Share your unpopular DMB opinions.

[edskin]

Originally Posted by prdstmnky36

Before These Crowded Streets

And the LWS, so I guess not hard to pinpoint at all

But even just the sound overall, a little something

[OneSweetMonkey]

Originally Posted by Cscottrun

A lot of people believe the band is incapable of producing a show better than they produced when LeRoi was in the band. Perhaps that's true, but in my opinion, it's not because LeRoi is no longer with us. Jeff is far more talented of a saxophonist. His style may not perfectly fit every DMB song, but on the flip side, he takes certain songs to the next level. The reason why they'll never produce a show as good as the ones from the LeRoi era is simply because the band is no where near as tight as they used to be (that, combined with Dave's voice depleting, the addition of more lackluster songs to sets, and the lack of violin).


The idea that a post-LeRoi show cannot be better than a show with LeRoi solely because Jeff, and not LeRoi, was/is playing sax, is insane.


Exhibit A where Jeff takes a song to a new level: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoyHjOhYIp4

I would say it's more solely because of Rashawn than it is because of Jeff.

[elconguero]

Originally Posted by nick73moore

UTTAD, Remember Two Things and Crash are better albums that BTCS.

I think I half agree. Those albums IMO have better songs top to bottom but BTCS is more of a cohesive album. Meaning, although old songs/riffs were on it, it was mostly crafted in the studio so it has a nice flow and feel like a complete thought. Except Stay.

Speaking of, I'd love to have hear what they really wanted to release. Wasn't Stay only added to brighten it up and I also think #40 was supposed to be on it. Let's not forget Machead.

Seems like maybe that was foreshadowing of things to come. Too many people interfering with where Dave was going musically/thematically. They should have let him be and work it out like therapy.

[grilldanmo]

Many fans place too much importance on DMB instrumentation. One of the myriad ways some folks can't reconcile the natural evolution of a band that's been around for multiple decades.

(runs away, but is still wearing a flameproof suit)

[ToySoldier#34]

Originally Posted by grilldanmo

Many fans place too much importance on DMB instrumentation. One of the myriad ways some folks can't reconcile the natural evolution of a band that's been around for multiple decades.

(runs away, but is still wearing a flameproof suit)

How though? In what ways?

[grilldanmo]

Originally Posted by ToySoldier#34

How though? In what ways?

Did you miss that I ran away in a flame retardant suit?

[joshg]

The Batson Sessions are the best "release" since LWS/Busted Stuff and it's not even close.

[seanbrutus]

Originally Posted by joshg

The Batson Sessions are the best "release" since LWS/Busted Stuff and it's not even close.

Nah. Some good stuff sure, but I prefer the albums we got. Could still use Early Home and Break For It on an album though.

[space_raven]

Originally Posted by seanbrutus

Nah. Some good stuff sure, but I prefer the albums we got. Could still use Early Home and Break For It on an album though.

yes, PLEASE! underrated tune, imo. studio treatment would be a real treat.

[RSSR]

I enjoy the album Come Tomorrow. With the exceptions of Can't Stop, Come Tomorrow, and Come On Come On, I'd welcome any Come Tomorrow song at the next show I attend, which might be the Gorge this year.

[KevinTH]

Originally Posted by joshg

The Batson Sessions are the best "release" since LWS/Busted Stuff and it's not even close.

Scorching hot take. You must REALLY dislike the last few albums. In my opinion there are maybe 3-4 good, finished tunes out of the 33 that leaked. Majority of the leak is Dave, Carter, Butch and Fonz with a couple appearances form Boyd and Roi. It was cool to check out when it first leaked, but overall there's really nothing worth listening to again outside of Early Home, Break For It and Drive Me Away.

[grilldanmo]

Originally Posted by KevinTH

Scorching hot take. You must REALLY dislike the last few albums. In my opinion there are maybe 3-4 good, finished tunes out of the 33 that leaked. Majority of the leak is Dave, Carter, Butch and Fonz with a couple appearances form Boyd and Roi. It was cool to check out when it first leaked, but overall there's really nothing worth listening to again outside of Early Home, Break For It and Drive Me Away.

That Kill the King is basically done, just not w/ the usual studio polish (which has never been important for me), and it kicks ass. The remixes that someone from the the boards did are quite good.

I just enjoy listening to something different and static versus the live stuff. Of course we love the live stuff, but our favorite consumption of live DMB/D&T is actual live synchronous in-the-moment performances. Very looking forward to the three shows we have locked in for this summer, hoping to add a few if we can.

[utdmbfan]

I do not really care for Shotgun. Come at me.

[grilldanmo]

Originally Posted by utdmbfan

I do not really care for Shotgun. Come at me.

I think it's okay, but it's never blown me away. It feels kind of manufactured, using production dynamics to fail at creating some of drama and impact that a good amount of other DMB create naturally.

It's hard to quantify, but it's just okay.

[utdmbfan]

Originally Posted by grilldanmo

I think it's okay, but it's never blown me away. It feels kind of manufactured, using production dynamics to fail at creating some of drama and impact that a good amount of other DMB create naturally.

It's hard to quantify, but it's just okay.

Bingo. It just feels like they're trying too hard. Especially with Dave's screaming/wailing. Whenever he does that I just think, "Man, save your voice. It's not worth it."

[space_raven]

Originally Posted by utdmbfan

I do not really care for Shotgun. Come at me.

interesting.

the 2007 summer tour sampler version is really good.

http://dmbalmanac.com/TourShowSet.as...=96&where=2007

i always liked this song, the music is fun with its peaks and valleys, and the build up and explosion, ending where it started. i dont think they failed at creating drama on this tune, always felt super dramatic to me, right from the intro... going into the first verse

[RSSR]

That Shotgun 2007 tour sampler is about the only released version of Shotgun that grabbed me. Even then, I hoped Roi or someone on the level of Daniel Lanois or Lillywhite would make Dave work on it some more. All I know is, the song feels like it could be reworked some more to bring it to the level of the song being worthy of being Big 3 material that we all hoped it would reach. Otherwise, it's just a pleasant surprise to me when I'm listening to my library of LTs whenever it pops up.

[KevinTH]

Originally Posted by grilldanmo

That Kill the King is basically done, just not w/ the usual studio polish (which has never been important for me), and it kicks ass. The remixes that someone from the the boards did are quite good.

I just enjoy listening to something different and static versus the live stuff. Of course we love the live stuff, but our favorite consumption of live DMB/D&T is actual live synchronous in-the-moment performances. Very looking forward to the three shows we have locked in for this summer, hoping to add a few if we can.

I would hardly call Kill the King even close to done. That was the most disappointing song on the track list. Dave’s mumbling is borderline unlistenable to me. No Roi, no Boyd. It was a good start but there was definitely a lot more work needed. The no Roi and Boyd on majority of the tracks is what kills the Batson sessions for me. That and other than a few tracks everything is a half idea. I mean, there’s Can’t Stop, Come On, Idea of You, Cornbread and #27 but we have completed versions of all those so I don’t see a lot of value in those. Especially since some of those completed versions were lifted from these sessions. To each their own but it feels like a reach to say these are the best tracks the band has released since Lillywhite Sessions. Not sure if they were serious or just demonstrating their distaste for newer music in the last 10 or so years. I’ll say it’s a fun glimpse into the bands process, and there’s definitely enjoyable stuff.

[joshg]

Originally Posted by KevinTH

Scorching hot take. You must REALLY dislike the last few albums. In my opinion there are maybe 3-4 good, finished tunes out of the 33 that leaked. Majority of the leak is Dave, Carter, Butch and Fonz with a couple appearances form Boyd and Roi. It was cool to check out when it first leaked, but overall there's really nothing worth listening to again outside of Early Home, Break For It and Drive Me Away.

You can't take that heat, huh? Classic.

[KevinTH]

Originally Posted by joshg

You can't take that heat, huh? Classic.

Nah, your preference is your preference. Fun to play the other side. I love Early Home and don’t listen to it as much as I should. Drive Me Away I will give you is up there as of the best things I’ve heard from this band in years. But even then it sounds more like a save solo song a la Eh Hee single. I’d be willing to bet that’s just Dave. maybe Fonz.

[joshg]

Originally Posted by KevinTH

Nah, your preference is your preference. Fun to play the other side. I love Early Home and don’t listen to it as much as I should. Drive Me Away I will give you is up there as of the best things I’ve heard from this band in years. But even then it sounds more like a save solo song a la Eh Hee single. I’d be willing to bet that’s just Dave. maybe Fonz.

I look at it like this. After tLWS/BS, they had 2 amazing albums still in them: the '04 songs and the '06/'07 songs. If you squint, the Batson Sessions is a studio release of the '06/'07 songs, albeit a stripped-down version. After loving tLWS for so long, I'll take stripped down.

And yes, Drive me Away is bees knees as is Screaming into the Grave.

[utdmbfan]

Originally Posted by space_raven

interesting.

the 2007 summer tour sampler version is really good.

http://dmbalmanac.com/TourShowSet.as...=96&where=2007

i always liked this song, the music is fun with its peaks and valleys, and the build up and explosion, ending where it started. i dont think they failed at creating drama on this tune, always felt super dramatic to me, right from the intro... going into the first verse

I'll say this, the music is not bad. But Dave needing to scream and wail on it is really distracting. I don't know if he does this as much still since I haven't listened to the song in a long time. The lyrics could use some work too, imho.

[grilldanmo]

Originally Posted by KevinTH

I would hardly call Kill the King even close to done. That was the most disappointing song on the track list. Dave’s mumbling is borderline unlistenable to me. No Roi, no Boyd. It was a good start but there was definitely a lot more work needed. The no Roi and Boyd on majority of the tracks is what kills the Batson sessions for me. That and other than a few tracks everything is a half idea. I mean, there’s Can’t Stop, Come On, Idea of You, Cornbread and #27 but we have completed versions of all those so I don’t see a lot of value in those. Especially since some of those completed versions were lifted from these sessions. To each their own but it feels like a reach to say these are the best tracks the band has released since Lillywhite Sessions. Not sure if they were serious or just demonstrating their distaste for newer music in the last 10 or so years. I’ll say it’s a fun glimpse into the bands process, and there’s definitely enjoyable stuff.

100% agree. Again, it's just a fun listen and I enjoy some of the stuff. It's astonishingly better than SU (given Batson's presence) and far more to my liking than ED, but BW, AFtW, and CT are all far more to my liking.

Also, Kill the King in the band's current context is fine as it for me. Roi's gone (obviously), Jeff's seemingly on a leash, and Boyd made his own bed. It may not sound like what folks focused on how the band used to sound want to hear, but I think it's excellent. As you say, to each their own. Cheers.

[space_raven]

Originally Posted by utdmbfan

I'll say this, the music is not bad. But Dave needing to scream and wail on it is really distracting. I don't know if he does this as much still since I haven't listened to the song in a long time. The lyrics could use some work too, imho.

The instrumentation is so dynamic. You're entitled to your opinion, in mine, Dave screaming is supposed to add intensity.. to the story being told in the lyrics. Overall the lyrics are great, aside from the parts that are unfinished and Dave mumbles through.

[monizzle145]

Originally Posted by grilldanmo

Many fans place too much importance on DMB instrumentation. One of the myriad ways some folks can't reconcile the natural evolution of a band that's been around for multiple decades.

(runs away, but is still wearing a flameproof suit)

Evolution is the band changing their sound around that guy named Dave Matthews. John Mayer has evolved his sound over the years and changed his backing band and his pedals and guitars, but John's guitar is sill the highlight. The band can't evolve and drown out dave. That's not evolution.

Jack Johnson have never had a guitar player like Gary Clark Jr. Join him on tour and play over his acoustic guitar.

Tim playing note for note everything Dave is playing on Warehouse or The Sone isn't evolution. Same with the rare post roi busted stuff's where tim/c dc eletric guitar destroys the original acoustic percussive sound.

Now I will say some of the outros in a song like crush is definitely evolution. Same with the outro of You Might Die trying that has evolved over the years. But a lot of DMB's music hasn't evolved but now is just a wall of sound over dave's original parts that stood out more before the band "evolved".

[YankeesDMB41]

The Ryley Walker Lillywhite Sessions is amazing.

I have listened to it more than the actual sessions.

[Jollymonkey]

Originally Posted by YankeesDMB41

The Ryley Walker Lillywhite Sessions is amazing.

I have listened to it more than the actual sessions.

I can’t believe people like the Riley Walker album. Complete snooze fest.

[Lcsulla]

Not a big #41 fan, heard it too many times live and it got tiresome. I know many love it but not me unless it has a great guest who can jam. Might be the most unpopular opinion in this thread!

[bowa36]

The Stone is overrated and I can think of more than 30 songs I'd rather hear live. Great song though

[RSSR]

Originally Posted by Jollymonkey

I can’t believe people like the Riley Walker album. Complete snooze fest.

Completely agree.