“Wind It Up” originally continues the acoustic vibe of the record, yet crescendos into the electronic and rock fusion Thomas seems to be experimenting with. His voice has a certain element of grit that provides a dichotomy between the rough yet polished vocal and the sweet, romantic lyrics. The calmness of the simple acoustic guitar and the thoughtful addition of percussion, bass guitar, and piano as the song builds puts a well deserved spotlight on the organic nature of Thomas’s vocal. “Hold On Forever”, the latest single off of the new album, is set to a more natural sound, allowing a break from the high energy. “I Think We’d Feel Good Together” live at Sirius XM Continuing the high energy of the album, the song further displays Thomas’s evolution of sound, as the beats are heavily rooted in somewhat of a throwback to ’80s pop, enabling the listener to pick up on a nostalgic feel of tempo and rhythms while still incorporating driving drum lines to add an element of rock. Next up is “Trust You”, the first single off of the record and a collaboration piece with OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder. Thomas’s lead vocals are easily recognizable, with a pleasant falsetto adding to the romantic tension in the lyrics. Kicking off the album is the upbeat “I Think We’d Feel Good Together”, showcasing a fusion between electronic and classic rock rhythms that set a good pace for the dance floor. This has yet to change, especially with the August 21 release of his new album, The Great Unknown. Throughout both his projects with the band and as a solo artist, I was always interested to hear what exactly Thomas had to say. I would sneakily import the band’s compilation album Exile on Mainstream including some of their greatest hits, which my mother had bought, into iTunes so I could play it on repeat on my very first iPod nano. I would listen to Thomas on the way to middle school, as his latest singles were played on mainstream radio.

As he developed as a musician, I was getting older and making my own decisions regarding who I liked to listen to. His voice was a constant in my young life. One of those bands was Matchbox Twenty and one of those standout voices was that of their lead singer Rob Thomas. As a ’90s baby, I grew up with loads of different types of music, from solo artists to bands.

The great unknown