Exile on Mainstream

Exile on Mainstream

by Matchbox Twenty
Exile on Mainstream

Exile on Mainstream

by Matchbox Twenty

CD

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Overview

Say this for Matchbox Twenty -- they've gotten better the longer they've stuck around. And that's not just their music, either: they've dropped the pretense of spelling their name as matchbox 20, they've gone away from cumbersome album titles, and they've embraced their status as MOR rockers. All of this is evident on Exile on Mainstream, which is not only the first of their albums to bear a simple yet clever title, it's a collection of hits that traces their progression into a good, solid mainstream band and is also buttressed by an EP that finds them livelier than ever. Bolder, too, especially on the rockabilly of "I'll Believe You When" and the slow oldies beat of "Can't Let You Go," which are light and dexterous in a way they've never been before. These are balanced by a few cuts that don't stretch quite as far, but the propulsive pop "If I Fall," charging anthem "How Far We've Come," and earnest ballad "These Hard Times" are smooth, accomplished mainstream pop that are better constructed in every respect than their earliest hits. That much is evident by this EP's juxtaposition with the 11-track greatest-hits disc, which has all their big radio hits presented in chronological order. There are a few minor hits missing -- "Angry," "Last Beautiful Girl," "Downfall," none of which climbed that high on the charts -- so this has everything that a modern rock or adult contemporary radio listener would know, and the striking thing about listening to the disc is to hear how they abandoned the angst-ridden cartwheels that weighed down "Push" and built upon the snappy hooks of "Real World" and "3 AM," developing a sense of melodic craft that flourished in the smooth ballad "If You're Gone" and the arena rocker "Unwell." These were highlights on their respective albums, but when these moments are put together as a hits collection, it makes for a surprisingly entertaining batch of mainstream rock -- but the real story is the bonus disc, which suggests that after this collection is out of the way, Matchbox Twenty may have their first very good studio album on the way. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date: 10/02/2007
Label: Atlantic
UPC: 0075678996986
Rank: 19565

Tracks

Disc 1

  1. How Far We've Come
  2. I'll Believe You When
  3. All Your Reasons
  4. These Hard Times
  5. If I Fall
  6. Can't Let You Go

Disc 2

  1. Long Day
  2. Push
  3. 3 AM
  4. Real World
  5. Back 2 Good
  6. Bent
  7. If You're Gone
  8. Mad Season
  9. Disease
  10. Unwell
  11. Bright Lights

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Matchbox Twenty   Primary Artist
Atlanta Brass Society   Primary Artist
The Nashville String Machine   Primary Artist,Strings
Matt Serletic   Woodwind,Keyboards,Percussion
Douglas Smith   Clarinet (Bass)
Adam Gaynor   Guitar,Vocals,Guitar (Rhythm),Vocals (Background)
Lydia Mann-Jaime   Vocals (Background)
Eric Ralske   French Horn
Ricky Sortomme   Violin
Jerome Ashby   French Horn
Paul Doucette   Guitar (Synthesizer),Casio,Drums,Piano,Vocals,Voices,Percussion,Glockenspiel,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Brian Yale   Guitar (Bass),Bass,Vocals (Background)
Vaneese Thomas   Vocals (Background)
Jan Mullen   Violin
Elizabeth Burkhardt   Bassoon
Rob Thomas   Piano,Vocals,Melodica,Guitar (Acoustic)
Greg Leisz   Pedal Steel
Kyle Cook   Guitar,Vocals,Soloist,Mandolin,Glockenspiel,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Sarah Adams   Viola
Jonathan Dinklage   Violin
Amy Porter   Flute
Enrico DiCecco   Violin
Sue Pray   Viola
Barry Finclair   Violin
Yvonne Powers   Oboe
Stevie Blacke   Strings
Ryan MacMillan   Drums
Donna Tecco   Violin
Matt Beck   Organ
Maura Giannini   Violin
Crystal Garner   Viola
Chris McDonald   Conductor
Ted Gurch   Clarinet
Carol Webb   Violin
Vincent Lionti   Viola
Douglas Edwards Smith   Clarinet (Bass)
Mann Jaime, Lydia   Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

CJ Eiriksson   Audio Engineer,Mixing,Engineer
Jeff Tomei   Audio Engineer,Engineer
Mark Dobson   Audio Engineer,Engineer,Pro-Tools,Digital Editing
Matt Serletic   Audio Production,Mixing,Arranger,Composer,Producer,Orchestration,Woodwind Arrangement
Aaron Brougher   Audio Production,Production Assistant
Fox Phelps   Audio Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Patrick Woodward   Audio Engineer,Engineer
Steve Lillywhite   Audio Production,Mixing,Producer
Shawn Grove   Pro-Tools,Assistant Engineer
Jim Scott   Mixing
The Nashville String Machine   Performer
Matchbox Twenty   Composer
Rob Thomas   Composer,Lyricist,Group Member
Eberhard Ramm   Copyist
Andrew McPherson   Photography
William Claxton   Photography
Ria Lewerke   Design
James Minchin   Photography
Stephen Marcussen   Mastering
Paul Doucette   Composer,Group Member,Art Direction,String Arrangements
Robert Hannon   Assistant Engineer
Carl Gorodetzky   Contractor
Greg Archilla   Mixing
Greg Collins   Mixing,Engineer
Gavin Lurssen   Mastering
Kyle Cook   Composer,Group Member
John Joseph Stanley   Composer
Kevin Szymanski   Mixing Assistant
Chris Testa   Mixing Assistant
Malcolm Springer   Mixing Assistant
Craig Poole   Guitar Technician
Stevie Blacke   String Arrangements
Brian Yale   Composer,Group Member
Michael James Moore   Artistic Director
Chris McDonald   Copyist
David Thoener   Mixing
John Leslie Goff   Composer
Noel Golden   Engineer
Mick Jagger   Composer
Stewart Whitmore   Mastering,Assistant Engineer
Elizabeth Burkhardt   Leader
Dean Karr   Photography
Marina Chavez   Photography
Greg Fogie   Assistant Engineer
Michael Lippman   Management
Willy Donica   Guitar Technician
Cindi Peters   Production Coordination
Sebastien Nicolat   Assistant Engineer
Tony Adams   Drum Technician
Atlanta Brass Society   Performer
Bill Synan   Assistant Engineer
Jill Dell'Abate   Music Contractor
Don C. Tyler   Digital Editing
Johnny Buzzerio   Photography
Mark Seliger   Photography
John Nielsen   Assistant Engineer
Lee Stimmel   Product Manager
Jon Belec   Assistant Engineer
Jeff Lamiroult   Production Assistant
Paul Soucette   String Arrangements
Pat Woodward   Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Norman Moore   Design
Carol Gordetzky   Contractor
Michael Moore   Artistic Director
Sebastian Nicolet   Assistant Engineer
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