When Rob Thomas, the frontman of Matchbox Twenty, teamed up with guitar whiz Santana for the mega hit Smooth in 1999, it was a strong signal that he held the potential to achieve plenty without his band. And with his solo debut, the surprisingly ambitious Something to Be, showcases the most confident Thomas since his breakthrough. Weighty on keyboards, elastic guitars, insistent rhythms, and even the occasional gospel-inspired chorus, this is a far splashier affair than the average Matchbox Twenty album. He veers from modern R&B on the Justin Timberlake aping My, My, My to vintage rock in All That I Am. The first single from the album, written by Thomas and produced by Grammy winner Matt Serletic, is the colossal pop hit Lonely No More, which is already climbing up the international charts. He encapsulates his lyrics about heartache over betrayal: "I don’t want to know the lover at my door/ Is just another heartache on my list," with grinding bass. Fallin’ To Pieces showcases Thomas’ gospel influence. More striking sounds are heard on I Am an Illusion, featuring a riveting lap steel guitar solo by Robert Randolph. His performance adds an effectively haunting sound to a cut that opens with a brief passage of Oh Death by Bessie Jones.

Erasure — Nightbird (Mute)

Nightbird is Andy Bell and Vince Clarke’s twelfth album since forming Erasure some 20 years ago, and it’s the first to contain new material since 2000’s serene Loveboat.

While there are a number of apparent hits on the album, there is a consistency of sound and quality in the songs that runs throughout the album. Nightbird’s first single is a good re-introduction of Erasure to the masses. The austere track gives way to the stunning I’ll Be There, with very dancefloor-friendly beats and euphoric vocals. Sweet Surrender is upbeat pop again — grandly sung with barely a pause for breath. With Nightbird, it feels like a confident, strong Erasure stepping out again, bold and optimistic, producing some of their best material to date. Nightbird demonstrates that it is possible for a band to age gracefully.