Average Rating: 
Rating:  - just a great cd
I've been a casual matchbox fan since 'Push' hit the radio, but I've never bought one of their cds before MTYTYA. Well let me tell you, I'm so glad I did. Right from the first chords of 'Feel', the passionate rocker that opens the album, you're hooked into this amazing sound that the band creates. Of course everyone's heard 'Disease', but there's so much more to this album than that one song and that one style. That's something I love about a cd, when the artists are able to pull off so many diverse songs. 'Bright Lights' is probably my favorite track on the cd, a bittersweet ballad with a touch of country that showcases Rob's vocals at their best. It creates a mood reminiscent of Train's 'Drops of Jupiter' (which is a very high compliment coming from this trainiac, 'Drops' being my favorite song in the world) while remaining original and true to itself. I think everyone's said already that 'Unwell' is a hit in the making, a haunting story played out over radio-perfect instrumentals. 'Cold' is another great sing-along rocker that is hard to get out of your head. The sound of 'All I Need' is reminiscent of Roy Orbison, which is definitely a departure from matchbox's usual style. But they pull it off beautifully, with help from lyrics everyone can relate to. 'Hand Me Down' is another country-tinged tearjerked, a gentle ballad that is certainly a standout. 'Could I Be You' is as infectuous as it is profound, with hauting piano work, thought-provoking lyrics, and a catchy chorus (complete with can't-get-it-out-of-your-head na na na's). Then on to 'Downfall', which is a brave departure for matchbox that paid off gorgeously. The use of a gospel chorus is a great addition to this amazing song. 'Soul' is a little more back to the usual matchbox style, but nevertheless a solid song. 'You're So Real' is an upbeat, quirky rocker that certainly has some of the feel-good groove of bands like Smashmouth. The main part of the album closes with the brilliant song 'The Difference', another one of my favorites. With lyrics that conjure up beautiful images ("Slow dancing on the boulevard in the quiet moments while the city's still dark"), this carefully crafted tale of love and loss sets a mood and is a great way to end the cd. But wait, there's more. Let it play on and you'll find a hidden track, the ultra-cool and very smooth (no pun intended) rocker 'So Sad, So Lonely'. After the song ends, you can hear the band goofing around, one voice predominantly saying something to the effect of, "Man, that was so lame! I can't believe we just spent so much time on that! Lame, lame, lame!", which proves the guys aren't afraid to poke fun at themselves. But don't let it fool you, this is one great cd from start to finish.
Rating:  - Not the best, but still good.
For starters, the track listing above is completely wrong. The order on the CD (or at least mine, anyway) is:
1 - Feel
2 - Disease
3 - Bright Lights
4 - Unwell
5 - Cold
6 - All I Need
7 - Hand Me Down
8 - Could I Be You
9 - Downfall
10 - Soul
11 - You're So Real
12 - The Difference (plus bonus track)As for content, i found this album lacking in comparison to the others. It's easy to listen to, no song really put me off, but the lyrics lack the punch. In Yourself Or Someone Like You, and most of Mad Season, the lyrics could grab you, make you FEEL. This album? Yeah, bad stuff happens and it's a shame. Don't misunderstand, compared to a lot of the other bands around now, this has real depth. But compared to prior work by the band... If any other readers share this opinion, i'd suggest picking up one of the Tabitha's Secret albums. There are two that i know of, with slightly different tracks, and both are good. The songs on those have stronger lyrics and rely less on a strong guitar lead than the Matchbox Twenty material.
Rating: - A guilty pleasure
I'm not exactly a Matchbox Twenty fan. I always have considered there music a bit on the bland side in comparison to most of the music I listen to. I own their other two albums and definitely weren't impressed with a lot of their songs. I do like quite a few of their songs considering how catchy and infectious they are but overall, I don't think there is anything to write home about. I was watching VH1's Behind the Music on the band when I heard a sample of "Unwell" on the show and I found myself hooked, if not curious to hear the rest of the band's album. "Disease" isn't too terrible either. It sure as heck anywhere as awful as "Bent" and "Mad Season" were, let alone Rob's collaboration with Carlos Santana on "Smooth". Thank god! The band did not include the song on their new album. Anyways I came across a promo copy of "More Than You Think You Are" in the used cd bins today as I was doing some Christmas shopping. I decided to take a risk on this album despite my somewhat disdain for this band. After listening to the album twice today, I definitely have to say that "More Than You Think You Are" takes the band in the right direction with a more diverse sound in their music. The gospel-influenced "Downfall" really speaks volumes to how much of a risk the band took. I give them major points for that song alone. Of course I loved "Unwell" after hearing the entire song. That is definitely one of my favorite MB20 songs of all time. I didn't care for the opening track "Feel" though. Just got on my nerves like "Mad Season" did for me. The songwriting has gotten better. A bit more reflective and introspective, and a whole lot more sincerity in my opinion. "Bright Lights" is a gorgeous piano ballad that took my breath away. I will take that song over "Back 2 Good" any day. If Matchbow Twenty's music continues to evolve in this direction, I may change my mind about the band altogether. Until then, "More Than You Think You Are" is a big guilty pleasure for this non-fan.
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