North

Personnel: Julie Gigante, Roger Wilkie (violin); Brian Dembow (viola); Stephen Erdody (cello); Glenn Morrisette (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Glenn Berger (baritone saxophone); Lee Thornburg, Walt Fowler (trumpet); Jeffrey Babko (trombone); Matt Serletic (synthesizer, percussion, programming); Mike Leisz, Alex Arias (programming).
Audio Mixer: Chris Lord-Alge.
Recording information: Dark Horse Recording; Electric Lady Studios; Emblem Studios; Studio Eleven:17; Sweatshop Studios.
Photographer: Ward Robinson.
After a decade-long absence from the pop charts, Rob Thomas and company return with their fourth studio album, North. Spearheaded by the radio-ready first single "She's So Mean," this is the first full set of new material (2007's singles collection Exile on Mainstream featured an EP's worth of new songs) from Matchbox Twenty since 2002's More Than You Think You Are. Written and recorded over a span of two years with longtime producer Matt Serletic, who helped the group hone the track list from 60 down to 12, North offers up another amiable and accessible set of guitar-driven '90s alternative pop and summery frat-boy classic rock.