Apparently the secret's out -- before singer
Rob Thomas, bassist
Brian Yale, and drummer
Paul Doucette formed the megapopular
Matchbox 20, they were part of another solid modern
pop/rock band that sounds not so mysteriously familiar, even without the slick production expertise of
Matt Serletic. As we ponder whether the title of this release prompted the name of the new band, we can hear an outstanding batch of songs which capture the same
power pop energy and, of course, that identifiable
Thomas voice, which is on the more restrained side here.
"And Around" is a raw, bluesy rocker, while
"Forever December" begins with a folksy acoustic guitar and vocal before rolling along in snappy fashion. That same pattern -- gentle beginning before the guitar crunching comes in -- repeats on the anthemic, bittersweet
"Here Comes Horses." Matchbox 20 is not known for creating lush, lyrical
ballads, but the reflective, apologetic
"Dear Joan" (a folksy tune featuring a mournful cello) displays a sweet side that would balance the tougher energy of most of
Matchbox 20's material.
"Tired" goes the opposite extreme, jamming and explosive throughout, while
"Swing" mixes subtle passages with crunchy guitar inflections. It is sort of the transitional piece between both bands.
"Paint Me Blue" predicts the mid-tempo hooky
pop/rock the band would become famous for. As if their fans didn't have enough reason to buy this disc, it also features a spirited
acoustic rendition of
"3 A.M." Well worth the look back. ~ Jonathan Widran
![Stick Season (We'll All Be Here Forever) [2 CD]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0602465334807_p0_v2_s90x140.jpg "Stick Season (We'll All Be Here Forever) [2 CD]")
