Putting together a greatest hits package for Dave Matthews Band is no job to scoff at. Three innate problems come bundled with the task. Firstly, the band’s discography is downright massive. The second problem comes with the fact that this huge discography features the same material over and over again, at least in name. The band’s six studio albums are respectable bodies of work, to be sure, but they don’t hold a candle to the goods brought by live release after live release. Not only must the right songs be chosen, but the right versions of the right songs have to be included. The third problem is that just throwing on the band’s handful of radio singles will do nothing but alienate the avid DMB fan base, which in DMB’s case is a pretty big chunk of their overall support. Even still, RCA, Dave and Co.’s label, wants to introduce some newcomers into the fold, and this package was the best way they thought to do it.
And really, the final product isn’t horrendous. In fact, it’s quite impressive. The offering is a double disc compilation, with one disc featuring twelve studio cuts. Two tunes each come from the group’s six studio albums, from 1994’s Under the Table and Dreaming to last year’s inventive and somewhat debated Stand Up. Thankfully, the most radio friendly songs weren’t necessarily the songs that made the cut. Oh, sure, “What Would You Say", “Gray Street”, and last year’s hit “American Baby” are here in full force, but so are “So Right”, “Crush”, and the compilation’s namesake, “The Best of What’s Around”.
These songs are certainly fan favorites, but they became that way through their continuous stunning live renditions and not through extensive radio play. The real cult classics such as “Dreaming Tree” aren’t present, of course, but this is, after all, a greatest hits collection. At least they didn’t by default include “Stay” or “I Did It”, which both received significant radio play but have never quite been the peak of the mountain in the hearts of most devoted Dave Matthews Band fans.
The reason for DMB devotees to pick up this package is the second disc, which is comprised of eight live samplings selecting by the Dave Matthews Band fan association. The choices seem to come more from recent concerts rather than the material from the mid to late '90s, but as this information is fresh in the minds of people, (I certainly remember this past year’s tour a little more vividly than 2000’s), this is understandable.
Article comments
1 - Connie Phillips
Congrats! This article has been forwarded to the Advance.net websites.
2 - The Average White Guy
I'm a huge DMB fan, and I've been following the release of The Best of What's Around Vol. 1. Although I'm pleased with the setlist, I have to agree with you: This isn't a "greatest hits" collection. I wish it were though, then I wouldn't have to hold this collection up to the high standards we Warehouse folks do.
If the album wasn't intended to be a "greatest hits", but more of a gift to the loyalist fans, then RCA missed the mark. You're right, I'd rather the DMB release another "Live Trax".
One last thing: Dave and the band had for a long time rejected the advances of Rhapsody and iTunes, etc... because they feel (as I do) that an album itself is a work of art, and by breaking it down to individual tracks, you're essentially destroying the art. I wonder what happened there??
Good post.
3 - Jared Wright
From what I've heard the album's intent was more for new listeners as much as anyone else, although in typical DMB fashion, all the avid DMB junkies picked it up anyway. As far as why they finally gave in... *shrugs* As a student studying the recording industry at university, I've seen a few instances of record labels having immense power over even the most profitable of bands. This is probably just another case of RCA finally pushing back, and it wasn't in DMB's best interest to fight it. They have made it clear their view of breaking an album up like that though, so at least those that follow DMB to any extent will know that they prefer albums to be heard in their entirety and will hopefully react accordingly.
Glad you liked the post. It's DMB, so it's a great release, but DMB has quite the bar to get over in my mind. Now about Live Tracks 7...