"Stand Up" Review
I've listened to Dave Matthews Band's 6th new studio album "Stand Up," and I must say this is the first DMB album I was hesitant about after the first listen, mainly because it is so different from their prior work and it left me in a bit of shock. But after a second and third listen, I've contrived a somewhat solid opinion. Although not their best (doesn't live up to the first 3 in my opinion), it's damn awesome. This is the album that will suck in a lot of non-DMB fans and potentially conform them. There is hip-hop influence, rock influence (70s and 80s rock), country influence, etc. This album is everywhere, which makes it very unique. This album (to me) is like a combination of "Before These Crowded Streets," "Everyday," and Dave's solo album "Some Devil," and thensome. In a way it's like "Everyday" Part II, yet far more successful. Some negative things about it: songs are short for DMB songs (mainly because there aren't that much lyrics in most of the songs) - they average out to roughly 4-5 minutes; "Hello Again" one of their new songs from last summer is cut in half (lacking the sweet ass drum solo/improv during the live shows); the lyrics are not Dave's best (some of the lyrics are really impressive, but this album is more about the music than the lyrics in my opinion - but that opinion may change after awhile, who knows); and Carter (arguably one of the best drummers around in music right now) isn't "as busy" on most of these songs, as he put it, despite the fact that he is still strong. A lot of the drum beats he composes are much less complicated than usual, with some exceptions: Hello Again, American Baby Intro, American Baby Outro, Steady As We Go, Stand Up. But there are some other older DMB songs that do not have that extremely complicated drumming. There are some songs that are simple, yes. All in all, though, still a great album, and I'm not just saying that because I'm a huge DMB fan. Anyway, since I'm a dork, here's a rundown of the songs on the album with a small tidbit of information amongst each track...
Dreamgirl - Other than “Hello Again,” this is the most DMB-sounding song on the album. As their forthcoming radio single, this is a sweet little love consisting of preliminary African-like chants from Dave - but they surprisingly sound good. Really good lyrics.
Old Dirt Hill - I didn’t like this song at first. It did grow on me, however. Carter actually sings without Dave on this fluent, mellow tune. Really catchy.
Stand Up - Evidently repetitive, but really catchy. It’s got some cool drum licks by Carter.
American Baby Intro - Very unDMB-like. It features some impressive drumming and especially keyboards with sounds of gunfire and explosions amplified in the background, then fades into a somber violin solo by Boyd.
American Baby - This song really grew on me. I like this song, and it’s 100x better live. Too bad the radio version cut out the best part of the song - the jam outro.
Smooth Rider - I don’t know why they put this on the album. It barely exceeds two minutes, and there is no violin or sax. It’s a grooving song, but so damn short! It has grown on me.
Everybody Wake Up - Great song. There’s quite a bit of variety on this one. The vocals sound like a Peter Gabriel song, and the music is constantly changing, keeping the same chorus and vocal verses, however.
Out Of My Hands - What?? Dave on the piano? Wow. Sounds hauntingly beautiful, dark and very mellow.
Hello Again - The only song from last summer that made it on the album. Yet, it’s only 3 minutes and 56 seconds?!?! “What the fuck” comes to mind. Although one of my favorites on the album, it ends abruptly, leading directly into...
Louisiana Bayou - Another one of my favorites. They jam this song out. You’ll be bobbing your head to this one.
Stolen Away on 55th & 3rd - I like Leroi a lot on this one. He’s a main part of the song. This is one of the very few songs on the album that is more about the lyrics than the music.
You Might Die Trying - Possesses elements of “Too High” from Dave’s solo album, but much better in my opinion. Leroi adds a lot to it as well as Boyd. This is another favorite of mine.
Steady As We Go - A favorite among many fans. This is going to be a classic.
Hunger For the Great Light - Sounds like a song by the Beatles. A nice rocking-tune with some classical violin by Boyd at the end. A potential closer about oral sex.
Dreamgirl - Other than “Hello Again,” this is the most DMB-sounding song on the album. As their forthcoming radio single, this is a sweet little love consisting of preliminary African-like chants from Dave - but they surprisingly sound good. Really good lyrics.
Old Dirt Hill - I didn’t like this song at first. It did grow on me, however. Carter actually sings without Dave on this fluent, mellow tune. Really catchy.
Stand Up - Evidently repetitive, but really catchy. It’s got some cool drum licks by Carter.
American Baby Intro - Very unDMB-like. It features some impressive drumming and especially keyboards with sounds of gunfire and explosions amplified in the background, then fades into a somber violin solo by Boyd.
American Baby - This song really grew on me. I like this song, and it’s 100x better live. Too bad the radio version cut out the best part of the song - the jam outro.
Smooth Rider - I don’t know why they put this on the album. It barely exceeds two minutes, and there is no violin or sax. It’s a grooving song, but so damn short! It has grown on me.
Everybody Wake Up - Great song. There’s quite a bit of variety on this one. The vocals sound like a Peter Gabriel song, and the music is constantly changing, keeping the same chorus and vocal verses, however.
Out Of My Hands - What?? Dave on the piano? Wow. Sounds hauntingly beautiful, dark and very mellow.
Hello Again - The only song from last summer that made it on the album. Yet, it’s only 3 minutes and 56 seconds?!?! “What the fuck” comes to mind. Although one of my favorites on the album, it ends abruptly, leading directly into...
Louisiana Bayou - Another one of my favorites. They jam this song out. You’ll be bobbing your head to this one.
Stolen Away on 55th & 3rd - I like Leroi a lot on this one. He’s a main part of the song. This is one of the very few songs on the album that is more about the lyrics than the music.
You Might Die Trying - Possesses elements of “Too High” from Dave’s solo album, but much better in my opinion. Leroi adds a lot to it as well as Boyd. This is another favorite of mine.
Steady As We Go - A favorite among many fans. This is going to be a classic.
Hunger For the Great Light - Sounds like a song by the Beatles. A nice rocking-tune with some classical violin by Boyd at the end. A potential closer about oral sex.