My faith was slightly shaken in the Dave Matthews Band when they released Everyday some time ago; it sounded as if the band was trying to branch off into pop territory. With short, verse-chorus-verse arrangements that were radio-friendly and hook-laden, it seemed that the long jams of past albums might actually become just a memory. While Everyday contained some great tunes, it just didn’t seem to be quite the band’s style. What their latest offering, Busted Stuff represents is the more classic sound of the band that the fans are used to, and once again, it seems that the band has regained its footing.

I guess a little bit of history behind this album is needed. When the Dave Matthews Band went in to record what would eventually become the Everyday album, Dave was depressed and feeling morose. The sessions drug on, with a dark mood and songs that were somber and dripping with sadness. The band was working with long-time producer Steve Lillywhite at the time. They supposedly did not like the dark tone of the album they were creating, so after writing and recording many tunes, they decided to scrap the entire project and start all over again with a new producer, pop guru Glenn Ballard. What they recorded with Ballard ended up becoming Everyday, and what they recorded earlier with Lillywhite stayed up on the shelf.

However, Dave Matthews fans being the resourceful types that they are, the songs recorded with Lillywhite quickly surfaced in the form of a bootleg available on the internet, titled The Lillywhite Sessions. Compared to the light and bouncy Everyday, the bootleg was indeed dark. The songs brimmed with loss and mourning, but there was no denying that they contained a passion and focus that was somewhat absent on the material they released with Ballard. For all intents and purposes, The Lillywhite Sessions sounded like a band in its prime and churning out great songs, and was considered by many to be far superior to Everyday. The bootleg circulated like a wildfire, with MTV even doing a piece on it, and further spreading the music by advertising that it was available on several web sites. By the time the band started touring and playing some of the “unreleased” material, the fans were already quite familiar with it, and already singing along with the lyrics. The band most definitely noticed, and here we now have their bootleg album released by the band, professionally mixed and packaged. While it remains mostly intact from its bootleg roots, there are few minor changes here and there. But there is no denying that this album contains a fire and passion that the fans have been looking for.

On first listen, people who had the original bootleg with notice that the sound quality is of course much improved. The bootleg appeared to have not been through mixing yet, so it had a raw, scratchy quality to it that made it sound like the illegal masterpiece that it was. All of that has been fixed for the official release, with most of the songs seemingly re-recorded and jazzed up for mass consumption. Some of the arrangements have been changed a little, and some lyrics have been changed around. The band obviously didn’t just mix the old songs they had lying around and rush them out; they actually went back into the studio to work on this material. While there isn’t an over-abundance of studio window dressing to be found, like on Before These Crowded Streets, they did add a little studio spice to some of the tracks, such as spacey phasing effects on “Bartender.” Mostly, though, this album is a bare-bones affair of just the music. The production itself is spare and raw; Matthew’s fingers can be heard on his guitar strings, and there are few studio effects to be found. This is a great setting for an album that is itself bare and raw.


The Songs

1. Busted Stuff - The album opens with a crash of drums and guitar. The tone is jumpy and funky, rolling along on the fabulous rhythm laid down by bassist Stefan Lessard and drummer Carter Beauford. Dave’s lyric is fairly up-beat, focusing on a woman who is going to break his heart.

2. Grey Street - This is one of my favorite Dave Matthews songs. It plows forward on a stammering staccato beat similar to the one in “Ants Marching.” The great thing about the song is Dave’s lyrics and vocals. The lyrics are about a woman caught in a hopeless situation that she feels she can not get out of. Dave sings it with passion and ferocity, reaching a fever pitch near the end of the song where it sounds like he’s blowing his lungs out. The are major lyric changes here that take some getting used to, but they managed to retain the fire that the original tune had.

3. Where Are You Going - This one is getting a fair amount of radio play right now, and appeared on the Mr. Deeds soundtrack. This was not on the original bootleg. The tone is slow and slightly sad as the tune is mainly built on a somber guitar melody lightly underscored by piano. Yet another pretty tune penned by Mr. Matthews that speaks for itself.

4. You Never Know - This is another new tune, supposedly inspired by the recent birth of Matthews’ twin daughters. Again, the mood is up-beat, built upon a rolling bed of guitar and a flowing piece of saxophone work by Leroi Moore. There is no typical explosive chorus that I’m used to in a Dave Matthews tune, but after a few listens, it is actually a nice little song that has a mellow and reflective vibe. It’s mainly dealing with reflecting on God, and how he looks at us silly little people.

5. Captain - One of the very sad tunes from the original bootleg, but it has now been jazzed up and sped up, and sounds very different. What was once just Dave and his guitar moaning out a depressing tune is now a fast, funky tune that is propelled by jazzy guitar and almost disco drums. The lyrics seem to be pretty much the same, but the entire feeling of hopelessness is now somewhat lost in the new arrangement. It does sound good, but the tone is totally different, and not necessarily for the better. Dave’s vocals are beautiful, especially during the chorus where he hits falsetto notes, but again, he sounds much happier now.

6. Raven - I think many will instantly recognize the intro to this song from a short little snippet that appeared between songs on Before These Crowded Streets. This song never really grabbed me on the bootleg, and it isn’t changed very much here, and again, is not a stand-out to me. The song rolls and rolls along, but seems a bit aimless. It’s like when someone is telling you a story, but you start to realize that it isn’t getting a point.

7. Grace Is Gone - This song has got to be up there with the most beautiful Dave has ever written. A strikingly pretty tune that is mainly just Dave and his finger-picked guitar. It is lovingly underscored here by soft saxophone accents and hushed drums. The lyric is about loss, specifically, the loss of Dave’s step-father. His vocals are nearly whispered as he begs for one more drink so he doesn’t have to remember a woman who broke his heart. Thankfully, they didn’t monkey around with this one too much, so the beauty of the tune remains intact.

8. Kit Kat Jam - A bustling tune that also appeared in snippets on Before These Crowded Streets. The action is hectic as Beauford’s clashing drums hammer away and a wash of saxophone and guitar ring in your ears. Fast-paced and joyful, the tune rolls along for several minutes without any vocals, just a joyful jam, as if the band is totally content to just play.

9. Digging A Ditch - Another mournful little number. At first just the bare essentials of guitar and Dave whispering a soft vocal, the band then kicks in with expert backing. Boyd Tinsley fills in the gaps with a great violin melody. The pace is slow and sad, and the music is gorgeous. While there is a dance-able quality to this song, it is definitely a sad one that contains quite a bit of pain.

10. Big Eyed Fish - Another awesome number, this tune is built on a slinky guitar part that is matched by a cool little fill by Boyd’s violin that sounds strangely Asian in origin. The song takes off for an explosive chorus where Dave moans, “Oh, God, under the weight of life, things seem brighter on the other side.” The verses are little stories in which Dave talks about people who ventured out of their realm and paid when they should have stuck with what they knew. The lyrics are slightly change and re-arranged from the original, but it still packs a lot of punch.

11. Bartender - One of the band’s best songs, if you ask me. This live favorite is almost a dirge that trudges ahead with an almost military cadence and steady violins and saxophones filling in the gaps. The lyrics are about how people should carry on and have fond memories of you once you die. For a stratospheric chorus, Dave screams, “I’m on bended knee...I’m on BENDEEEEEEED knees...father please!” Extremely dramatic, and when played live, it is electric and draws the crowd in . The CD version is equally high voltage and retains its epic grandeur.

I was a little disappointed to find that two of the great songs from The Lillywhite Sessions, “JTR” and “Sweet Up and Down,” were not included on this CD. The latter especially was a favorite of mine, and is an up-tempo, fast song that is somewhat missed on an album of mainly dour and slow tunes. I guess we can’t get everything we want, and there is still the bootleg if I ever get a jones for that great song.


Extras

This package contains all sorts of extra goodies for the fans out there, which I think should be highlighted, since we’re rating the overall product here.

Bonus DVD - Inside the packaging is an extra DVD featuring live footage of two songs, “When the World Ends,” and “Bartender.” Both were recorded live last year in Boulder, Colorado, at a show I WAS AT! The energy of the band comes through well in the video, and “Bartender” is explosive as usual. The entire show is actually going to be released as a DVD and live CD later in the year, and I can’t wait. This was one of the best shows I have seen ever, and certainly the best Dave performance I have been a part of.

Enhanced CD, Internet Stuff - When placed in your computer, the CD will unlock more bonus goodies. When connected to the internet, you can either access the official Dave Matthews Band web site, RCA’s web site, or go to a special bonus web page. The bonus web page will verify you have the CD, and when it does, you will gain access to extras like more live videos from the upcoming live DVD, and you can register to listen in on a live webcast of a show later in the month. Very cool, indeed, as the band goes out of their way yet again to connect with their fans.


Though it was a long time coming, and probably only released because the fans demanded it, Busted Stuff is the rich, vibrant album that the band probably the work that they should have released. Everyday was no slouch, mind you (I gave it four stars in another review), the band mined a deep vein of emotion for this one, and it shows in every tune. While it might not be as fan friendly as the other album released in its place, it is nonetheless a fine effort from a band that prides itself on its craftsmanship and cohesiveness.

I highly recommend Busted Stuff for anyone out there who enjoyed the expansiveness and creativity of previous albums like Crash and Before These Crowded Streets. Some of the best art around comes out of despair, sadly enough, and this album proves that point. While the band has supposedly now come out of their funk, this CD serves as a snapshot of a time when they were exploring the darker side of their creativity.


Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Hanging With Friends