There are many things I'm not proud to admit to -- that T'Pau tattoo, the website which had me kicked out of White House press briefings, my tail, etc. -- but being surprised by Rob Thomas is probably near the top of the list.

I'd always thought he was content churning out the same tepid, formulaic gak he's reheated so artfully and redundantly over the course of his career with castrated, mediocrity rock wizards Matchbox Twenty.

I presumed stepping out for him was helping reignite Carlos Santana's stagnant career by dulling the legend down and turning him into Grammy-fodder.

But apparently not.

Who knew that deep down inside of Thomas' cold, empty soul, the musician wanted to break free?

Who knew he longed to be thought of as a man of all sounds and styles and radio formats, dabbling in such foreign and heretofore unexplored areas of music as Justin Timberlake dance, Peter Gabriel world music, Semisonic indie rock and Elton John balladry?

And who knew he could take all of those sounds and styles, castrate them and turn them into the same tepid, formulaic gak he churned out so artfully with mediocrity rock wizards Matchbox Twenty?

Oh, wait, I think I did know that.

Track Listing:

1. This Is How A Heart Breaks
2. Lonely No More
3. Ever the Same
4. I Am An Illusion
5. When the Heartache Ends
6. Something to Be
7. All That I Am
8. Problem Girl
9. Fallin' To Pieces
10. My My My
11. Streetcorner Symphony
12. Now Comest the Night