Don't Play With Matches is the freshman studio album from Tabitha's Secret, forerunners of matchbox twenty. matchbox fans will find a few things to their liking, but many differences.
The most easily noticed thing about the album is the production value. Rob Thomas' voice is very raw, oftentimes almost drowned out by the backing instruments. On several songs Paul Doucette's drumming has a flat, lackluster quality. Brian Yale's bass is nearly inaudible, and Jay Stanley and John Goff's guitars often sound muffled. It's as if the entire album were recorded through a tin can. But for all it's production flaws, the album is an excellent piece of music, clearly indicating where three of its members would go in the future.
As with most of Rob's songs, the content ranges from the deeply depressing to the somewhat inspirational. As such, we proceed to the track listing.
3am - fans of matchbox twenty will instantly recognize the classic tune. There are literally dozens of versions of 3am, with this perhaps being the first. On the surface, the song appears to be a relationship song, filled with ambiguous lyrics and metaphors centering on a clock. In Storytellers, Rob explains that the song actually refers to his mother's battle with cancer as he watched as a helpless child. This version is upbeat, with very upbeat drumming and a faster tempo than subsequent versions.
Forever December - a Tabitha's Secret staple. The song begins with an ethereal, fingerpicked acoustic guitar lick and picks up by the first chorus, capped off with a heavily distorted guitar solo. Rob's lyrics are ambiguous as always, but the song seems to be about a couple that works through their problems (surprisingly optimistic for Rob.) Of several versions of the song, this is definitely the best.
Here Comes Horses - the next offering is a slower, deeper song about loss. Rob touches on relationship loss ("Help me to remember girl if you don't mind/Well I feel just like the jester when the music died") drinking ("And they say our new messiah/Is at the local bar") and gambling ("Greetings from the homefront have you heard the news/That daddy bet his paycheck on the horses shoes.) The themes come together in a touching song with a laid back guitar solo thrown in as a nice extra.
Paint Me Blue - Rob's next song is a basic rocker that dips into anti-war themes. A catchy guitar hook makes the song well worth listening to.
Dear Joan - Without a doubt, the most powerful song Rob has ever written. The song takes the form of a man writing a letter of apology for beating his girl. The idea seems ludicrous at first, but the pain obvious in the letter belies the notion to dismiss it out of hand. The man is obviously tortured, unable to stop hurting Joan but equally unable to stop loving her. The gentle, fingerpicked acoustic guitar perfectly compliments Rob's vocals, making Dear Joan the best song on the album.
High - Coming off the emotion of Dear Joan is a more upbeat anthem to drug use. Rob uses paradoxical lyrics evocative of Hendrix to illustrate his High ("She had said, don't cry/Said it only hurts forever and all we have is time")
Unkind - An upbeat song that belies its actual meaning. Catchy pop hooks cover up a deep sense of pain emanating from both ends of a badly broken relationship, resulting in an oxymoronic yet good song.
Jesus Was an Alien - A step off the deep end for the album, both lyrically and instrumentally. Jesus Was an Alien is the first song to showcase Rob's talent as a pianist, augmented by airy vocals and electric guitar. Lyrically, the song is an indictment of organized religion on par with The Walrus and the Carpenter. Rob draws the conclusion that religion is a hoax or coverup, like the Kennedy assassination, and is only useful for taking money from unsuspecting parishioners. Churchgoers might find themselves to be offended, but that shouldn't stop you from enjoying a good song.
Tired - The next offering is a much-needed break musically. Tired is a poppy, upbeat song about a couple that can't quite sort out their love and hate for each other. The best version of this song is on matchbox twenty's Live from Australia concert tape, with a long guitar solo played by Kyle Cook.
Swing - A slow starting rocker that evokes its lyrical themes musically. The song is a message from an elder to a violence-addicted youth, warning him of the dangers of his lifestyle. Crunchy guitar riffs and moments of acapella singing accentuate the mood, leading into a well-played guitar solo.
3am - Another version of 3am, much more familiar to matchbox listeners. It features the ubiquitous G-Cadd9 chord progression, sounding almost exactly like the version from Yourself.
Forever December - Another version of Forever December, beginning with a more radio-friendly fingerpicked electric intro. The solo has also been brightened, removing the crunch of the previous version. Has a much slicker, less raw feel to it.
Dizzy - The 'hidden track' on the album, Dizzy is a much darker version of matchbox's 'Unwell,' describing the tortures a person puts himself through as a result of being slightly unstable. Slow, acoustic guitar strumming, languid vocals, and muted bongos make for an excellent ballad.
Far from perfect, Don't Play With Matches is still well worth being picked up, if only to see how far Brian, Paul, and Rob have come in 12+ years.
