Rob Thomas in super solo debut

Rob Thomas came to his own when Smooth, the song he wrote and recorded with the great Santana became a big hit and three-time Grammy winner in 2000. The infectious Smooth was named Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Pop Collaboration. Thomas was then fronting for the rock band matchbox 20 which had also attained a good degree of success with several multi-platinum selling albums and hit songs like Bent, Unwell, If You’re Gone, Push, 3AM and others with Thomas on the solo spot.

After Smooth, it would have come as no surprise to find Thomas going solo, but he chose to wait. Then after matchbox 20 recorded its last album three years ago, he finally decided to strike out on his own. The result is the album titled Something to Be which has music that can literally stop the listener on his tracks. "What is that?" is the amazed question followed closely by another, "Who is that?" The answer is Rob Thomas and he is simply incredible.

Every promise evinced by Smooth comes to fulfillment in Something to Be. This is one of those productions that play like you are getting one hit single after another although the songs are all new. Of course, there is a lot of the matchbox 20 sound in the album like This is How a Heart Breaks, but what is really great about it is that Thomas makes everything sound better with the clever use of assorted rhythms and his own surprising touches.

The first single out is Lonely No More, an engaging combination of R&B and Latin which shows that Thomas learned his Santana lessons well. He also dishes out rock – All That I Am, folk–Problem Girl, rousing gospel– Street Corner Symphony, soul – My, My, My and if you want a romantic ballad, the haunting Now Comes the Night with Thomas on the piano, which closes the set.

All of these songs, plus I Am An Illusion, When the Heartache Ends, Something to Be and Fallin’ to Pieces are performed in Thomas’ strong masculine voice. He sounds so full of excitement just aching to get to the surface. He also composed all 12 cuts, and unlike most songwriting these days that border on the repetitive and nonsensical, Thomas has written words of substance about a man and the emotions and situations he has to grapple with. Think sentiments like love, fear, happiness, isolation and the universal hope for peace and unity all set to imaginative arrangements that hypnotize the listener to play it again and again.

I have a feeling that lots of pop stars in the US these days are already dreaming of getting their hands on one of Rob Thomas’ original compositions. He is hot and it feels like the guy has now only began his ascent to the top of his game and will continue to turn out more enjoyable stuff in the coming years. Truth to tell, I can’t wait to find out what these songs will be and this early, I am already thinking of what the music in his next album will be like.

Something to Be, which debuted at number one last month, is now ranked eighth in the Billboard chart of 200 albums. The single Lonely No More is at number seven in the Hot 100. I expect more cuts from the album like Ever the Same and My, My, My to follow in its wake.

Here are the complete lists: The singles: Hollaback Girl by Gwen Stefani; We Belong Together by Mariah Carey; Oh by Ciara featuring Ludacris; Just A Lil Bit by 50 Cent; Hate It or Love It by The Game featuring 50 Cent; Don’t Phunk with My Heart by The Black Eyed Peas; Lonely No More by Rob Thomas; Since U Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson; Slow Down by Bobby Valentino; and Lonely by Akon.

The albums: Stand Up by the Dave Mathews Band; Make Believe by Weezer; The Emancipation of Mimi by Mariah Carey; The Massacre by 50 Cent; With Teeth by Nine Inch Nails; Modern Day Drifter by Dierks Bentley; Love. Angel. Music. Baby by Gwen Stefani; Something to Be by Rob Thomas; Who is Mike Jones? by Mike Jones; and Devils & Dust by Bruce Springsteen.