Matchbox Twenty - Exile On Mainstream
Has it really been five whole years since Matchbox Twenty released their last new material? I suppose with lead singer Rob Thomas’ solo album helping to bridge the gap it didn’t seem that long, but gosh. Here’s hoping for a shorter time span between ‘Exile On Mainstream’ and their next true major release.
‘True major release?’ Yeah, this isn’t a full album of brand new music. You could call it a greatest hits package with several new tracks, or a new EP with all their old hits bundled in for good measure. I’m not sure how to classify it. Six new tracks is a bit overkill for a ‘Hits’ album, and all the of older tracks make it an incredibly large EP. So I’ll let you decide independently on what you wish to call it.
The new material was excellent; innovative (they’re still growing as a band), but still Matchbox Twenty. As they’ve always been, they’re cool enough to maintain a teenage fan base, but not too cool for their parents to listen to. MB20 may be the best in the entire music industry at walking this fine line. They’ve walked for well for a long time posting more #1 hits, and more time spent at #1 than any other artist in the history of the Adult Top 40 charts. That’s a very nice feather to stick in your cap. Regardless of all that, I’m just excited to see them recording as a band again, and that Rob didn’t pull a Beyonce.
If you’ve just recently become a fan of Rob Thomas, or only caught on to the band after the release of their last album, this compilation is an absolute must have. My younger readers, trust me when I tell you Matchbox Twenty’s music is fairly timeless, and you’re going to like it. They blazed the trail for Maroon 5 and Fallout Boy, and they did it better (more Maroon than FOB). If you try it and don’t enjoy your listening experience, rip me a brand new one in the comments. I’m that confident in this recommendation.
–Jeremy Hobbs
Exile on Mainstream - Buy It Now!
matchbox twenty, exile on mainstream, music, pop, rock
December 14th, 2007 at 11:09 am
“Rob didn’t pull a Beyonce.”
Could you please elaborate on this…
December 14th, 2007 at 4:49 pm
Beyonce pretty much ‘dropped’ her ‘band’ Destiny’s Child to pursue a (very successful) solo career.
A more accurate statement would have been ‘Rob didn’t pull a Timberlake,’ because Justin really dropped those guys. At least the other members of DC have had semi successful solo careers of their own.
–Jeremy