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Mad Season

Artist: Matchbox Twenty
Genre: Alternative
Year: 2000
Rating: 7 / 10

Sometimes the music-loving public gets spoiled, and we almost come to expect artists to churn out albums each year. That is what made Matchbox Twenty's situation all the more frustrating. Nearly four years after the release of the multi-platinum debut, Yourself or Someone Like You, Matchbox Twenty finally rewarded its fans' patience with the May release of Mad Season. This eagerly-anticipated follow-up is no match for its predecessor, but it does offer some sparkling gems and more hope for the future.

Fans often judge an album by the strength of the songs released to radio, and, in the case of Yourself of Someone Like You, this approach proved wise. With Mad Season, the members of Matchbox Twenty clearly are hoping for a similar effect, as mainstream hit "Bent" and its follow-up, "Black & White People," slowly crept up the pop charts. Looking at so small a sample will invariably short-change the album and the artists, which is why it is important to look at the entire album.

One song stands out above all others for me, and that song is "Rest Stop," representing a style completely different (with the possible exception of "Kody") from anything heard to date. While this creativity is definitely welcome, it merely serves as a benchmark that the rest of the album is unable to meet. It would be unfair to expect Mad Season to produce the number of hits that were delivered by the band's initial album, and the new album is certainly not in that league. There is no "3am" and there is no "Real World," though the album may be more consistent as a whole. Is there a song that makes a fan want to pull this album off the shelf? Barring "Rest Stop," probably not, though I nonetheless find myself running through the album again and again, grateful for its continuity.

Did Matchbox Twenty ever truly leave the public consciousness? Thanks to lead singer Rob Thomas' collaboration with Santana on "Smooth," Matchbox Twenty has, in essence, been on the airways nonstop for over three years. It might seem discouraging to spot a slide in a band's second album, but that is where one must manage expectations. Unlike fellow debut sensation Hootie & the Blowfish, Matchbox Twenty did not try to reinvent itself, but rather, followed with a slightly different take on a formula that had already proven successful for the band. Will Matchbox Twenty learn from its alternative cousins, or will it simply start to slowly fade? Tune in in a couple of years to find out…

Submitted 7/5/00.