Re: New Album Coming in Four Months!
 

I think its silly to pretend Dave is capable of writing lyrics even halfway to the highs he used to reach pre 2005. Its one thing when its some good, some great and some cheese... now its just all cheese.

Re: New Album Coming in Four Months!
 

Yeah? How do they fit into your story about how much the new album is going to suck, then?

Re: New Album Coming in Four Months!
 

I don't disagree with you. But that was not my point.

Re: New Album Coming in Four Months!
 

Hmm. I don't think WATM, SFTW or OATB have cheesy lyrics at all, personally.

Re: New Album Coming in Four Months!
 

Yeah, that is not what you initially said though.

Re: New Album Coming in Four Months!
 

Yeah! They fit into my “story” that songs that suck shouldn’t be on a studio album, like Spotlight and Help Myself were never put onto a studio album. Thanks for playing.

Re: New Album Coming in Four Months!
 

Less sure on Spotlight but I think any cheese in Help Myself is intentional/mocking and thematically in line with the song.

Re: New Album Coming in Four Months!
 

Black and Blue Bird and VITR beg to differ!

Re: New Album Coming in Four Months!
 

With all this back n forth with people who like this and don’t like this and those that like the other but not this stuff. Why can’t someone like what they like without being “wrong” in someone else’s eye. How is someone’s opinion about something they like or don’t considered wrong and gets you bashed. I see people get downvoted on Reddit all the time for an opinion, here obviously shit has gone off the rails. Then there is DMB family who thinks Dave walks on water and every songs is amazing. Let’s not turn into the family. Why can’t we critique our common interests in this band and not be bashed.

For what it’s worth I’m into the old stuff and not so much everything after lillywhite sessions. My introduction was Crash, UTTAD, R2T and live at Red Rocks 95. It’s the band I fell in love with. Obviously 23 years later the band is different and different as people as much as I am different now at 40 vs 15. I’m still around because of my love for the OG 5 and my memories of touring. Do I love everything about this band now, no but if someone is here because of Everyday then so be it. I don’t care but don’t tell me I’m wrong for the way I think about a band I’ve listened to for 25 years just as I won’t tell someone they are wrong for falling in love with stand up. Why is this so hard lol. Anyway felt like I would rant a little.

Re: New Album Coming in Four Months!
 

There are a few exceptions where he can write decent lyrics still, but not great.

VITR, Broken Things are good. I wouldnt count B&BB as one personally, its got like 2 good lines.

Re: New Album Coming in Four Months!
 

I'm not upset that the songs are under 3 mins, although I find it strange.... or that STTMB and Windows made it, although I prefer they didn't....

This album was really make or break for me based on Bismarck as stupid as that sounds.

I think if Bismarck was on it instead of Windows, I would be more excited.

Dumb I know, but I think a lot of people are upset that 1 of their preferred songs didn't make it.

Re: New Album Coming in Four Months!
 

Honestly I think "a lot" only pertains to people here. The mass amount of people will pick up the album the day it releases, listen, then go on with their life. They won't ponder about all the missed chances and stuff that happens here. I think overanalyzing DMB at this point just leads nowhere. Enjoy what they do, and hope that it's good.

Re: New Album Coming in Four Months!
 

Which 2 lines?

Re: New Album Coming in Four Months!
 

Totally. I happen to think both of them are intentional/mocking, even though Dave doesn't like Spotlight.

Honestly, I think tons of Dave's lyrical work since 2005 is not cheesy at all, or, if it is, the cheese is thematically in line with the song. I like a huge amount of what he's done since then.

I have no problem with people disliking what the band has done as time has gone on, but I make an exception when haters act like those of us who do like it "can't see the hard truth." What a weird need for validation that is.

Re: New Album Coming in Four Months!
 

Can we make (is there already?) a whole new thread on live versions of songs with "pop" we've seen? I was reading back like 10 pages and thought that discussion was fun! But, I don't like to add all that positivity into this extremely negative album thread.

Re: New Album Coming in Four Months!
 

K. :freak

Re: New Album Coming in Four Months!
 

I guess maybe even less. I do like the rhyming scheme in it but the lyrics that take it there are bad when you read them. I do like this line though:

God is troubling when you consider
Believers that would welcome the end of the world

Re: New Album Coming in Four Months!
 

My vote for cheese is "I call you up, you pick up."

Followed not too far behind with "I would dig a hole all the way to China, unless of course, I was there."

Re: New Album Coming in Four Months!
 

Has anyone mentioned yet that Dave plays sitar on Madman's Eyes?

Re: New Album Coming in Four Months!
 

It’s a dated line too… what kind of a psycho calls anyone today? And worse, what kind of psycho actually answer?!?!

Re: New Album Coming in Four Months!
 

exactly...really didn't hold up. just text me, man.

Re: New Album Coming in Four Months!
 

Bad lyrics are the quickest way to ruin a song. The reason I really like the newer songs is because the lyrics are good. Expecting a couple cheese-bombs in the unheard WATM songs, but hoping to be surprised. There are times where light, basic, “shallow” lyrics work, like OATB.

Re: New Album Coming in Four Months!
 

Sheesh, even our resident bicentenarian gets it, but my in-laws still insist on phone calls and leaving us voicemail!

Re: New Album Coming in Four Months!
 

As I said, thank you for playing. You’re excused. Toodle-loo, now!

Re: New Album Coming in Four Months!
 

You are conversing with someone who uses a rotary dial telephone

Re: New Album Coming in Four Months!
 

"Oh, little Billy's got a gun. Little Billy's having fun"

"We pray to God, hope he's listening, the man with the gun brings the demons in"

"She said, 'You take me, and I take you there.'"

"Oh yeah. To float into the sky with such elegance and style. The ocean and the butterfly"

"Cause we all need to hold on to when we're trying to believe in the stuff that dreams are made of"



I don't know, maybe it's just me, but I'm not so sure any of these new songs we've heard over 2021/2022 are very strong lyrically and some are pretty rough. Singing from the Windows is probably the exception.

Re: New Album Coming in Four Months!
 

"The truth might not be crystal clear, but if might is right there's no room for love in here" - love it

There aren't a lot of clevel lines in OATB but I think the topic and perspective is very traditional Dave Matthews, maybe the math's no miracle part

Re: New Album Coming in Four Months!
 

Those aren’t really examples of “bad lyrics” though…they’re just more direct.

Most of those songs you quoted also have great lyrical lines or vocal delivery which is what has always made Dave extremely interesting as a song writer and lyricist. Beyond just great lines.

Re: New Album Coming in Four Months!
 

Those aren't cheesy lines, they are just simple.

Cheese is "as far as I can see we should let the children lead the way".

Re: New Album Coming in Four Months!
 

Disagree on some of those - particularly MME - they’re just bad.

Also not sure which song has the good vocal delivery. The scooping in WatM is nails on a chalkboard for me, and the chorus of MME is a mess.