FLORIDA: He Wants to Push Me Down? Let's See Him Try

The last turn of a century provided us with some of the most boring rock music not created in Tom Scholz's basement ever. "Alternative rock", the ridiculously-named genre created to explain the likes of Nirvana and Soundgarden, had sputtered and nearly died. This is the era that gave us Creed, the band that pulled off the remarkable feat of being both overblown and mind-numbingly dull. We also got groups with names like Third Eye Blind and Vertical Horizon; names that make you think for a second, and then make you mad you thought about them.

One of the most massively successful groups of this era was Orlando's own Matchbox 20. Though their music could fall victim to the alternative rock blandness du jour ("If You're Gone"), I always felt the songwriting of leader Rob Thomas was a cut above. It doesn't take a lot to be better than Eve 6, but it's something, and Matchbox 20 were able to craft some memorable tunes.

Thomas' voice was another reason they stood out. His rich, slightly raspy bellow could sound both soulful and hard-edged, sensitive and angry. It's the same voice that lead Santana's "Smooth" to three Grammy awards, and earned it a place in the Don't Hate it Just Because It's Played to Death Hall of Fame. (First inductee: "Hotel California.")

TODAY'S RECOMMENDATION: "Mad Season" by Matchbox 20
AVAILABLE ON: Mad Season; iTunes