Matchbox Twenty: 'How Far We've Come'

Matchbox Twenty are one of those odd American groups who has can sell out dates at Wembley Arena or Madison Square Gardens and churn out endless arena tours but when it comes to naming their singles you'd probably struggle to name even a couple. Singer Rob Thomas is probably better known in Britain for being the geezer who sang on that ruddy Santana 'Smooth' track than he is as the frontman of the alt country rockers. 'How Far We've Come' is perhaps indicative of why the band have failed to capture the imaginations of British audiences, as this pop-rock stomper never truly moves out of second gear.

It starts with someone who sounds worryingly like Simon Cowell saying 'Hello, Hello' before a towering drum beat kicks in, which is all exciting enough, but as soon as the restrained guitars and AM radio-friendly vocals sneak into the mix, you might as well be listening to a Nickelback B-side. There's a sniff of Aerosmith's pomp rock, a glint of Fall Out Boy's polished emo and a dash of Black Crowes blues, but the tune never truly evolves into anything interesting in its own right. It's not too dissimilar to one of Busted or McFly's rockier moments, with the pop sheen, cheeky lyrics and fun ripped out of the centre. Like a soggy sandwich, some dry roast chicken or a burnt spaghetti bolognese, Matchbox have all the right ingredients but fail to serve them up with any grace.