Where the Light Goes

Where the Light Goes
Studio album by Matchbox Twenty
Released	May 26, 2023
Recorded	2022
Genre	Pop rock
Length	44:38
Label	Atlantic
Producer	Kyle Cook Paul Doucette Gregg Wattenberg
Matchbox Twenty chronology
North (2012) Where the Light Goes (2023)
Singles from Where the Light Goes
"Wild Dogs (Running in a Slow Dream)" Released: March 17, 2023 "Don't Get Me Wrong" Released: May 5, 2023 [1]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]

Where the Light Goes is the fifth studio album by American rock band Matchbox Twenty, released on May 26, 2023, by Atlantic Records. ^[3] On March 17, 2023, the band released the first single from the album, "Wild Dogs (Running in a Slow Dream)". The album debuted at number 53 on the US Billboard 200 with 13,000 album-equivalent units in its first week. ^[4]

Where the Light Goes is the band's first album in over a decade since North in 2012. ^[5] This is also the first album of new material by the band not to be produced by longtime producer Matt Serletic, and also the first to not have any of it singles chart on the Mainstream Top 40 chart and last album with Atlantic Records. The album was produced by Gregg Wattenberg with band members Paul Doucette and Kyle Cook.

Background

As they were about to embark on a 2020 tour, the members of Matchbox Twenty had come to the conclusion that they had no desire to make a new album and were now primarily a touring band that would occasionally release new songs. The tour was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and though the band announced new dates for 2022, those were subsequently postponed as well. With the tour rescheduled once again to 2023, Kyle Cook suggested that the band record a new album after all in order to give their fans something new to make up for their long period of inactivity. ^[6]

Paul Doucette claimed that Where the Light Goes is the "most joyful" album the band has ever made, stating: "I also think this is a record where we let ourselves not be defined by the word 'band'." Rob Thomas stated: "It sounded like who we are, we know who we are, but also a glimpse of what we sound like in 2023, which I'm glad". Thomas continued: "Of everything about this record, the one thing I'm glad is that I got to see a glimpse of what we sound like when we make music together now". ^[7]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Friends"	Paul Doucette	Gregg Wattenberg Doucette	4:46
2.	"Wild Dogs (Running in a Slow Dream)"	Rob Thomas Doucette Wattenberg	Wattenberg Doucette	3:30
3.	"Rebels"	Thomas Doucette	Wattenberg Doucette	3:44
4.	"One Hit Love"	Thomas Doucette Wattenberg	Wattenberg	3:43
5.	"Warm Blood"	Doucette	Wattenberg Doucette	3:48
6.	"Queen of New York City"	Thomas Eric Arjes Jeffrey Joseph East	Wattenberg	3:32
7.	"Where the Light Goes"	Thomas	Wattenberg	3:52
8.	"Hang on Every Word"	Doucette	Wattenberg	4:08
9.	"Don't Get Me Wrong"	Thomas David Garcia Craig Wiseman	Wattenberg	2:53
10.	"I Know Better"	Kyle Cook	Wattenberg	3:48
11.	"No Other Love" (featuring Amanda Shires)	Doucette Deana Carter	Wattenberg Doucette	3:36
12.	"Selling Faith"	Thomas	Wattenberg Cook	3:18
Total length:				44:38

Personnel

Matchbox Twenty

• Rob Thomas – lead vocals (tracks 1–9, 11–12), backing vocals (1–3, 6, 9, 10)
• Brian Yale – bass guitar (all tracks)
• Paul Doucette – backing vocals (1–6, 8, 10, 11–12), drums (1–5, 7, 8, 10, 11), rhythm guitar (1–5, 7, 11–12), keyboards (1–3, 5, 7, 8, 11), programming (1, 2, 5, 11), piano (2, 8, 11–12), additional drums (6)
• Kyle Cook – lead guitar (all tracks), backing vocals (1–4, 6, 7, 9, 12), mandolin (1, 3, 7), keyboards (3, 10, 12), ukulele (3, 6, 8), banjo (3), piano (6, 7, 9, 12), lead vocals (10)

Additional musicians

• Gregg Wattenberg – background vocals (1–6, 8, 9, 11, 12), programming (1, 2, 5, 10, 11), keyboards (2–12), guitar (2–4), piano (8)
• Dallin Applebaum – background vocals (1), choir (4)
• Grace McClean – background vocals (1), choir (4)
• Katie Marshall – background vocals (1), choir (4)
• Mia Wattenberg – background vocals (1, 3, 8, 9), children's choir (1), choir (4), piano (6)
• Rebecca Gastfriend – background vocals (1), choir (4)
• Tiger Darrow – background vocals (1), choir (4)
• Asha Denhoy – children's choir (1)
• Aya Mitchell – children's choir (1)
• Joey Capella – children's choir (1)
• Maia Denhoy – children's choir (1)
• Jett Doucette-Zappa – guest vocals (1), background vocals (11)
• Andy Snitzer – horn arrangement, baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone (1, 6, 10, 11)
• Michael Davis – bass trombone, tenor trombone (1, 6, 10, 11)
• Tony Kadleck – flugelhorn, trumpet (1, 6, 10, 11)
• Matt Beck – piano (1, 4, 6, 10, 11)
• Cillian Vallely – uilleann pipes (1)
• Tina Dawn – background vocals (2, ,7,9)
• John Metcalfe – conductor, string arrangement (4, 8)
• Richard Harwood – lead cello (4, 8)
• Chris Worsey – cello (4, 8)
• Ian Burdge – cello (4, 8)
• Sophie Harris – cello (4, 8)
• Vickie Matthews – cello (4, 8)
• Peter Lale – lead viola (4, 8)
• Helen Kammings – viola (4, 8)
• Ian Rathbone – viola (4, 8)
• Reiad Chibah – viola (4, 8)
• Everton Nelson – violin leader (4, 8)
• Alison Dods – second violin (4, 8)
• Charles Mutter – second violin (4, 8)
• Ian Humphries – second violin (4, 8)
• John Mills – second violin (4, 8)
• Louis Fuller – second violin (4, 8)
• Nicky Sweeney – second violin (4, 8)
• Richard George – second violin (4, 8)
• Rick Koster – second violin (4, 8)
• Steve Morris – second violin (4, 8)
• Tim Pigott-Smith – second violin (4, 8)
• Gunnar Olsen – drums (6, 9)
• Amanda Shires – backing vocals (11)

Technical

• Randy Merrill – mastering
• Manny Marroquin – mixing (1, 3, 6, 8, 9)
• Serban Ghenea – mixing (2)
• Rob Kinelski – mixing (4, 5, 7, 10–12)
• Kevin Killen – recording
• Ethan Feinberg – recording (1, 11), engineering assistance (2–10, 12)
• Lewis Jones – orchestral engineering (4, 8)
• Anthony Vilchis – mixing assistance (1, 3, 6, 8, 9)
• Trey Station – mixing assistance (1, 3, 6, 8, 9)
• Zach Pereyra – mixing assistance (1, 3, 6, 8, 9)
• Bryce Bordone – mixing assistance (2)
• Eli Heisler – mixing assistance (4, 5, 7, 10–12)
• Cole Lumpkin – engineering assistance (1, 3–9, 11)
• Dan McDonald – engineering assistance (1, 6, 11)
• Matt Jones – engineering assistance (4, 8)

Charts

Chart performance for Where the Light Goes

Chart (2023)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA) [8]	2
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [9]	77
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [10]	26
Scottish Albums (OCC) [11]	9
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [12]	79
UK Album Downloads (OCC) [13]	10
UK Physical Albums (OCC) [14]	12
US Billboard 200 [15]	53
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard) [16]	7

References

1. "Matchbox Twenty Settle an Argument on New Song 'Don't Get Me Wrong'". Rolling Stone . May 5, 2023. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
2. Where the Light Goes at AllMusic. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
3. Young, Alex (March 17, 2023). "Matchbox Twenty Announces First New Album in 11 Years, Share Lead Single". Consequence . Retrieved March 17, 2023.
4. McIntyre, Hugh (June 7, 2023). "Taylor Swift's 'Midnights' Outsold The Next 31 Bestselling Albums In America This Week Combined". Forbes. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
5. Zemler, Emily (March 17, 2023). "Matchbox Twenty Mark First New Music in Over a Decade With 'Wild Dogs (Running In A Slow Dream)'". Rolling Stone . Retrieved March 17, 2023.
6. Ruggieri, Melissa (May 26, 2023). "Matchbox Twenty on 'unfinished business,' how touring does 'vile things' to their bodies". USA Today. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
7. https://people.com/music/matchbox-twenty-is-done-with-manufactured-90s-angst-exclusive/
8. "ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
9. "Offiziellecharts.de – Matchbox Twenty – Where the Light Goes" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
10. "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
11. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
12. "Swisscharts.com – Matchbox Twenty – Where the Light Goes". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
13. "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
14. "Official Physical Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company . Retrieved April 6, 2024.
15. "Matchbox Twenty Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
16. "Matchbox Twenty Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 6, 2023.