounds not typically heard from the group, including “The Way.” This song showcases the vocal talents of guitarist Kyle Cook rather than standard lead singing Rob Thomas, who has had various successes as a solo artist with songs like “Lonely No More.”

My personal favorite is “Like Sugar,” a song which Thomas and drummer Paul Doucette described as a combination of “Dr. Dre and Depeche Mode” among other things during their album premiere interview with Sirius XM’s station The Pulse.

“English Town” and “How Long” are other personal favorites of mine, along with the only real ballad on the record, “I Will,” which tries to showcase the feelings and emotions felt in a relationship where one of the partners has Alzheimer’s.

The last song featured on the album, “Sleeping at the Wheel,” is the perfect song to end with and is an excellent demonstration of the typical Matchbox Twenty and Thomas sound, almost reminiscent of their past hit single, “Unwell.”

The album is the band’s second comeback and definitely does not disappoint. “She’s So Mean” has already been picked up and put into standard rotation by many major radio stations.

There is also a deluxe version of the album featuring two additional songs, “I Believe in Everything” and “Straight For This Life.”

Be sure to check it out on Spotify, or purchase it from iTunes, Amazon, or the local Indianola Wal-Mart.