Yes, hearing Dave Matthews' voice is like entering a time machine set for the mid-'90s, and, no, I haven't had much interest in listening to the band in, I don't know, close to a decade. (Their last album, 2005's "Stand Up," was mostly a non-starter.) But I can't lie: The group's new record, "Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King," released today, has brought me back.
This isn't the polished and frequently cheesy jam band I remember, who I liked when I was younger and then grew out of. DMB, whose saxophonist Leroi Moore passed away midway through recording the album, now sounds both electrified (how 'bout that solo in "Seven"?) and genuinely wistful, more connected to life's struggles and even more aware of the need to persevere. "Shake Me Like a Monkey" soars along a funky horn section, while first single "Funny the Way It Is" tackles fate with a bittersweet question mark that doesn't feel sentimental. The soul-shaking "Squirm" is truly exhilarating, packing an urgency that's a credit to producer Rob Cavallo (Green Day). He also helps keep the band loose on dramatic midtempo pieces like "Dive In" and pushes the sound towards something that's both more authentic and less deliberate, sincere instead of earnest. (Closer "You and Me," however, tips the balance in the wrong direction, as Matthews promises, "When the kids are old enough, we're going to teach them to fly." Blecch.)
In the past, Matthews sometimes grew tiresome because it sounded like he was sitting and pondering his wordy ruminations too long. On "Big Whiskey," a tribute to his fallen comrade, Matthews discovers the benefit of just opening up and letting the emotion flow.
1 Comment
Shari Weiss said:
Fuse definitely seems to think they're still relevant as they're dedicating a whole week of programming to the band.
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