Rate the Album

[Biebz]

It’s nice seeing fellow 90s/00s fans like myself who aren’t really into DMB as much anymore understand that it’s OK that the band we all originally loved is no more. Putting out a record that’s mostly listenable 30 years into their careers is a fine achievement. Expecting more isn’t a failure of the band. It’s ours as fans.

[Julia Roberts]

With 444 votes the average rating for CT is 6.6
With 419 votes the average for AFTW was 7.7

That’s a pretty big drop off. Probably about the same as BS to SU. But I do think the fans are handling it better this time. Maybe we are just more mature (old) now?

[TheGorge]

Originally Posted by Biebz

It’s nice seeing fellow 90s/00s fans like myself who aren’t really into DMB as much anymore understand that it’s OK that the band we all originally loved is no more. Putting out a record that’s mostly listenable 30 years into their careers is a fine achievement. Expecting more isn’t a failure of the band. It’s ours as fans.

Couldn't agree more. Became a fan in 1995 and started to lose the band a bit about 10 years ago. But am very happy with this album.

[KillerBunny]

DOn't rate it till youve heard it enough things change ppl

[bustedstuff88]

Originally Posted by TheLastPig

A CD isnt any better than listening on a streaming service with headphones.

Guess im just too old skool

[LetYouDown22]

Originally Posted by sgvette67

For me, I accepted a while ago that we'll never get the DMB of the 90s back. I'll always cling desperately to the music of those days, but I'm also willing to let myself enjoy the DMB of today. The band has clearly changed since then - lyrically, literally (-Roi -Boyd), and stylistically. Sadly, as someone above pointed out, this band has never been the same after the Lillywhite saga and I honestly don't think they've ever been able to regain their identify.

CT still doesn't show me any sort of cohesive identify of this band. But for me, there are some real bright spots that I haven't seen in a long time. And I personally think the worst songs are much better than the worst songs of ED, SU, BW, and AFTW. For me, this album is really easy to listen to. There isn't a single song that is an immediate skip (even CT with those "we'll be good to go" lyrics...yeesh). And there are several songs I single out to listen to as favorites, which wasn't the case for me on the last two albums.

I'll put it this way. Mowing my lawn is mindless fun to me, and I like to just zone out while listening to music. If I enjoy an album, it just blends into the background and I'll get to the end of it without really thinking about what was playing. But if an album is bad, it sticks out, and I'll get annoyed with having to keep stopping the mower to reach into my pocket to skip tracks. I've mowed twice without having to skip anything for CT.

No, it doesn't rank ANYWHERE NEAR the big 3. If you put it up against BTCS for flow and overall production, this record is a mess. But come on guys, BTCS was a masterpiece that will never be touched. Let's not compare it to that. I put it right in the middle of the 9.

BTCS - 10
Crash - 9
UTTAD - 9
BS - 8
CT - 6.5/7
BW - 6
AFTW - 5
ED - 4.5
SU - 4

Man, comparing the listening experience to an album while mowing hits home with me. My first "complete" listen to the album was while mowing. I need about an hour of non-stop music to get thru, and this album does go perfectly with that.

#SuburbLife

[headlessnancie]

Originally Posted by luke_hagen

I haven't posted in years -- but this album is so much better than BWGGK and AFTW at first listen. And even better on listen number 10.

To the people holding on to the 90s DMB: Taco Bell tacos aren't 50 cents anymore. The McRib is gone. This is a new band -- appreciate what they bring to the table now.

There are songs I'm addicted to again -- come on come on and again and again are wonderful pieces of music.

If you don't like this DMB, get a f'n time machine. Re-live the glory days and zip-it.

this.

[Julia Roberts]

Originally Posted by headlessnancie

this.

Exactly. Same thing applies to anyone that doesn’t like Stand Up.

[hmich176]

Originally Posted by luke_hagen

I haven't posted in years -- but this album is so much better than BWGGK and AFTW at first listen. And even better on listen number 10.

To the people holding on to the 90s DMB: Taco Bell tacos aren't 50 cents anymore. The McRib is gone. This is a new band -- appreciate what they bring to the table now.

There are songs I'm addicted to again -- come on come on and again and again are wonderful pieces of music.

If you don't like this DMB, get a f'n time machine. Re-live the glory days and zip-it.

I don't like this album, and I only became a fan of the band in 2007. I like both Big Whiskey and Away From the World better. Sorry that opinion bothers you.

[gryspn41]

Originally Posted by crawfish

Exactly how I feel. I like DMB, I just don't love them anymore.

Perfectly worded!

[LaLaLaLaHey]

People seem to be turning on this album in the positive direction

[ExistenceNow]

Originally Posted by luke_hagen

I haven't posted in years-- but this album is so much better than BWGGK and AFTW at first listen. And even better on listen number 10.

To the people holding on to the 90s DMB: Taco Bell tacos aren't 50 cents anymore. The McRib is gone. This is a new band -- appreciate what they bring to the table now.

There are songs I'm addicted to again -- come on come on and again and again are wonderful pieces of music.

If you don't like this DMB, get a f'n time machine. Re-live the glory days and zip-it.

Wish I had a time machine to go back to before I read this post.

[Dodo36]

Originally Posted by luke_hagen

I haven't posted in years -- but this album is so much better than BWGGK and AFTW at first listen. And even better on listen number 10.

To the people holding on to the 90s DMB: Taco Bell tacos aren't 50 cents anymore. The McRib is gone. This is a new band -- appreciate what they bring to the table now.

There are songs I'm addicted to again -- come on come on and again and again are wonderful pieces of music.

If you don't like this DMB, get a f'n time machine. Re-live the glory days and zip-it.

I don't think anyone is under the illusion that we'll get the big three again. But based on just quality of songs before adding the DMB sound on top of it, CT is more in line with SD than BS.

Just because time has marched on, doesn't many advances are improvements. A basic Taco Bell taco is still only worth 59 cents, event though they charge double. (and add 10 more cents for a soft taco in my area). The McRib is seasonally available as it ever was. This is a band that has had one member join the Great Gig In The Sky, another leave/let go (depending on your particular conspiracy theory) due to controversies, a third continually voicing his frustrations at the decisions of the front man, a front man who is more likely to shelve any recording than ever greenlight it, and a drummer who seems content just to watch it all happen.

We get it, this isn't the band that played the Listener Supported show anymore. It's also not a band that creates music as a band anymore. I'm all for them expanding their musical horizons, but it has come at the expense of the band. Back in the day, a recording on a DMB album that only featured Dave would have been an acoustic. Now, it's Dave supplying almost all of the instruments with help from the producers. Tim used to not just be the band's straight-up lead guitar player either, his parts used fill in the ensemble.

This is now a group of people that, based entirely on the whim of one member, put out mostly decent music that's not transcendental or groundbreaking the way it once was. The tunes are enjoyable, but the tendency to miss the band as they mostly were for the first 18 years of their journey is not something that should be a mere annoyance. Some old school people take it too far, yes. But not all of us, the majority of us just pine for a day when the band actually seemed like a band.

[jzq4242]

I've given it a chance, and listened enough. My feelings of anticipating, listening to, and assessing this album. Michael Jordan in a Wizards uniform. Even Hank Aaron as a Milwaukee Brewer, or Jarimor Jagr in the NHL at 45. It is the legend, at times playing well, but no magic, not exceptional anymore.
Just my assessment: Can't Stop -better as a jam/ live song than a studio song, but a good song. Idea of You, Virginia in the Rain, very good songs. B&BB, Sam Cop, good (just not my liking) and Here on Out is solid Dave, sounds like it would have been on Some Devil. Won't call out anything specific, but some of the rest is really week.

The sad part is DMB wrote much of the big 3 in 2-3 years. This is 6 years culminating in really nothing. And the sound is no more. The violin that wasn't exactly country or southern rock, but perfect, the sax the wasn't too smooth or jazzy, but fit perfect, Dave voice stretching at all the right points, somehow had all parts fit perfect. This doesn't fit.

Summer tour reviews haven't been good. ALL GOOD STORIES HAVE AN ENDING. I wouldn't mind seeing this be the last tour. A long break, and the next I'd like to see them is at the HOF, with the original 4 + Jeff. Maybe one offs here and there. With Boyd gone, for whatever the reason, don't want to see some incarnations year after year.

[DMBCardinal]

After listening to this album many times over the past 2 weeks I'm sticking with my 8. Really solid effort that could have been amazing with a couple of song replacements. I will find myself listening to this album more than the previous three for sure.

[TwoStep2888]

Voted 6, still feel comfortable with that, there's stuff I like and stuff I don't like on this one, it's a mix

[talulapele]

So...

I voted Come Tomorrow at a 7, but I probably should have voted an 8 after listening to it more. I've listened to it in its entirety about 20-25x.

I'm a long time DMB fan. First started listening in my junior year of HS (1999). I've seen 10+ shows; however, I'm not one to go research any new song I may have heard live or anything like that. Most of the time, I don't even know the name of the song, if I did hear it... Occasionally, if I really enjoyed it, I'll ask around if anyone knows the name or write down some lyrics to research later.

For a lot of you (from what I've read on the boards), you are disappointed with Come Tomorrow. Most of the issues lie in the fact that most of these songs aren't "new"; however, coming from someone who hasn't seen these songs live or even really knew about them prior to the album, this is NEW DMB! Honestly, if I wasn't dating the guy I'm dating now, I wouldn't have know that most of the songs on this album have been played live for years. The only song on the album that I've seen live prior to the release was Can't Stop in 2006. No way am I remembering a song that I saw 12 years ago (and probably intoxicated tbh) that hadn't been on an album previously.

I understand that a lot of people are distraught (upset/disappointed) over no violin, and less horns, and more guitar and/or keyboard, and less band, but this is a great album. This isn't circa 1999 DMB, this is 2018 DMB and they are not the same band they were 30 years ago. Growing, changing, evolving, that's where we are now. You can't expect the band to stay the same over 30 years.

Here On Out is my number one track (I know, a lot of you will say that's a Dave solo song, but I don't mind solo Dave songs mixed in on a DMB album, it is Dave Matthews Band after all ), followed by (not necessarily this order) Again and Again, She, Can't Stop, Black and Blue Bird, and (after much repeated listening) That Girl is You.

That Girl is You is like Dave's Halloween voice on steroids, IMO. At first, I was like "Go drink some water, Dave", but as I listen to it more, I love it. I feel like he really captures the emotions of the song. I dunno, it's really grown on me the past couple of weeks.

Worst song is When I'm Weary. I have a hard time getting past the first few lines. I pretty much skip over it now...

bkdkdkdd was a huge disappointment. The song starts out catchy, speeds up, gets you hooked, then bam. Song Over. What. The. F*&%?!? I did not know that this was Be Yourself before I heard the album the first time, just thought it was some small cut like PNP. Disappointed they cut the entire song out. It just doesn't make sense to me. Why not do a bkdkdkdd intro into Be Yourself and put both on the album, or publish Be Yourself instead.

Overall, I think this is a good album and I've been happy with the shows I've seen this year, even Bristow *eyeroll* Virginia Beach is my next stop...

[watchtower08]

Rated a 6. Slightly above average album. If it wasn't for IOY it would probably be a 5 to me. There isn't really a super catchy song to me on the album. "She" grew on me quite a bit after hearing it live. As many have said, there are several other unreleased songs that I think are a lot better than many songs on the album. At the end of the day, thankful this band is still making music and touring after so many years. And they don't seem to be coming to a stopping point anytime soon. However, with the exception of maybe 2-3 songs I picture this album being another AFTW, from a live stand point. They'll play the majority this year and we wont hear much of the album after this tour.

[drakan]

10- Crash/UTTAD/BTCS(these albums are really 11s)

9- Busted Stuff/Come Tomorrow/Big Whiskey

8- Away(it's not that it's bad, it's just a bit of work to listen to it)

6- Stand up

2- ED(if I could I would send this album into space)

25 years and their last 3 albums are big whiskey, away and come tomorrow. incredible.

[808DMBFAN]

Originally Posted by smudge1

Judas Priest released an album this year...Firepower. 18th studio album. If you didn’t know it...you’d think it was released after Screaming for Vengeance in the early 80’s. They say they went back and looked at the music that created them...organically and naturally and built upon that. Perhaps if DMB took such an approach..

Huge JP fan from the 80s. IMO, if a band tries forcing an older style, it just doesn't work. I love seeing progression in a band. SFV wouldn't be the album it was if their other albums sounded similar. Sad Wings, Point of Entry, British Steel, Turbo, they each had a different feel. They lost me when the did ram it down and painkiller. Seemed like they were trying to get back to Screaming but failed. Haven't listened to anything since. If you're not true to your art, I think fans can see this and will lose interest. Maybe I'll give the new album a listen.

As far as AFTW. I never connected with it. I mean I can listen to it and enjoy it. But there's not one song that makes me tear, takes me somewhere, or makes me want to sing out in a quiet room. Belly Full and Sweet come close. CT is full of these songs (for me). The only song I really don't like is CT. It's still early, but I'm already putting this album at #5 (right below the big 3 and BS). CT is so diverse. I'd be happy if they played every song (minus CT) at the Gorge this year.