Dave Matthews Band - Big Whiskey And The GrooGrux King

In the second installation of Dave Matthews reviews on the B Side, we've come to Big Whiskey via the Suggestion Box. This was recommended by JenInTosa as a omission of the Top 100 of the 2000's. I didn't have any Dave on that list because quite frankly, I hadn't heard anything great from him in that period of time. I hadn't even heard of this album before, which I guess isn't all that surprising. I never really fawned over DMB like so many others have and do. I've been to a couple Alpine shows - they were fun, but like anything, the amount of drunks and people stoned detract from the really great music for me. Not to say their music isn't really good, I just need to be in the right mood for it. Anyhow, this one dropped in June of 2009 and is already in a platinum status. Fairly interesting story about the name of the record: GrooGrux was the nickname of now deceased sax player LeRoi Moore and it's also a word used to describe the overall sound that DMB puts out. The band members are referred to as 'The Groogrux Academy'. Big Whiskey also came from DMB doing a photoshoot in the French Quarter and ran across a local drunk playing the harmonica in order to buy a 'big whiskey'. One of them slipped him a twenty and the legend is he 'skipped away with glee' to go purchase his booze. After that encounter, they had to incorporate that into an album title. This record has a little bit more of an old school Matthews feel to it. It's got those long solos and jam type tracks that had been missing in newer stuff. I think it's still a little more poppy than I'd care to hear, but it's better than their previous 'Stand Up' album. DMB fans no doubt already own this, love it and play it every other day...but casual fans should check it out too. It's pretty good, worth a listen. You may not rush out and buy it, but I think you might end up picking up a couple singles for your music device.

TRACK LISTING:
1. Grux
2. Shake Me Like a Monkey
3. Funny the Way It Is
4. Lying in the Hands of God
5. Why I Am
6. Dive In
7. Spaceman
8. Squirm
9. Alligator Pie
10. Seven
11. Time Bomb
12. Baby Blue
13. You & Me

Listen To Samples

Top 3 Tracks:
1. You & Me
2. Baby Blue
3. Funny The Way It Is

FINAL RATING:
3.5 out of 5 stars

Dave Matthews Band - Before These Crowded Streets

If you found yourself in the high school phase around the mid to late 90's, you know how huge DMB was and is to this day. People flocked from everywhere in the country to see them play at Alpine and maybe you even had a friend or two follow them around the country. Well B Side fans, I don't get it. I mean, their music is good, this album is actually VERY good - but come on. I don't feel DMB has provided tuneage that will go down in the history books as some of the greatest ever. They do put on a good show, which I guess could be the reason why people always want to go. They had two records previous to this one, but 'Streets' is easily my favorite. The two tracks I listen to most happen to be on this record. Do I need to attempt to explain their style to anyone? I guess I'll say - if you have never heard DMB, pick this album up. Most of you probably heard this and every other album they've created, as they seem to be one of those bands. Maybe I'll suck it up and go to another show one of these days just so I have something else to write about. Maybe...we'll see. Until I make my mind up on that...enjoy this one as it should ease your case of the Mondays.

TRACK LISTING:
1. Pantala Naga Pampa
2. Rapunzel
3. The Last Stop
4. Don't Drink The Water
5. Stay (Wasting Time)
6. Halloween
7. The Stone
8. Crush
9. The Dreaming Tree
10. Pig
11. Spoon

Listen To Samples

Top 3 Tracks:
1. Crush
2. The Last Stop
3. Don't Drink The Water

FINAL RATING:
4 out of 5 stars