Yourself or Someone Like You turned out to be the standard-bearer for post-alternative rock because it has a '90s sheen in its production, but, for all the world, its core sounds like classic rock. Lead singer/songwriter
Rob Thomas adopted some of
Eddie Vedder's vocal mannerisms, but they were smoothed out, lacking the angst and pain that were
Vedder's hallmark.
Matchbox Twenty functioned much the same way, picking up at
Pearl Jam's fascination for album rock, but deciding to stick to the classic blueprint instead of personalizing it. All of this resulted in a record that is much more straightforward than most alt-rock albums, even if it follows the pattern of a classic '90s album -- not just in its production dynamics, but down to the acoustic-based slow number that closes the record. It blends the most familiar elements of the two golden eras of album-oriented rock, finding a balance that is comfortable for mainstream fans of either side. Other bands with similar sounds that could have done the same thing, yet
Matchbox Twenty distanced themselves from the pack with sturdy songs and fairly strong hooks, all delivered forcefully with
Thomas' distinctive bravado. Their music is not flashy, nor is it as ingratiating as
Third Eye Blind's pop instincts. It is, however, solid, American rock, reminiscent of a blend of
Petty and
Pearl Jam. So, it shouldn't have been surprising when the album found a wide audience. For many observers it was still unexpected, because the sound seemed a little plain. What they didn't realize was that
Yourself or Someone Like You wound up being the point where mainstream American rock stopped being willfully eccentric and returned to being unassuming and kind of ordinary. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine