Is modern DMB too good?

[HonestDenver1]

The band sounds really tight these days.. been watching and listening to a ton of shows from 18/19... they’ve gotten so tight but it’s lost a lot of the rawness.. there’s not much experimentation going on on stage.. even the jams are getting kind of predictable.. I miss a good Sax solo that doesn’t sound like the end of grey street every time... Jeff really needs to start listening to himself more.. he’s become the most repetitive of all... but Dave fonz and carter are all ok this perfect beat these days.. it’s kind of cool but also too good...

[samiota]

Terrible if you ask me. Should have hired a new violin playa

[dontdrink36]

too polished is the term you are looking for. They are definitely more polished now that really at any time in their history. They sound great but they don't sound much at all like classic DMB from the first half of their career.

[greyson1289]

What a treat it would have been to see them consistently from 98 - 2004. My brother went to all of the Giants Stadium shows including Two Step in the rain, James Brown, Alpine 2004.

My first experience of DMB was MSG in 2005 with the Halloween confetti. That hooked me immediately. That and the studio version of #41 lol.

[kelchlsm]

Can do without a violin just Tim needs to go and this has been long overdue/ stated

Case in point Shotgun. Listen to any 2006 version and you hear a song that breathes, takes its time, every instrument is audible up until the end when Dave starts wailing. It’s perfect/ it’s raw

Every version from 2008 and on is almost not even listenable anymore. Tim seems to be using a 12 string effect with some kind of electric pedal that drains everyone out while everyone plays 1,000 miles an hour, forcing Dave to shout over everything. It just doesn’t sound right at all and I can’t believe they still choose to play it that way 13 years later, do they not have ears?

Just such a disaster from where it was and what it could be

[WhereYouGoin]

Originally Posted by kelchlsm

Can do without a violin just Tim needs to go and this has been long overdue/ stated

Case in point Shotgun. Listen to any 2006 version and you hear a song that breathes, takes its time, every instrument is audible up until the end when Dave starts wailing. It’s perfect/ it’s raw

Every version from 2008 and on is almost not even listenable anymore. Tim seems to be using a 12 string effect with some kind of electric pedal that drains everyone out while everyone plays 1,000 miles an hour, forcing Dave to shout over everything. It just doesn’t sound right at all and I can’t believe they still choose to play it that way 13 years later, do they not have ears?

Just such a disaster from where it was and what it could be

Tim needing to go? I hope that doesn't mean Dave & Tim shows.

[ToySoldier#34]

Originally Posted by kelchlsm

Can do without a violin just Tim needs to go and this has been long overdue/ stated

Case in point Shotgun. Listen to any 2006 version and you hear a song that breathes, takes its time, every instrument is audible up until the end when Dave starts wailing. It’s perfect/ it’s raw

Every version from 2008 and on is almost not even listenable anymore. Tim seems to be using a 12 string effect with some kind of electric pedal that drains everyone out while everyone plays 1,000 miles an hour, forcing Dave to shout over everything. It just doesn’t sound right at all and I can’t believe they still choose to play it that way 13 years later, do they not have ears?

Just such a disaster from where it was and what it could be

My ears work pretty well and there are no versions in the last half decade that they've chosen to play that I think are bad

[greyson1289]

First off; anyone who thinks DMB's songs from the big 3 are better with Tim.... nope lol.

Shotgun from 2006 was so pure and raw like kelchism said above. Hershey 2012 was about as close to perfection as you are going to get.

[kelchlsm]

Originally Posted by WhereYouGoin

Tim needing to go? I hope that doesn't mean Dave & Tim shows.

No, I’d prefer Dave and Tim acoustic shows. It’s a nice separate treat

[DMBlunts]

I think the band is comfortable with their arrangements on songs that they have had for years (and years) and don't really find a need to stray from them...also Buddy joining the group with little to no improvisational history dumbed down the sound we hear now. The band desperately needs a violin that it will never have again, it would be like Phish taking away Paige and saying here's a guy on keytar! It just doesn't work. While I don't mind modern DMB, it's far from perfect for a long time fan.

[crashintonickdm]

I’ll say this. To old DMB? Not a chance in hell

To most current acts? Yes they are too good

[crashintonickdm]

Originally Posted by greyson1289

First off; anyone who thinks DMB's songs from the big 3 are better with Tim.... nope lol.

Shotgun from 2006 was so pure and raw like kelchism said above. Hershey 2012 was about as close to perfection as you are going to get.

Keep in mind big 3 songs had him in the studio. So you could say they began with him. His current volume/tone has been an issue

[dontdrink36]

Originally Posted by crashintonickdm

I’ll say this. To old DMB? Not a chance in hell

To most current acts? Yes they are too good

This is an accurate assessment.

[HonestDenver1]

Originally Posted by dontdrink36

too polished is the term you are looking for. They are definitely more polished now that really at any time in their history. They sound great but they don't sound much at all like classic DMB from the first half of their career.

Polished IS the word yes.. It's kind of amazing that a 30 year old band is this concerned with tightening up the sound... I'm hoping that the more Buddy gets settled in the more experimental they are willing to get again...Though Buddys sound lends itself to meshing into the background on most songs and gives the band a texture, as opposed to what Boyd became which was just a solo machine.

Boyd used to play a ton in the background.. Just giving this ambient quality to the music.. It seems like that stopped though in 04 or so... And then really became the 3 solos a night guy once Tim joined...

But there are glimpses of that raw sound coming back. The two step in 2018 where Buddy didn't know what was coming... The few jazzy typical situations that remind me of WAYYYYYY early DMB etc...

[HonestDenver1]

Originally Posted by greyson1289

First off; anyone who thinks DMB's songs from the big 3 are better with Tim.... nope lol.

Shotgun from 2006 was so pure and raw like kelchism said above. Hershey 2012 was about as close to perfection as you are going to get.

First off that anyone that treats Tim Reynolds like he's a recent hired hand doesn't understand the band or their history.... All 3 "Big 3" records are mostly Tim Reynolds featured on the guitars... He doubled Dave's parts on UTTAD. He's playing mostly electric on Crash, and again on BTCS...
He played with them on their first live album, maybe you've heard it? Live at Red Rocks... Yes that's Tim Reynolds on THEE most classic DMB live album playing their Big 3 songs....

[HonestDenver1]

Originally Posted by ToySoldier#34

My ears work pretty well and there are no versions in the last half decade that they've chosen to play that I think are bad

I agree...

[BTBaboon]

I've been saying for a few years that the band has gotten too tight - everything is too clinical and rigid, there's none of the looseness that really was one of the best parts of their sound during their peak.

As far as Tim goes, he's actually been MUCH better (less loud, less aggressive) in the past 2 tours - and a lot of that has to do with Boyd being gone. Ultimately, in hindsight, I think it's pretty clear that Tim's blaring was largely to cover up how bad & uninterested Boyd had gotten.

[Cscottrun]

If you are comparing them to other acts, than they've pretty much always been too good. They are, in my opinion (which I believe to be fact lol), no where near as good today as they were in their prime. I just hear a wall of sound in most cases.

[ToySoldier#34]

Originally Posted by BTBaboon

I've been saying for a few years that the band has gotten too tight - everything is too clinical and rigid, there's none of the looseness that really was one of the best parts of their sound during their peak.

As far as Tim goes, he's actually been MUCH better (less loud, less aggressive) in the past 2 tours - and a lot of that has to do with Boyd being gone. Ultimately, in hindsight, I think it's pretty clear that Tim's blaring was largely to cover up how bad & uninterested Boyd had gotten.

Yep


In some ways (and any theater freak would slap me for saying this) modern DMB is like a theater production of Dave Matthews Band. The songs are mostly played the same way, same delivery, always on point, the wild card is which set songs are going to be played as opposed to what they are going to do within any given song. They generally play slower than BT's final years (obviously there's exceptions), they are more balanced in the mix, there have been a lot of positive changes for the current lineup. They'll never be what they were '98-'04.

[greyson1289]

Originally Posted by HonestDenver1

First off that anyone that treats Tim Reynolds like he's a recent hired hand doesn't understand the band or their history.... All 3 "Big 3" records are mostly Tim Reynolds featured on the guitars... He doubled Dave's parts on UTTAD. He's playing mostly electric on Crash, and again on BTCS...
He played with them on their first live album, maybe you've heard it? Live at Red Rocks... Yes that's Tim Reynolds on THEE most classic DMB live album playing their Big 3 songs....

I've been to over 100 shows and have been following them for 15 years. I have so much respect for Tim and his talents. I love him on BTCS. I actually look forward to an intimate Dave and Tim acoustic show over another full band show at Camden or Hartford due to Tim's presence (acoustic).

But as Nick said, it's live and his volume and tone overtake too many songs. It's just brutal. I love Tim but his volume is way too fucking loud.

[chach1369]

The only part of their sound that I just still don't like is Rashawn's trumpet. At times, he's amazing (his interplay with Jeff on Beach Ball from the BW iTunes iPass is killer), but I can't stand the off-key squealing he does so often. Maybe, musically, it's an impressive thing to do, but I hate it. It's like a trumpet-skree, but so much more obnoxious and off-putting than a Boyd-skree.... and he does it intentionally, which makes it so much harder to overlook than when Boyd accidentally did it.

[HonestDenver1]

Originally Posted by chach1369

The only part of their sound that I just still don't like is Rashawn's trumpet. At times, he's amazing (his interplay with Jeff on Beach Ball from the BW iTunes iPass is killer), but I can't stand the off-key squealing he does so often. Maybe, musically, it's an impressive thing to do, but I hate it. It's like a trumpet-skree, but so much more obnoxious and off-putting than a Boyd-skree.... and he does it intentionally, which makes it so much harder to overlook than when Boyd accidentally did it.

Yes. There are certainly times when the horn section is over done... I think they've done a good job as of last taking it down a notch.. I never got the sax trumpet duels mutliple songs a night and Rashawn tends to pick the United Airlines song or the standard salsa line for multiple jams... There must be more memorable lines to blow than those...

Also Jeff tends to get repetetive these days on jams like Grey Street, Lying in the Hands of God, Typical, Seek Up. His lines all start to sound exactly the same.. Like you could copy and paste them into any of these jams if you just change the key..

I guess that's to be expected, but when he first filled in 08, he was much more sporadic and energetic.. I don't know why they tamed him down so much...