http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005-2007 by the authors Mon, 26 Aug 2002 15:40:39 EDT http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/ Phillip WinnSunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. 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Administration0@blogcritics.org Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2002/08/26/154039.php Pete MunseyThe new Dave Matthews Band album "Busted Stuff" arrived at my place courtesy of a friend who is a huge fan, the kind of person who'd "like acoustic jam music is it wasn't sooo looong!""Busted Stuff" (repackaged with a new title and other goodies, but essentially the previously unreleased "Lily White Sessions", which had only been available through Internet samizdat)is what you expect it would be. For those who like this kind of trippy music cleaned up and made presentable to anybody's parents in pressed chinos and collared shirt, it is highly entertaining even if a bit derivative of past albums. For those who hate his voice, his achingly earnest, overly arty videos, and all the slick merchandising that surrounds Dave, you'll hate it. But you ain't buying it anyway, are you?Like any DMB album, this one has a couple or three really well crafted, meledious tunes that you want to hear over and over again. Until, of course, the radio industry plays them in the ground via a continious loop every day for six months, after which every time if comes on you find yourself covering your ears, crying out loud and diving under the table and dreading. But that is not Dave's fault.The first track, "Busted Stuff", is one of the aforementioned really good ones. It has the crisp guitar work that he's renowned for, accompanied by a voice not strong but hushed and plaintive. There is some of Stefan Lessard's strong bass lines and Carter Burford unstated work on the drums. And mercifully little to no Leroi Moore. He plays very good saxophone but it sounds inserted incongruously into many songs as an obvious break. Or maybe their just spreading the wealth to let him get his licks in. Essentially, the song is on a theme that's pretty obvious from the title: the heartbroken narrator lamenting his break-up, his ex- "leaving a trail of busted stuff." "Grey Street" is a very pedestrian track, sentiments seemingly covered before on other albums, with the depressingly familiar non-specific lyrics ("there's an emptiness inside her...") and workmanlike chords that mar every two songs in the Matthews canon. "Where Are You Going?", the current single from the album and the movie "Mr. Deeds", is haunting, plaintively rendered in hushed tones, with once again great unstated backing drums by Burford. The song is a peaon to the everyman, who knows he "ain't no superman." Like an everyman, he finds his passion not in himself, but in someone else. "I do know where you go is where I want to be." The folks at RCA are spot-on in releasing this as a single."You Never Know", which touches on perseverance in the same way REM's "Everybody Hurts" counseled against suicidal despair, and "Raven", about the abuses visited upon a child, are well done, foot tapping songs which are instantly unmemorable. A couple of gems and a brilliant piece of writing: "Captain" and "Digging a Ditch" are what makes Matthews such a success as a performer and songwriter and why it's a shame that so many of his singles are the only ones listened to by the great musical public. Will these two be released as singles? I hope so. "Captain" is a jazzy riff in which the smoky, small room of the imagination conjures up Matthews and his band mates. If you transported back to the early 90s to Charlottesville, Va., you would see him on stage at some small club trying out material like this on the UVA frat boys (and adoring sorority girls). We are "captain of our ship", a self contained entity self powered and self satisfied until we meet someone who finds our soft spot."Digging a Ditch" starts with Matthews forlornly strumming on his Gibson. His voice breaks in over the chords, hoarse and shy, asking that you "run to your dreams when you're alone." The digging is for the disappintments, loss and doubts, "where all these questions spinning round my head will die." What sounds like a funereal dirge is a psychological admonition to struggle with your inner ghosts and cast them out, or down, as the case may be."Grace is Gone" is simply the best song on the album, rounded out like a hurt and wounded version of the high lonesome sound as sung by Cat Stevens, complete with Lessard's work on the dobro and some wonderful fiddle breaks by Boyd Tinsley. It's a drunken early morning plea to a bartender for "one more drink. Could you make it strong? Because I don't need to think." The Grace is the name, as well as the feelings, that have left the singer. He equates the loss of his love with the loss of Love, which is grace bestowed on us from outside. This is the mountain music element, combining the musicality (dobro, fiddle), with the worldview of bluegrass pioneers Carl Monroe and Ralph and Carter Stanley, shot through with biblical lessons learned at Sunday meetings. Anyone who has ever been hurt in a quick and unexpected way will nod along as they tap their feet."Kit Kat Jam" is a long jam for this band, a nice instrumental break that allows everyone their chops. One thing often lost in evaluating Matthews is his virtousity with guitar. He is more than proficient. He can soar on occasion. The wonderful Burford gets time, as well as Moore, who gets to show off his sax play, to his benefit. Sometime ill used, there is never doubt about his talent and "Kit Kam Jam" shows it off.The last two songs are disappointing. "Big Eyed Fish" is a slow plodder with Matthews doing a bit of growling, which does not showcase his voice. "Bartender" is overly long and elaborate. The band is at its best when it doesn't try to pack too much into each song.No one questions the talent of the DMB, or of their ability to craft catchy, emotionally fulfilling songs. If only they could do this for an entire album. But who in music now doesn't wish they could pull that off? Music: Alternative Rock237@blogcritics.org Mon, 26 Aug 2002 15:40:39 EDT