DMB - "Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King" - 2008
 

I am not sure how many fans of Dave Matthews Band there are on here. I'll give this review a shot regardless. I will try not to be too critical :pimp:


Regardless of whether you enjoy Dave Matthews Band, or not, you have to agree that they are all consummate musicians. Dave in my opinion is the least talented one. This is purely subjective, but his musical skill is lacking comparatively to Lessard (bassist) and definitely Beauford (percussion).


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Tim Reynolds also layed down guitar on this album. I have absolutely nothing to complain about there lol.

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However, Dave is by far, by far, the best composer of the group. The passion of the songs he writes inspires me. His original strumming, and strange vocal madness used to persist in every song. "There would be no John Mayer, without a David Matthews." - John Mayer

This leads me into Big Whisky . The band has been mournful over the death of Leroi Moore (their saxophonist), so when I first opened the cd I expected to hear raw, powerful emotion. Instead what I heard was simply a mess of differing direction in the band. The writing needs to be let to Dave, and Dave alone. He filled the band with great musicians, who all knew that HE was the writer.


There was a few good songs on the album. I know this. These few good songs were written by Dave alone, like in their earlier albums. "Time Bomb" and "You and Me".

I have been patient with this band for years, because I know that Dave has more to offer. They all do.

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"Funny the Way It Is" - This song gave me hope that the whole band can work together, to produce worthwhile music with real soul in it. The drumming is immaculate. The guitar is very powerful, and the offbeat violin riffs were sublime. The whole song had direction. The direction was ambivalence, which I think is ironic.

Overall I will give the album 6/10. Some parts were okay, but it didn't pass. I know they sold almost 400,000 albums in the first week alone. This album was the last straw after "Stand Up". I will not be purchasing their next album, or any predecessor until I hear Dave is the only writer of the songs.

I am a huge DMB/Dave fan and I actually didn't mind the album. I know it isn't up to the standard that was set after Crash, but that's going to be hard to beat. Crash was great along with a lot of his earlier stuff. Everyday is what I grew up on and that album wasn't that great but it was still good, as this one is. Stand Up was bad, so what. He didn't write. When he's left in a room with a pencil, paper, and pot great things happen. Now after the powerful role that Leroi played has left, they are simply trying to figure it out. It was pretty good if you think of it that way. I'm not saying that you should have your own opinions, but I am saying don't give on them until Dave gives up on them, there will be hope if he's still there.

I like that way of looking at it. Thanks.

Oh and I grew up on Everyday also! I loved Busted Stuff, and going back to look at those albums (like LWS) makes me depressed lol.

They do deserve more faith than I am giving them. Honestly, in my opinion, Big Whiskey was a bad, misdirected album. That in mind, I am sure they deserve at least one more shot.

I wouldn't be able to understand why they made it the way they did after Leroi's death. I've never had a good band, nevertheless someone die in it.

They do deserve more respect than I gave them in my original post. I just want more DMB!!!! Where it is actually Dave Matthew's Band. His band. Not Lessard's, or Boyd's, but Dave's.

Laterrrrrrrrrrrrr