After scoring TV and films over the past decade, Paul Docette, drummer for Matchbox Twenty, says that he’s started to approach songwriting differently.

“I’m really aiming for emotion more than anything else. When I figure out what I want the song to be or what the moment in the show needs to be, what I want people to feel when they’re either listening to it or experiencing it — that’s the lens in which I go through everything,” he says. “That is 100% the result of working in scoring. You’re dealing with the emotional content of the scene or of an actor’s performance. I look at writing music and putting together our shows in that same way.”

Along with bandmate Kyle Cook, Docette stepped up as a producer on Matchbox Twenty’s fifth album, “Where The Light Goes,” released May 26 via Atlantic Records. It’s the band’s first album in 11 years. They kicked off their first tour since 2017 in May and will perform a sold-out show June 23 at the Walmart AMP in Rogers with support from singer-songwriter Matt Nathanson

“We did this record kind of differently. Normally we would go into the studio and just work on songs sitting in a room. This record came together slightly in the pandemic world,” Docette says. Docette and Cook along with Brian Yale and the most famous member, Rob Thomas, worked separately and then came together to work out material in the studio.

“Wild Dogs” was the first single from the newest album, and Docette says that reactions have been mixed.

“There’s a lot of people who love it right out of the gate. There are some people who are like, ‘Wait a minute, this doesn’t sound like the Matchbox I know,’” Docette says.

“We knew when we came out with “Wild Dogs’ that if you’re someone who loves us for songs like ‘Push’ or maybe some of the more heavier guitar stuff, this song might throw you for a loop,” he says. While they anticipated a little hemming and hawing from old fans, he says the overall reaction to the song has been “overwhelmingly positive.”

They also released the single “Don’t Get Me Wrong” in May. Even though they are releasing new music — and frontman Thomas has his own catalog of solo hits — Matchbox Twenty fans should expect to hear their favorites too.

“We actually spent a lot of time going back and forth to figure out what’s the proper balance of the new record and the stuff that people have grown up with,” Docette says.

“I think that we’ve gotten to a good place. I’m actually really excited about that. I’m also really nervous because any time you make something, you’re like, ‘Oh, is it any good?’ … You think it’s good. But then the world might think differently, you never know. You definitely have a little bit of apprehension. But it’s more exciting. It’s more like I can’t wait to show this to people,” Docette says.

“We want people to have a great experience at our shows, and we’re thinking about that the entire time.”

Matchbox Twenty has plenty of hit songs to perform from their award-winning catalog. It’s doubtful that you’ll find anyone over the age of 30 that can’t sing “3 AM” “Push” or “Unwell.”

“If we didn’t play those three songs, I think people might ask for their money back,” Docette laughs. “I don’t ever see us ever in my entire life — ever — playing a show and not playing those three songs. Those songs will be played — no doubt.”

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FAQ

Matchbox Twenty

WHAT — Multi-platinum pop-rockers, Matchbox Twenty are touring in support of their latest album, “Where the Light Goes,” along with singer-songwriter Matt Nathanson. Fans of Matchbox Twenty should expect to hear new tunes and old favorites from the group’s 30 year catalog.

WHEN — 7:30 p.m. June 23

WHERE — Walmart AMP in Rogers

COST — The show is sold out.

INFO — amptickets.com