ArtsEtc.

Rob Thomas strikes a chord

Rob Thomas has finally broken free of his old band, Matchbox 20, with the vibrant solo release …Something to be. The album radiates soul and passion that can be clearly heard through his edgy, yet finely-tuned voice.

With his new solo album, Thomas proves that he is just as musically gifted without a band as he was with one. Moreover, …Something to Be has a different feel from the music he created with Matchbox 20.

With the disc’s melody and rhythm, Thomas manages to create a more thought provoking and enjoyable musical experience on his own than he was ever able to do with a band.

The track “This is How a Heart Breaks” opens with a heart-pumping beat that leads slowly into the intermittent chords of a piano. The music plays slowly and then suddenly climaxes into a lively melody of guitar, piano and violin.

Thomas’ voice is charged with emotion and energy as he sings, “Well this is it now/ Everybody get down/ This is all I can take/ This is how a heart breaks.” The song ends like an orchestra coming in for the big finale, with Thomas and a woman singing their hearts out to the sounds of violins and a firm backing beat.

In the song “Problem Girl” the tune is slower and softer. A piano plays high keys softly in the background as a guitar strums slowly but intensely along the main tune. The beat is enchanting and Thomas’ vocals flow smoothly with it, melodically and finely tuned. He sings, “And the kids on the streets say what’s your problem girl/ And the weight of their smile gets too much for you too bear,” gently and with emotion as though he is speaking these words to someone. The guitar is upbeat but somehow quiet and subtle at the same time, complimenting Thomas’ voice without dominating over it.

“My, My, My” begins with Thomas singing slowly and beautifully along with a slow violin in the background. It opens to steady drum beats and a soothing guitar playing a few strings. Thomas’ voice is most soulful on this track as he sings, “Hold on to anything/ Everything’s over and done/ Has the fear taken over you?/ Tell me, is that what you want to make up your life?”

In this song, Thomas is taken to another level as he proves just how talented he is, showing the range of feeling he can convey in his music. The song is made more powerful by the background singers, who give more sentiment to the lyrics and Thomas’ voice at the end of the tune.

The record is an astounding achievement for Thomas, who shows that he is one of the few artists able to find success after departing from the group that originally helped him gain fame. Each track is filled with so much heart and rhythm that it could almost make one forget that he was made famous from a band before this impressive solo album.

Grade: A