Miscellaneous

Review

"Ever since I can remember, I've always wanted to tell stories," says matchbox20 singer/songwriter
Rob Thomas. "But I never had the patience to sit down at a typewriter and write short stories or
anything like that. I started writing songs as a way of communicating ideas the best way I could."
And through his songwriting, Thomas has captured the enduring qualities of genuine passion and a
sense of directness that allows matchbox20 to make a connection with the listener.

Matchbox 20's debut album Yourself or Someone Like You is a remarkably sophisticated album from
so young a band. From the groove that buoys the disarmingly rustic "Back 2 Good," to the
incendiary rush that surges through "Busted," matchbox 20 never fails to strike a universal chord.
The band's distinctive vocals and incisive hooks give the songs an emotional undertow that is
perfectly matched by the band's instrumental skills.

"I'm not one of those people who suffers for his art-it's more like I'd be suffering without it," says
Thomas. "Writing songs is almost medicinal for me; it's the best therapy I can think of."

That healing nature is evident throughout matchbox 20's debut, in the engaging ebb and flow that
marks the gradually-building "Long Day" and the serene introspection that imbues "Hang." Thomas'
knack for turning his lyrics into what could pass for conversation between two old friends is
perfectly offset by the pliant backing of his band mates. The instinctive union among the
five-immediately evident during the band's electrifying live show-is a reminder of what can be
achieved when musicians never lose sight of the fact that the song is the most important thing.

Another Review Soulful vocals, ringing guitars and probing lyrics about people whose lives are coming apart and
their struggle to hold on--these are the elements that drive the debut album by matchbox 20, Yourself
Or Someone Like You (Lava/Atlantic).

It's a record that, in the words of Guitar World, is loaded with guitar-driven melodic rock tunes and
emotionally charged vocals. Hits commented that the vocals are gutsy and the production by Matt
Serletic (Collective Soul) is impeccable, while critic Shawn Ryan noted in the Birmingham News that
the guitars bite; hooks are large...lyrics are sharp and sincere.

You can hear their dynamic interplay in songs like "Long Day", the LP's first radio track which
charted Top Five, "Real World", "Argue", "3 AM", "Girl Like That" and "Push", the LP's second radio
track. Thomas describes the romantically combative "Push"--whose chorus is highlighted by the
lines "I wanna push you around, I will, I will/I wanna push you down, I will, I will/I wanna take you for
granted" --as a song about how I was manipulated and how I handled it; how I grew to like it and got
comfortable with it. I felt that was the only way that you could have a relationship was if you were
being controlled or if you were being manipulated. Thomas adds that the song was actually written
from three points of view, including the one of the woman who it's about. Thomas adds, "Some
people get the wrong idea and think that it's about physical violence, when it's really about emotional
violence. I usually get my best ideas when I'm walking," responds Thomas when asked about his
songwriting approach. "I used to do a lot of hitch-hiking when I was younger, from 17 to 20, and I'd
spend a lot of time at 3:00 in the morning sitting on an off-ramp for hours. You just sit there and no
one is around you. You can scream, you can sing if you want, you could do whatever you want. I had
my little keyboard with me in my backpack and I'd pull it out and sit there and work on some tunes."
During this period of Thomas' life, he drifted around in an effort to understand his family problems at

home. The characters on Yourself Or Someone Like You compellingly wrestle with ghosts and demons, and
while it's not clear if they'll win their battles, you root for them throughout the album. The folks who
inhabit these songs arebruised ("well I'm surprised that you'd believe/in anything that comes from
me," from "Long Day"), but they're proud, too ("she's got a little bit of something, God it's better than
nothing," from "3 am"). They're dealing with busted-up romances ("and we're all grown now, but we
don't know how to get it back to good," from "Back To Good"), insecurities ("she said I don't know if
I've ever been good enough," from "Push") and fears ("you think this life would make me bolder but
I'm running scared is all...I'm same old trailer trash in new shoes," from "Girl Like That").

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