Cradlesong

Matchbox Twenty singer Rob Thomas produces pop music that has one ear cocked towards classic AOR through the decades, with the other ear turned towards keeping the productions electrified to ensure the songs never sit still. His vocals are assured if never quite a revelation. “Real World ‘09” shuffles with a manic intensity as Thomas attempts to put the world into modern perspective, sounding more than a little like Eddie Vedder shuddering at the thought of another love affair ending if not the rest of the world falling apart. “Her Diamonds” (the album’s first single), “Give Me the Meltdown,” and “Someday” crackle with the pop urgency and anthemic choruses demanded by pop radio. “Fire On the Mountain” slides slightly towards world beat. In interviews, Thomas has said Cradlesong was inspired in part by Paul Simon’s South American inspired Rhythm of the Saints. “Hard On You” employs a sleek, easeful groove reminiscent of Silk Degreesera Boz Scaggs with a cleaner surface. The title track pulses with a sense of sadness and foreboding. Thomas is a sensitive singer-songwriter cast in modern rock production.