***Official AFTW Midnight Stream Review Thread***

[cptnhansel]

Originally Posted by Bluewater21

The segue between Gaucho and Sweet is perfect, furthermore Sweet is so insanely beautiful on this record

Agreed. The serenity of Dave's voice, and the silence behind his guitar really make it for me opposed to the live versions. Good stuff!

[DMBzilla]

As a collection of songs, Busted Stuff is ahead of AFTW by a wide margin. As an album, AFTW trumps it easily. LWS > AFTW > BS.

[Bluewater21]

I know its early, but it is difficult not to this this album has created a big 5 with the LWS included.

[Bluewater21]

Originally Posted by DMBzilla

As a collection of songs, Busted Stuff is ahead of AFTW by a wide margin. As an album, AFTW trumps it easily. LWS > AFTW > BS.

This is an excellent way to look at it. So true. I will say though that Broken Things, Snow Outside, and Drunken Soldier are better than some tracks off of Busted Stuff.

[canes101190]

Rooftop has me hooked. I can't get a fucking read on this song.

[kanedmb]

Originally Posted by DerekJTR2

That's a fucking hell of an album. I think it's = to Busted Stuff, maybe better. I'm listening again but I couldn't be happier. I can't rank the songs now but Broken Things is probably #1.

No way man. The production, yes, but song quality-wise Busted Stuff is better pound for pound.

[kmb40oz]

Gotta have Bartender, Grey Street, and You Never Know ahead of any track off AFTW. In my opinion the only song that comes close to being better than any of those is Snow Outside.

[wampa3]

Maybe I'm just crazy at the moment and my feelings will change in time, but I think DS is one of the best album closers out of their whole catalog, if not THE best.

I'd say the only one I'd consider a better song is Bartender, but even then, i think DS is better produced. Spoon is good but doesn't have near the same depth.

[Julia Roberts]

Snow Outside and Drunken Soldier are tops for me now. But there is a big crowd tied at 3. The Riff, Broken Things, Rooftop and Belly Belly Nice are all just about perfect.

[coldblueice]

Originally Posted by cptnhansel

Has anyone been tearing up a bit? It's like a homecoming that we've been waiting for for years. Broken Things, Belly Belly Nice, the Mercy jam, Snow Outside, and Drunken Solider almost all made me tear up... that old but new DMB sound has arrived, I think. The only other song since Busted Stuff/LWS that gave me that feeling was LITHOG.

i know what you mean. 100%.

enjoy it, shall we?

[canes101190]

They've never done anything like Drunken Soldier in the studio before. If you don't get it today, don't worry, you're not supposed to. I don't get it. The song fucking scares me. I don't want to go back and listen to it because there's so much to digest.

[Alexzandraeva]

This blew me away. Broken things is unreal, as is that 3 song end run. Sweet couldn't be any more beautiful.

[coldblueice]

Snow Outside outro is nothing short of the best music this band has ever laid down. fucking orgasmic.

[nick73moore]

I don't hear as much a Pink Floyd vibe on Drunken Soldier as a Moody Blues- "Night in White Satin" vibe

[coldblueice]

Originally Posted by canes101190

I don't get it. The song fucking scares me. I don't want to go back and listen to it because there's so much to digest.

this.

as much as i love Rooftop > Snow Outside > Drunken Soldier on second listen... i am no where CLOSE to wrapping my head around any of them. these three songs sound more like 6 songs when listened back to back. a musical tour-de-force.

[wampa3]

Originally Posted by nick73moore

I don't hear as much a Pink Floyd vibe on Drunken Soldier as a Moody Blues- "Night in White Satin" vibe

No offense, don't know your music knowledge, but if you don't hear Pink Floyd at the end of DS, you've never listened to DSotM. Half of the aspects going on in there are a direct pull from that album.

[Othello-5]

Originally Posted by twostepinbillie

part of Drunken Soldier is the EXACT same melody as Great GiG In The Sky by Pink Floyd

What part? Because I heard Breathe a lot more than Great Gig in the Sky. Also, melody and chord structure are entirely different things.

[coldblueice]

Originally Posted by HolyCow

Listening to this album makes me hate Stand Up that much more. What a waste of time and energy.

it is painful to think of what DMB could have been had they not had a falling out with Steve Lillywhite in 2000. what a waste of 12 years.

[intarsia]

Love IS in it, that's for sure.

[DerekJTR2]

Originally Posted by coldblueice

it is painful to think of what DMB could have been had they not had a falling out with Steve Lillywhite in 2000. what a waste of 12 years.

See Stand Up got me into DMB. It seems ridiculous but I think there's a value to Stand Up that is easily overlook. It doesn't measure up to the rest of DMB but there's something about it I really enjoy.

[After_Her]

I feel like Rooftop sounds like it could have been the best song on Everyday. Snow Outside definitely has a Some Devil feel that is awesome. And Druken Soldier speaks for it's self.

[douglaskg41]

Song by song:

Broken Things: Tone setter. I immediately feel the pace of Funny the way it is but with the emotional climax of Spoon or Seek Up. Dave is very Some Devil style on the lyrics. The chorus has that cooing of the hopeless romantic. Boyd's solo while short, is perfect in every way; pace, feeling, emotion. Overall, they're playing like a band should with no useless notes or transitions and everyone has perfect place.

Belly Belly Nice: I can't fault them for wanting to be funky, but I would have rather seen this later in the album. This song between Broken Things and Mercy just seems odd. Jeff and Boyd have great solos and the band gets crazy tight into the outro. The layering sounds a little muddled, but you get the live feel for sure.

Mercy: I love this song. It almost hurts to sing and I always end up closing my eyes to get the words out. The mix is just amazing. The little things add sooooo much. Tim is perfectly used. Jeff is perfect on the baritone. Boyd has those playful licks that remind me of Pig. The outro remains one of my favorite parts of the album after 3 full listens. I hear Roi in Jeff's outro licks and it just tears me up.

Gaucho: I don't really like this song, but there are good things to say about it. The production is great. Love the "feel" of the verses and chorus. This is one of the few songs on the album where I think things sound "forced"; horn lines out of the chorus, boyd's little licks, tim's sound... just doesn't gel for me. I'm not a fan of the bridge at all, but love Steffan's grunge bass into the outro. Don't really mind the kids either, but again, it sounds a little forced. Carter Beauford on the drums at the end, bam! I love the transition into...

Sweet: The song gets better with every listen. The falsetto can be a bit much and might have been better served with full band sooner in the song. "Cover Me Cover Me..." is all kinds of clever and the time signature switch is nice. Almost wish Dave would take the low octave on the vocals once it switches for the rest of the song as it might fit the groove better.

The Riff: Through headphones, you feel like Dave is sitting right next to you singing... A very intimate mix. The band doesn't become overpowering which is nice and they gel very well together once the pace picks up. Theres this awesome moment where Dave's voice is fading out and and Tim's craziness is fading in... sounds incredible. A little forced on the horn and guitar runs toward the end, but overall it's a musical monster.

Belly Full: This also keeps getting better with every listen. Reminds me of Last Stop outro, #40 with the folkiness of Rye Whiskey. Makes me want to play it for a cute girl.

If Only: This is about as smooth as you can get. Love Dave on the verses... he sounds younger. Steffan is money in the bank through the whole thing, but during the bridge he blows my mind. Tim's solo is perfect. Simple sweet saxaphone is well placed. There's a couple little organ parts that help the groove pop. Tim's outro lick is so old school!

Rooftop: Get in Line meets Hello Again with a darker edge. Carter starting his snare beat before the 2nd verse makes me smile. Clever clever clever. I know the chorus is simple enough, but damn does it sway. The bridge is just fantastic and "Gave you the best of me..." gives me chills. Love the lyrics through that whole part. Carter and Rashawn tear that outro a new one. The song is playful and violent... great stuff.

Snow Outside: The playfulness reminds me of loving wings. Some great lyrics going on here folks with a voice that makes them sooooo solid. This turns into a beast and you really never see it coming. As a musician, I love it when I can get lost in a jam and have to rely on the band to "bring me back", not knowing what they're getting at. Layer after layer after layer... just lost in the jam. Rashawn play's some tiny horn runs that just float off into space. Footsteps... not sure if the "hoedown" lick is considered an outro, intro or bridge, but its tasty, especially Timmy doin his thing on the acoustic.

Drunken Soldier: Whoa... they mean business right out of the gate. I feel like this sound is a culmination of their style as of late and really helps establish front to back the feel of the album. Again, layer after layer of awesomeness. It's not my favorite Dave vocal track, but it serves up a mighty can of meaning for our main man and you can feel it. I feel like it'll get smoother and dark live. "Look out your window..." is just, wow. And then we come to the GROOOOOOOOVE. Yes, to me and others it sounds a shit ton like "Great Gig in the Sky" by Pink Floyd, but my God thats ok. I've been waiting for something this chill and well thought out since Crush. I can't tell you how much I love this little groove. I could listen to them riff on this for 15 minutes at a show (and I think they'll get close). Perfect way to end the album.

All n all... much love for DMB on this one.

[canes101190]

Carter is exceptional on the Snow Outside outro.

[tub50328]

Interesting that there is nothing on the album that resembles that improv before why i am

[drop2d]

Originally Posted by tub50328

Interesting that there is nothing on the album that resembles that improv before why i am

Just another reason to look forward to the ACTUAL release... The one from Mansfield was by far the best. I love this album and that's just going to add to it!

[jaymas9]

Originally Posted by douglaskg41

Song by song:

Broken Things: Tone setter. I immediately feel the pace of Funny the way it is but with the emotional climax of Spoon or Seek Up. Dave is very Some Devil style on the lyrics. The chorus has that cooing of the hopeless romantic. Boyd's solo while short, is perfect in every way; pace, feeling, emotion. Overall, they're playing like a band should with no useless notes or transitions and everyone has perfect place.

Belly Belly Nice: I can't fault them for wanting to be funky, but I would have rather seen this later in the album. This song between Broken Things and Mercy just seems odd. Jeff and Boyd have great solos and the band gets crazy tight into the outro. The layering sounds a little muddled, but you get the live feel for sure.

Mercy: I love this song. It almost hurts to sing and I always end up closing my eyes to get the words out. The mix is just amazing. The little things add sooooo much. Tim is perfectly used. Jeff is perfect on the baritone. Boyd has those playful licks that remind me of Pig. The outro remains one of my favorite parts of the album after 3 full listens. I hear Roi in Jeff's outro licks and it just tears me up.

Gaucho: I don't really like this song, but there are good things to say about it. The production is great. Love the "feel" of the verses and chorus. This is one of the few songs on the album where I think things sound "forced"; horn lines out of the chorus, boyd's little licks, tim's sound... just doesn't gel for me. I'm not a fan of the bridge at all, but love Steffan's grunge bass into the outro. Don't really mind the kids either, but again, it sounds a little forced. Carter Beauford on the drums at the end, bam! I love the transition into...

Sweet: The song gets better with every listen. The falsetto can be a bit much and might have been better served with full band sooner in the song. "Cover Me Cover Me..." is all kinds of clever and the time signature switch is nice. Almost wish Dave would take the low octave on the vocals once it switches for the rest of the song as it might fit the groove better.

The Riff: Through headphones, you feel like Dave is sitting right next to you singing... A very intimate mix. The band doesn't become overpowering which is nice and they gel very well together once the pace picks up. Theres this awesome moment where Dave's voice is fading out and and Tim's craziness is fading in... sounds incredible. A little forced on the horn and guitar runs toward the end, but overall it's a musical monster.

Belly Full: This also keeps getting better with every listen. Reminds me of Last Stop outro, #40 with the folkiness of Rye Whiskey. Makes me want to play it for a cute girl.

If Only: This is about as smooth as you can get. Love Dave on the verses... he sounds younger. Steffan is money in the bank through the whole thing, but during the bridge he blows my mind. Tim's solo is perfect. Simple sweet saxaphone is well placed. There's a couple little organ parts that help the groove pop. Tim's outro lick is so old school!

Rooftop: Get in Line meets Hello Again with a darker edge. Carter starting his snare beat before the 2nd verse makes me smile. Clever clever clever. I know the chorus is simple enough, but damn does it sway. The bridge is just fantastic and "Gave you the best of me..." gives me chills. Love the lyrics through that whole part. Carter and Rashawn tear that outro a new one. The song is playful and violent... great stuff.

Snow Outside: The playfulness reminds me of loving wings. Some great lyrics going on here folks with a voice that makes them sooooo solid. This turns into a beast and you really never see it coming. As a musician, I love it when I can get lost in a jam and have to rely on the band to "bring me back", not knowing what they're getting at. Layer after layer after layer... just lost in the jam. Rashawn play's some tiny horn runs that just float off into space. Footsteps... not sure if the "hoedown" lick is considered an outro, intro or bridge, but its tasty, especially Timmy doin his thing on the acoustic.

Drunken Soldier: Whoa... they mean business right out of the gate. I feel like this sound is a culmination of their style as of late and really helps establish front to back the feel of the album. Again, layer after layer of awesomeness. It's not my favorite Dave vocal track, but it serves up a mighty can of meaning for our main man and you can feel it. I feel like it'll get smoother and dark live. "Look out your window..." is just, wow. And then we come to the GROOOOOOOOVE. Yes, to me and others it sounds a shit ton like "Great Gig in the Sky" by Pink Floyd, but my God thats ok. I've been waiting for something this chill and well thought out since Crush. I can't tell you how much I love this little groove. I could listen to them riff on this for 15 minutes at a show (and I think they'll get close). Perfect way to end the album.

All n all... much love for DMB on this one.

Honestly, this may be the only thing that is keeping this song from teh greatestzzz status, and it's not the melody but rather how it was tracked, so I expect it to really resonate live.

Let me say, this is critical listening me, overall, I think the song is absolutely fantastic and very ambitious, I love it.

[joshizzle3]

i keep thinking someone is walking down the hall at the end of snow outside. why does it sound so realistic? excellent segue

[jaymas9]

Originally Posted by tub50328

Interesting that there is nothing on the album that resembles that improv before why i am

Maybe that's the one song they said they didn't finish during the session?

[TheLastStop123]

I think Snow Outside is the masterpiece of this album.

that riff that dave plays is so entrancing, he sings through it perfectly and timmy's fills are just great. that bluesy, folksy guitar.

and then it just builds and builds. fucking pure bliss.

[kmb40oz]

2:42 during Broken Things Tim comes in and changes the whole tone of this song. I love find these little subtle moments that make these songs so great.