Mad Season
by Matchbox Twenty
  • Record Label: Atlantic
  • Release Date: May 23, 2000
Metascore
57

Mixed or average reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 14
  3. Negative: 2 out of 14
  1. Checkout.com
    60
    The band's edge has dulled considerably, in spite of guitarists Kyle Cook and Adam Gaynor's best efforts on "Angry" and "Mad Season," but for the most part they're heavily sedated throughout, as are bassist Brian Yale and drummer Paul Doucette, begging the question: Where's the band?
    All this publication's reviews
  2. Village Voice
    60
    What lots of people loved about "Push" isn't much in evidence here, but neither is what lots of people hated about it.
  3. Sonicnet
    60
    A relatively bloodless album, a work that seems formatted to satisfy the demands of the marketplace without really transcending them.
  5. Q Magazine
    60
    The follow-up is an equally passionate, turbulent affair, sounding, oddly, like a cross between Foreigner and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
  6. Entertainment Weekly
    58
    Especially in its ballad-heavy second half, mad season feels like the rock equivalent of a chick flick.
  7. Rolling Stone
    50
    Every song on Mad Season is a production mini-epic.... Under the haywire production are crafty songs.... But when the crescendos surge and the keyboards chime, he starts to sound as unctuous as 1970s cheeseballs from Lobo to Jim Croce to the Guess Who's Burton Cummings. Songs that probably seemed vulnerable as demos have turned greedily narcissistic.
  8. The A.V. Club
    40
    "Last Beautiful Girl"... would be good enough to inspire a wholesale reassessment of Matchbox Twenty if the material surrounding it weren't so average.
  9. CDNow
    40
    There's nothing lasting or substantive about the 12 tracks (plus one hidden one) that make up Mad Season.

Awards & Rankings

31
#31 Most Discussed Album of 2000
35
#35 Most Shared Album of 2000

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 35 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 35
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 35
  3. Negative: 5 out of 35
  1. HadPersons
    Aug 12, 2019
    9
    Matchbox 20 is the band I miss the most. I hate almost all new music and I’m really nervous for 2020 with these guys. I only hope they don’tMatchbox 20 is the band I miss the most. I hate almost all new music and I’m really nervous for 2020 with these guys. I only hope they don’t chase the trend, but rock music and even pop rock music is dead. That being said, I love looking back on their music and this is a great album. I really love the songs Rest Stop, Mad Season, Bent, and a few more. A common criticism of this band is that they overuse filler. I strongly disagree as I can feel every song and that’s what makes this band so good.… Full Review »
  2. ajh0795
    Oct 29, 2011
    8
    i really enjoyed this record. though it has some miss steps the strengths easily cover them up and man oh man rob thomas vocals are superb.i really enjoyed this record. though it has some miss steps the strengths easily cover them up and man oh man rob thomas vocals are superb. you will also be able to some nice guitar from kyle cook and paul doucette… Full Review »
  3. Curefreak
    Apr 26, 2009
    8
    I like the ballads and the mid-tempo stuff but the rockers sound overly processed and over produced and don't really "rock" Rest Stop is I like the ballads and the mid-tempo stuff but the rockers sound overly processed and over produced and don't really "rock" Rest Stop is probably my favorite song and is probably the most personal.… Full Review »
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