I suppose they could be considered one of
those bands that everyone loves to hate. Generally, this is because it is true that they've a similar tone and feeling in most all of the songs on "
Yourself or Someone Like You", even though they *did* try to push through that with songs like "
Busted", which is quite brooding and angry. Despite the fact that they never seemed to achieve any overwhelming fame, their first album did end up going
platinum ten times over between the year it was released (1996), and now (2000). I guess it did better in Australia then it did here.. either way, it really got them crazy amounts of recognition. (You'll recognize
singles from this first album if you listened to the radio ever:
3 am,
push,
back 2 good, etc.) My personal favourite off the first album is "
hang", which didn't really go anywhere on any charts, but it's still kind of dreamy.
They've been thrown into the "rock" genre, as well as pop from time to time, and
alternative pop/rock. It's actually kind of hard to classify them, especially after this most recent album, which I have now..
I get a lot of flack from people for actually liking this group, though I couldn't be sure why because despite the fact that their first album leaves something to be desired in
the diversity department, they are pretty good. It's easy to listen to, some of the lyrics are even pretty potent if not simple.
Simplicity is nice, sometimes.
They put out their second album (this year, 2000) with a sort of twist on a play or theatre production of sorts.. it's called "
mad season by matchbox twenty". I think they're trying to drop the "20" and replace it with the word now, too. Apparently,
Mad Season is already doing really well, and I have to say it is probably considerably better than their first effort. The first single, "
Bent", is okay, but it didn't impress me.. "
Bed of Lies", and "
If You're Gone", are much better and probably won't make it to singles because they're not very 'catchy' or pop'y.. they're nice, though.
I guess I should note the band members.. right, yes, here we go:
Rob Thomas writes most all of the
lyrical content, and even that has improved with this new album.. he attributes that to his new bride. (Ohh oh, he's married, crushing the hopes and dreams of crazed teen girls everywhere. :p) So, yes, I admit it.. I like one of "those" groups.
Take that, universe.