New Album Coming in One Week!

[OK_Ant]

I could see a new album coming out during the break in mid-October. Probably early next year though.

[elconguero]

I know people don’t like to hear this but this band needs to figure out their songs on the road and then go bust them out when they are 95% finished with a. Producer that is not their friend. That’s pretty much what they did with the Big 3 (4) that we all rave about. This band just struggles to write and finish new songs in the studio. Always have.

Know thyself

Sure, we all want to hear something new on an album so maybe they can toss something we haven’t heard for us (You Never Know) but besides that I am fine if they use the road to figure the song out and then record it quickly when they have time off.

[joshg]

Originally Posted by elconguero

I know people don’t like to hear this but this band needs to figure out their songs on the road and then go bust them out when they are 95% finished with a. Producer that is not their friend. That’s pretty much what they did with the Big 3 (4) that we all rave about. This band just struggles to write and finish new songs in the studio. Always have.

Know thyself

Sure, we all want to hear something new on an album so maybe they can toss something we haven’t heard for us (You Never Know) but besides that I am fine if they use the road to figure the song out and then record it quickly when they have time off.

The formula of road test and then take the best works.

They're not the same guys that can lock themselves in a place and pump out a BTCS or tLWS anymore.

[Dankguitar]

Originally Posted by joshg

The formula of road test and then take the best works.

They're not the same guys that can lock themselves in a place and pump out a BTCS or tLWS anymore.

I sort of agree but the difference between and now and how they used to road test songs was that the new songs they play on the road now are fully finished and Dave very likely has no intention of going back and improving lyrics or changing song structure. So in the end it’s not road testing, it’s just playing their new music live and not caring how the fans react.

[bibby1044]

Shotgun is the last song is the last song I feel like was truly road tested adding and removing structure over a year or two. Definitely haven’t don’t that since. Beach ball started off studio cut and then the second version had my favorite live jam they’ve done in long long time but that doesn’t really count.

[crashintonickdm]

I don’t have an opinion on any of the new songs yet. I’m not sure where I stand.

[joshg]

Originally Posted by Dankguitar

I sort of agree but the difference between and now and how they used to road test songs was that the new songs they play on the road now are fully finished and Dave very likely has no intention of going back and improving lyrics or changing song structure. So in the end it’s not road testing, it’s just playing their new music live and not caring how the fans react.

This is my very definition of road-testing now. But I know what you're saying. And in a crazy way, this is where the band lost its way. If they cared with road songs, starting in '04, taking the best based upon fans and those who know the music well, they would have been deities at this point.

[joshg]

I would have loved to have received the album between 94 and 96 where they locked themselves in a studio and wrote an album's worth of songs.
That product would have been crazy interesting.

[jaymas9]

Originally Posted by Dagwin

Bottom line is the song sucks. And it's exactly what I'd expect from DMB (and Dave) at this point in their career. I used to try to talk myself into thinking their new songs had potential. But I'm far past that these days.

I tried really hard to like Everyday, despite my disappointment in the way they abandoned the Lillywhite Sessions.

Stand Up was just a total turd in every way.

But I really tried to convince myself I liked some of Big Whiskey, but I really didn't. And I don't like anything else post-Lillywhite.

I know this is totally negative, but it's also the truth. And Walk Around the Moon, to me, is total junk. Doesn't matter how many listens. It will never get any better.

I'm never really the "what are you doing in DMBc guy"..but what are you doing in DMBc? It's been a long time since any DMB music has hit you positively. 5 studio albums worth of music that you are saying you don't find anything redeeming.

Also, why does WATM suck? Genuinely curious, as "I tried it just doesn't cut it" isn't super compelling for a message board discussion. What bugs you about it?

[grilldanmo]

Sounds like some folks haven't realized how invested they've become in being disappointed by the band (for decades).

How about waiting until we hear the new album to decide you don't like the music? The three tunes we've heard will only be 1/3 of the album (at most). So, despite the band's enthusiasm for these tunes that may not be floating everyone's boats, the rest of the album might blow the minds of the current naysayers...unless a decision has already been made...

I dig all three of the new tunes and am looking forward to more, hoping I like them. If, however, I don't it'll be fine. There will be zero anger or even frustration from me. There's plenty of stuff from the band I love and TONS of other music that I like just a much and decent amount I like more than DMB.

[OutofDarkness]

I don't think it's so crazy to stick around here despite not liking DMB's recent music. The old songs haven't gone anywhere, and (some of them) still get played live, so there's still reason to follow the band. For example, outside of a few songs, I don't really care for much of the music Phish has put out in the last ten or so years, and given the direction Trey's been moving in as a songwriter, I don't expect I'll be too into what he puts out in the future. But I still listen to them, still follow their tours, still shell out a hundred bucks a year for the LivePhish app (something, by the way, that DMB ought to do as well - they're leaving money on the table here.) I still care about Phish because they can still put out great performances and play great shows, despite the fact that their general quality is lower because they're older and their catalogue has been watered down by a lot of bad songs.

DMB is much the same way. Even if you don't like any of the new stuff (I myself like the new stuff more than some folks, and I like DMB's new material better than I like Phish's new material,) there's still good reasons to stick around, follow the band, post on the forums, etc. Yes, some people take the relentless negativity too far (like, uh, some folks who literally only post when the band plays a bad set; when Dave writes a good set, they mysteriously disappear.) But you can still reasonably call yourself a fan of DMB even if your takes on the current material are more often negative than positive.

[bowa36]

where's the album guys

[Route_2]

Why only one song debut if they have an album of material they are putting finishing touches on?

[DMBCardinal]

Originally Posted by Route_2

Why only one song debut if they have an album of material they are putting finishing touches on?

Listening to the show Friday Dave said that we may hear a few more new songs during the tour. He made the comment before playing WATM. I imagine they will spread them out a little. I'm okay with that. I want to be surprised by the album on my first listen.

[joshg]

Originally Posted by Route_2

Why only one song debut if they have an album of material they are putting finishing touches on?

Expect 3 more new songs this tour. He said that essentially.

[NeatFreakGeek]

Originally Posted by bowa36

where's the album guys

Not done yet.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ElijahSoRight72]

Originally Posted by bowa36

where's the album guys

Yeah we’re gonna be asking that question for a while still to come. We’ve been told to just enjoy the tour, so I’m gonna put any hopes aside for the rest of the year and if it comes sooner than that, great.

[SmoothRider[PL]]

Honestly: when was the last time that band road tested new songs, then changed them in a studio, then released them?

[Hilly]

Originally Posted by elconguero

I know people don’t like to hear this but this band needs to figure out their songs on the road and then go bust them out when they are 95% finished with a. Producer that is not their friend. That’s pretty much what they did with the Big 3

Know thyself

They road tested the hell out of Before These Crowded Streets.


Remember how much we all loved those road tested Rapunzels?
The band played Spoon to death before it was out on the album. We were all so tired of it! And don't get me started on all those roadtested Dreaming Trees! I remember thinking "Gosh, I hope Crush sure makes an album one day" the first time I heard it live. I remember a little Last Stop tease and the fans all yelled "Yup, its roadtesting time! They're really working this one out." It was a big chant. How excited were we all when we finally got the Stone on a CD. So many tapes of live versions being road tested to finally hear it come to fruition was really fulfilling.


Know thy self, band! The fans remember the REAL truth.

[WeekapaugGroovn]

Hilly is my favorite! Keep 'em humble!!

[stlbluespower]

Originally Posted by Hilly

They road tested the hell out of Before These Crowded Streets.


Remember how much we all loved those road tested Rapunzels?
The band played Spoon to death before it was out on the album. We were all so tired of it! And don't get me started on all those roadtested Dreaming Trees! I remember thinking "Gosh, I hope Crush sure makes an album one day" the first time I heard it live. I remember a little Last Stop tease and the fans all yelled "Yup, its roadtesting time! They're really working this one out." It was a big chant. How excited were we all when we finally got the Stone on a CD. So many tapes of live versions being road tested to finally hear it come to fruition was really fulfilling.


Know thy self, band! The fans remember the REAL truth.

Haha lol. But, for real, what is the story on BTCS road- testing of songs vs first listen via the album release? Wasn't a fan then. Off the top of my head I know DDTW was played prior as Leave Me Praying. Halloween had been played (for years?).

[Hilly]

Originally Posted by stlbluespower

Haha lol. But, for real, what is the story on BTCS road- testing of songs vs first listen via the album release? Wasn't a fan then. Off the top of my head I know DDTW was played prior as Leave Me Praying. Halloween had been played (for years?).

There was no road testing for the majority of BTCS, aside from the ones you noted.


Halloween was recorded for the Scream 2 soundtrack, but they liked it too much and gave them "Help Myself" instead.


The fans hated BTCS when it came out and bitched about setlists relentlessly.

[KevinTH]

Originally Posted by stlbluespower

Haha lol. But, for real, what is the story on BTCS road- testing of songs vs first listen via the album release? Wasn't a fan then. Off the top of my head I know DDTW was played prior as Leave Me Praying. Halloween had been played (for years?).

Pantala Naga Pampa was “What Will Become of Me” which was usually played at the end of Jimi Thing at Dave and Tim shows.

Don’t Drink the Water was “Leave Me Praying” the previous year but as far as I’ve heard it was always Dave solo with some cymbal rolls and little drum rolls here and there.

Halloween had been played since 1992

Pig was “Don’t Burn the Pig” and had some plays in 1995, one in 96 and looks like a couple acoustic in 97, but it was much different than the Pig we know. Just the verse chords over and over.

That’s it. I would not consider any of these “Road tested” songs outside of Halloween, but then I don’t think they were testing it. It was their early years and it was a song in their catalog that filled sets.

I didn’t hate it, but Before These Crowded Streets was definitely one that took about a year to grow in me. I loved songs like Rapunzel and Don’t Drink, but didn’t quite get into Dreaming Tree, Pig and Spoon until later. It was very different from the first two albums, so it was certainly a change, but one that felt more organic than say Everyday or Stand Up.

[btpeters]

Originally Posted by KevinTH

Pantala Naga Pampa was “What Will Become of Me” which was usually played at the end of Jimi Thing at Dave and Tim shows.

Don’t Drink the Water was “Leave Me Praying” the previous year but as far as I’ve heard it was always Dave solo with some cymbal rolls and little drum rolls here and there.

Halloween had been played since 1992

Pig was “Don’t Burn the Pig” and had some plays in 1995, one in 96 and looks like a couple acoustic in 97, but it was much different than the Pig we know. Just the verse chords over and over.

That’s it. I would not consider any of these “Road tested” songs outside of Halloween, but then I don’t think they were testing it. It was their early years and it was a song in their catalog that filled sets.

I didn’t hate it, but Before These Crowded Streets was definitely one that took about a year to grow in me. I loved songs like Rapunzel and Don’t Drink, but didn’t quite get into Dreaming Tree, Pig and Spoon until later. It was very different from the first two albums, so it was certainly a change, but one that felt more organic than say Everyday or Stand Up.

Rapunzel came from a jam they played back in 1994.

I think one of the interludes on the album is very much Deed is Done and another (i THINK) borrows from Anyone Seen the Bridge or Doobie Thing (mind is foggy, too lazy to research)

[soxrok1]

Maybe Dave doesn't "road test" songs for the reasons we assume he does. I get a sense that the road testing of Be Yourself and Plastic Girl, and getting feedback from fans or internally, lead to Bdkdkdk and Plastic Girl disappearing. I think there's an alternate reality where they release an album with those songs and they have to live with those as part of their library. Maybe that's why Dave does this? To try and avoid black marks on his record? Once songs are on an official DMB album they are a part of the band's history in a more concrete way. So instead of testing to improve, he's trying to verify that the songs he likes are worthy. It takes a lot of work to rework a song, but it doesn't take any work to just scrap something or green light it. So if someone came up to Dave and said "Hey, this Walk Around the Moon song is next level embarrassing and needs to be rethought" (which I suspect might have happened for the aforementioned songs) then it's easy for him to just toss it. Similarly... if he plays the song 10 times on the road and realizes that he just doesn't have fun playing it, or can't hit the notes... same result, it's easy for him to just not officially add it to the discography.

At this point in his career, maybe he cares more about not tainting a legacy that he's proud of than about pushing any sort of artistic envelope?

[jaymas9]

Originally Posted by Hilly

They road tested the hell out of Before These Crowded Streets.


Remember how much we all loved those road tested Rapunzels?
The band played Spoon to death before it was out on the album. We were all so tired of it! And don't get me started on all those roadtested Dreaming Trees! I remember thinking "Gosh, I hope Crush sure makes an album one day" the first time I heard it live. I remember a little Last Stop tease and the fans all yelled "Yup, its roadtesting time! They're really working this one out." It was a big chant. How excited were we all when we finally got the Stone on a CD. So many tapes of live versions being road tested to finally hear it come to fruition was really fulfilling.


Know thy self, band! The fans remember the REAL truth.

Man, I can't believe this...but Hilly's right, here. The idea they've spent their career road testing songs to work on them and then put them on an album in a finished state based on the results of road testing has happened for a total of 2 albums...at the beginning of the band's career. So for the first one, that's a given for pretty much any band, and the second one, they just happened to have so many damn songs already. Otherwise it's never happened. The songs have either been scrapped or barely changed once they were in the studio.

It's clear this is much more like Away from the World and the spring tour before BW came out (which the album was originally supposed to be out). The album is done (as far as song compositions go) and they want to play some new material because they are excited about it and are on tour.

[joshg]

Originally Posted by jaymas9

Man, I can't believe this...but Hilly's right, here. The idea they've spent their career road testing songs to work on them and then put them on an album in a finished state based on the results of road testing has happened for a total of 2 albums...at the beginning of the band's career. So for the first one, that's a given for pretty much any band, and the second one, they just happened to have so many damn songs already. Otherwise it's never happened. The songs have either been scrapped or barely changed once they were in the studio.

It's clear this is much more like Away from the World and the spring tour before BW came out (which the album was originally supposed to be out). The album is done (as far as song compositions go) and they want to play some new material because they are excited about it and are on tour.

But this isn't the way it should have been.

[deadendstreet]

I hope I'm wrong, but the album isn't coming out this year. The album may be announced in October, with a release date in February or March, but I'd predict it'll be released announced in January with a summer tour announcement, a new single release in March or April, album release in May/June.

Just a guess though.

[Hilly]

Originally Posted by joshg

But this isn't the way it should have been.

Exactly. How great would BTCS be if they'd road tested!

[joshg]

Originally Posted by Hilly

Exactly. How great would BTCS be if they'd road tested!

No. That comment was referring to the post LWS era. Road testing and releasing based upon road testing should have taken over after Everyday and in perpetuity. Y'know, the time from 2002 - present, a time when the band couldn't go into the studio and produce a great album.