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After reading numerous reviews on this site, I decided to try my hand at reviewing as well, starting with one of the CDs closest to my heart: Yourself or someone like you by Matchbox Twenty.
Before discussing the tracks on the album, it seems necessary to spend a few lines introducing this band formed in Florida, Orlando, in 1995; famous in the USA but unknown to most in Europe. The leader of the group, singer and songwriter, is that Rob Thomas, famous for having written and sung the celebrated "Smooth" with Santana. Around Rob, there are Kyle Cook (classical guitar), Adam Gaynor (electric guitar), Paul Doucette (drums), Brian Yale (bass).
The style of Matchbox is typical American Classic Rock comparable to that of Goo Goo Dolls, Counting Crows, Spin Doctors; but let's start talking about their debut - album released at the end of 1996.
Yourself or someone like you opens with "Real world", from the very first track we can sense the formula of this album : a rock played on changes of rhythm, interruptions, intermittences, and interferences; a pleasant track, among the most rhythmic of the album. "Long day" continues along the lines of "Real world" with a rhythm at first slow, then fast, then fast again and so forth flavored with a "hard", immediate, direct sound; fabulous the warm and raspy voice (at times very angry) of Rob Thomas. The third track "3 A.M." is one of the masterpieces of the album. The song talks about solitude and is dedicated to Rob's mother; the track opens with the splendid alternation between Thomas's voice and Cook's guitar riff, which then leads to a chorus that stays in the head and heart, a very melodic but never mawkish song. Following "3 A.M." is "Push", which expresses all the emotions one might feel in a somewhat troubled love relationship. Intensity and melody in the right proportion. "Girl like that" is less striking than the previous tracks, but its clean and direct sound and a finale that grows stronger reevaluate the piece. With "Back to good", the rhythm slows down, the instruments become more cautious in the background of Rob's voice, also more calm and relaxed, and the mind and ear unwind. Beautiful. "Damn" is probably the most colorless song on the album. A pleasant filler. "Argue" presents us with a more rock version of Matchbox Twenty, one of those songs that gives you a boost, and a lot of it. The album continues with another masterpiece: "Kody", the song with the most beautiful and touching lyrics of the album. It talks about the death of a child and about the anguish and resignation of his brother who imagines him sitting on his bed and speaks to him. Splendid vocal performance by Rob. Touching. "Busted", a song about "getting into trouble", offers us the "angry" version with significant grunge influences. "Shame" is a very catchy and pleasant piece from the first listen, but not as communicative as "Hang", the song that worthily closes the album: an intimate, poignant, engaging ballad.
Thus I have arrived at the end of my first effort. If you like melodic rock with strong emotions and the clear and direct sound of instruments, I recommend this album.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Real World (03:51)
Well I wonder what it's like to be the rainmaker
I wonder what it's like to know that I made the rain
I'd store it in boxes with little yellow tags on every one
and you can come and see them when I'm done... when I'm done
I wonder what it's like to be a super hero
I wonder where I'd go if I could fly around downtown... yeah
from some other planet, I'd get this funky high on the yellow sun
boy I bet my friends will all be stunned... they're stunned...
(chorus)
yeah yeah
straight up, what did you hope to learn about here
if I was someone else, would this all fall apart
strange, where were you, when we started this game,
I wish the real world, would just stop hassling me
and you and you and me
Well I wonder what it's like to be the head honcho
I wonder what I'd do if they all did just what I said (that's what I said)
Well I'd shout out an order, I think we're out of this man get
me some
boy don't make me wanna change my tone... my tone
(chorus)
please don't change, please don't break
cuz the only thing that seems to work at all is you
please don't change, at all from me
to you, and you to me
(chorus)
02 Long Day (03:45)
It's sitting by the overcoat
The second shelf, the note she wrote
That I can't bring myself to throw away
And also
Reach she said for no one else but you,
Cuz you won't turn away
When someone else is gone
I'm sorry 'bout the attitude
I need to give when I'm with you
But no one else would take this shit from me
And I'm so
Terrified of no one else but me
I'm here all the time
I won't go away
Yeah it's me, yeah I can't get myself to go away
Hey it's me and I can't get myself to go away
Oh God I shouldn't feel this way
Chorus:
Reach down your hand in your pocket
Pull out some hope for me
It's been a long day, always ain't that right
And no Lord your hand won't stop it
Just keep you trembling
It's been a long day, always ain't that right
Well I'm surprised that you'd believe
In anything that comes from me
I didn't hear from you or from someone else
And you're so
Set in life man, a pisser they're waiting
Too damn bad you get so far so fast
So what, so long
(Chorus)
Oh ain't that right?
It's me, yeah well I can't get myself to go away
Hey it's me, yeah well I can't get myself to go away
Oh God I shouldn't feel this way now
(Chorus)
Yeah reach down your hand in your pocket now
Reach down your hand right now
It's been a long day, always
Ain't that right?
Reach down your hand in your pocket now
Reach down your hand right now
It's been a long day, always
Ain't that right?
Oh ain't that right?
Ain't that right right right on child?
Right right right on child right right on child
03 3 A.M. (03:47)
She says it's cold outside and she hands me my raincoat
She's always worried about things like that
She says it's all gonna end and it might as well be my fault
And she only sleeps when it's raining
And she screams and her voice is straining
She says baby
It's 3 am I must be lonely
When she says baby
Well I can't help but be scared of it all sometimes
And the rain's gonna wash away I believe it
She's got a little bit of something, God it's better than nothing
And in her color portrait world she believes that she's got it all
She swears the moon don't hang quite as high as it used to
And she only sleeps when it's raining
And she screams and her voice is straining
She says baby
It's 3 am I must be lonely
Heaven, she says baby, yeah
Well I can't help but be scared of it all sometimes
And the rain's gonna wash away I believe this
She believes that life is made up of all that you're used to
And the clock on the wall has been stuck at three for days, and days
She thinks that happiness is a mat that sits on her doorway
But outside it's stopped raining
Yeah and, She says baby
It's 3 am I must be lonely
Heaven, she says baby, yeah
Well I can't help but be scared of it all sometimes
And the rain's gonna wash away I believe this
It's 3 am I must be lonely
Heaven, she says baby, yeah
Well I can't help but be scared of it all sometimes
04 Push (03:58)
She said I don't know if I've ever been good enough
I'm a little bit rusty, and I think my head is caving in
And I don't know if I've ever been really loved
By a hand that's touched me
And I feel like something's gonna give
And I'm a little bit angry
Well, this ain't over, no, not here
Not while I still need you around
You don't owe me, we might change
Yeah, we just might feel good
I wanna push you around
Well, I will
Well, I will
I wanna push you down
Well, I will
Well, I will
I wanna take you for granted
I wanna take you for granted
Yeah, yeah, well, I will
She said I don't know why you ever would lie to me
Like I'm a little untrusting
When I think that the truth is gonna hurt ya
And I don't know why you couldn't just stay with me
You couldn't stand to be near me
When my face don't seem to want to shine
'Cause it's a little bit dirty
Well, don't just stand there, say nice things to me
'Cause I've been cheated, I've been wronged
And you, you don't know me
Yeah, well, I can't change
I won't do anything at all
I wanna push you around
Well, I will
Well, I will
I wanna push you down
Well, I will
Well, I will
I wanna take you for granted
I wanna take you for granted
Yeah, yeah, well, I will
Oh, but don't bowl me over
Just wait a minute, well, it kinda fell apart
Things get so crazy, crazy
Don't rush this baby, don't rush this baby, baby
I wanna push you around
Well, I will
Well, I will
I wanna push you down
Well, I will
Well, I will
I wanna take you for granted, yeah, yeah, yeah
I wanna take you, take you
Yeah, well I will
I will, I will, I will, yeah
Well I will, I will
I will, yeah
Push you around
And push you down
I wanna push you around
Well I will
05 Girl Like That (03:45)
You think this life would make me bolder
But I'm runnin' scared is all
Well, I hang on everything about you
You think I'd settle down cuz I'm older
But I roll with the change is all
Well, I'm same old trailor trash in new shoes
she gets sad when there's nothing going on, yeah
she says it makes her feel damn worthless
Chorus 1:
Well, ya got to think, with a girl like that, any love at all
Its better than nothing
Well, it's better than nothing
I put my hand around your shoulder
You're saying you're scared is all
I think I know too much about you
You think this life would make me colder
I'd give in to the alcohol
I put my loving arms around you, child
You knew damn well there was nothing going on, yeah
Is that what makes you feel damn worthless?
Chorus 2:
Well, ya got to think, with a girl like that, any love at all
It's better than nothing
Well, it's better than nothing
Good god
Well ya got to think, with a girl like that, any love at all, no no
Is better than nothing
Well, it's better than nothing
Yeah, well, she drags you down and she pulls you up
she pulls you up
says that she's sorry now but it's not enough
To pull you up
Well, she's sorrrrrry...
I wake up quick just like I want to
Yeah, but I stay up much too late
You think this life can get a bit unkind
But she stays down 'til the worth is gone
and pulls you up, she pulls you up, yeah
she pulls you up and over...over...
(Chorus 2)
(Chours 1)
Well you got to think with a girl like that
Well you got to think with a girl like that
You've got to think with a girl like that
Well, thank her
06 Back 2 Good (05:40)
It's nothing, it's so normal you
Just stand there I could say so much
But I don't go there cuz I don't want to
I was thinking if you were lonely
Maybe we could leave here and no one would know
At least not to the point that we would think so
Everyone here, knows everyone here is thinking about
Somebody else
It's best if we all keep it under our heads
I couldn't tell, if anyone here was feeling the way I do
But I'm lonely now, and I don't know how
To get it back to good
This don't mean that, you own me
This ain't no good, in fact it's funny as hell
But things worked out just like you wanted too
If you see me out you don't know me
Try to turn your head, try to give me some room
To figure out just what I'm going to do
And everyone here, hates everyone here for doing just like
They do
It's best if we all keep this quiet instead
And I couldn't tell, why everyone here was doing me like
They do
But I'm sorry now, and I don't know how
To get it back to good
Everyone here, is wondering what it's like to be with
Somebody else
Everyone here's to blame, everyone here
Gets caught up in the pleasure of the pain, everyone here hides
Shades of shame, but looking inside we're the same, we're
The same
And we're all grown now, but we don't know how
To get it back to good
Everyone here, knows everyone here is thinking 'bout
Somebody else
It's best if we all keep this under our heads
I couldn't tell, if anyone here was feeling the way I do
But it's over now, and I don't know how, it's over now
There's no getting back to good
07 Damn (03:20)
this old world well
don't it make you wanna think damn
this cold girl well
don't she make you wanna scream, damn
what's the matter girl well
don't you think I'm good enough
this old heart had a whole lot a breakin' down
she's got all these reasons in her head
(chorus 1)
well all that time she knew if I lied
you can bet she will
she's takin' her time 'til I thought I would die
and I can't sit still
things got turned 'round
don't know where I started from, damn
can't eat, can't sleep
could have been a bigger man, damn
oh what's the matter girl well don't you think I'm bright enough
this old man had a hard time getting here
you can leave your number at the door
(chorus 1)
oh there's nothing at all
yeah there's nothing at all
well there's nothing at all
to make her change her mind
oh to make her change her mind
to make her change her...
this old house's been quiet since
you went away, damn
mixed up fixed out
don't forget who got you here, damn
oh what's the matter world well
don't you see I opened up
this whole part's been played by another man
I pulled out the reason card instead
(chorus 1)
she says she can find
the things that make up a lie
well I can bet she will
she says stay behind, I could stay here all night
I could stay here until
until there's nothing at all
yeah there's nothing at all
well there's nothing at all
to make her change her mind
oh to make her change her mind
to make her change her mind
08 Argue (02:57)
she don't, but she will
he says anything to keep her by him
she takes, what she gets
and she never did flinch
so over, and over, anyone
with any mind would think that's all she gets
if you want you can get to know me well
we get along so we shouldn't argue
and I don't know, said I don't know
all these feelings, cloud up my reasoning
cloud up my reasoning
I know, but I still
believe in ignorance as my best defense
so go on, wreck me
funny how I carry on, and not be taken over
will not roll over on anyone,
cuz anyone would stand up on my side
if you want you can get to know me well
we get along so we shouldn't argue
and I don't know, said I don't know
all these feelings, cloud up my reasoning
cloud up my reasoning
you know it's funny how sometimes,
it don't work out like you want to
no you never get nothing at all
then she tells you that it's over
boy don't you hate it when it's over
I guess something just got lost
and it deeply saddens me
so over, and over anyone, who's anyone
if you want you can get to know me well
we get along so we shouldn't argue
and I don't know, said I don't know
all these feelings, they cloud up my reasoning
we get along so we shouldn't argue
we get along so we shouldn't argue
we shouldn't argue
09 Kody (04:03)
Kody sat down on the avenue
he tapped his feet, to the humming of the highway
he watched the light shine down on the broken glass
and thought
I don't got no reasons, yet
and there it is and there it was
now it was clear to all of us
we kept this hat of broken dreams
and we pulled them out, when we needed them around
so please hand me the bottle, I think I'm lonely now
and please give me direction, I think the hurt set in
and I don't feel nothing
there's a squeak hinge down on the back gate
it lets us know if he comes around
but I don't sleep that good anyway
and if you've never heard that silence, it's a God awful sound
so please hand me the bottle, I think I'm lonely now
and please give me direction, I think I just caved in
and I don't feel nothing
I don't feel nothing, no I don't feel nothing
there's nothing to feel good about here
don't much get down to the avenue
I could drive, but it takes so much to get there
don't get off on all the broken glass, the cadillac scene,
well I've seen a lot of good things die and I'm
in an over emotional way
so please hand me the bottle, I think I'm lonely now
and please give me direction, I think the hurt sets in
so please hand me the bottle, I think I'm lonely now
and please give me direction, I think I just caved in
but it ain't nothing
10 Busted (04:17)
I forget when words were only words
she knows the party makes me nervous
in this stage we can't get hurt
don't try to understand me
we're too cool to be alone
but, not too crazy to get busted
I found out one life just ain't enough
I need another soul to feed on
I'm the flame I can't get burnt
I'm wholly understated
I found silence in this place
an on and off again attraction
I need such amazing grace
heaven sweep me away
Love don't change, don't come around here
don't wear my heart on your sleeve
like a high school letter
don't strain, cuz nothing ever comes from it
and the people we've become, well
they've never been the people who we are
I strap on one horse and prayed for luck
I dug another hole to bleed
I know exactly how this works
I need a new feel dirty
I don't need you crowding up my space
I just want to get inside you
you can't believe the heart you save
giving something away
Love don't change, don't come around here
don't wear my heart on your sleeve
like a high school letter
don't strain, cuz nothing ever comes from it
and the people we've become, well
they've never been the people who we are
I dreamed that the world was crumbling down
we sat on my back porch and watched it
(background) Jesus is knocking on the door of your heart, eh?
I dreamed that the buildings all fell down
we sat on my back porch and watched it
yeah well i dreamed that the world was crumbling down
we sat on my back porch and watched
in my head I heard the sound
like fifteen strangers dancing
but oh how I want you to know me
oh how I want you to know me
oh how I wish I was somebody else, baby
oh how I wish you could own me
Love don't change, don't come around here
don't wear my heart on your sleeve
like a high school letter
don't strain, cuz nothing ever comes from it
and the people we've become, well
they've never been the people who we are
Love don't change, don't come around here
don't wear my heart on your sleeve
like a high school letter
don't strain, cuz nothing ever comes from it
and the people we've become, well
they've never been the people who we are
who we are, who we are
11 Shame (03:34)
what we learned here is love tastes bitter when it's gone
past yourself forget the light, things look dirty when it's on
funny how it comes to pass that all the good slips away
and there's no one around you can remember being good to
you
(chorus 1)
shame, shouldn't try you, couldn't step by you
and open up more
shame, shame, shame
what we lost here is something better left alone
second steps have been forgotten, will you tell me how
they go
set yourself, situate, like a fool try again
there's no one around you can remember being good, for you
so
(chorus 2)
shame, shouldn't try you, couldn't step by you
and open up more
shame, shame, shame
shame, shouldn't try you, couldn't step by you
and open up more
shame, shame, shame
we never thought we'd get so troubled
we could never think that much
it should never get this bad
so let the wind blow ya', across the big floor
but there's no one around who can tell us what we're here
for
funny in a certain light, how we all look the same
and there's no one in life you can remember ever stood
for you, so
12 Hang (03:47)
she grabs her magazines
she packs her things and she goes
she leaves the pictures hanging on the wall, she burns all
her notes
and she knows, she's been here too few years
to feel this old
he smokes his cigarette, he stays outside 'til it's gone
if anybody ever had a heart, he wouldn't be alone
he knows, she's been here too few years, to be gone
and we always say, it would be good to go away, someday
but if there's nothing there to make things change
if it's the same for you I'll just hang
the trouble understand, is she got reasons he don't
funny how he couldn't see at all, 'til she grabbed up her
coat
and she goes, she's been here too few years
to take it all in stride
but still it's much too long, to let hurt go (you let her go)
and we always say, it would be good to go away, someday
but if there's nothing there to make things change
if it's the same for you I'll just hang, the same for you
I'll always hang
well I always say, it would be good to go away
but if things don't work out like we think
and there's nothing there to ease this aching
but if there's nothing there to make things change
if it's the same for you I'll just hang
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