Is Big Whiskey getting worse to anyone else?

[mmccoy173]

Originally Posted by SmoothD41

I placed it just above Everyday and miles behind the Big 3 on June 2, and I still feel the same. It's a solid listen, a pretty good album but it is certainly nothing spectacular. It proves that DMB can still make a pretty good album, but not sure if they will be able to make a great album again unless they work with Lillywhite or someone comparable.

I enjoy Baby Blue, Squirm, Alligator Pie, Why I Am, and Seven. The rest of them are either decent to me (LITHOG, Shake Me, Spaceman, Time Bomb) or pretty much trash to me (Dive In, Funny, You and Me).

Just my opinion.

Originally Posted by SmoothD41

sure it is....Lillywhite pushed them and wasn't satisfied with anything short of perfect. You could say that's why the band parted ways with him, but that's not really the issue here.

I think Cavallo did a good job with DMB, he definitely got them back on the right track....he just didn't do as good as Lillywhite did with them in the 90s.

I'm getting so tired of reading that without Lillywhite they can never produce a good album again... really, just get over Lillywhite. Do you enjoy listening to DMB because of what Lillywhite produced for them, or because DMB writes amazing music? If DMB thought Lillywhite was good for them, they wouldn't have fired him. Get over it... you act like Lillywhite made/broke the band, so annoying to read this over and over again.

[MistreatedLewis]

Originally Posted by mmccoy173

I'm getting so tired of reading that without Lillywhite they can never produce a good album again... really, just get over Lillywhite. Do you enjoy listening to DMB because of what Lillywhite produced for them, or because DMB writes amazing music? If DMB thought Lillywhite was good for them, they wouldn't have fired him. Get over it... you act like Lillywhite made/broke the band, so annoying to read this over and over again.

They can and have produced good records without him. They just can't produce great ones without someone of Lillywhite's talent. Or, if they can, they haven't shown anything resembling the ability to yet.

[PhishSticks40]

The only song I don't listen to as much as I used to is Spaceman.

[jas230314]

Lillywhite is who made this band and the bands sound. They can make great records, but the DMB we love requires lillywhite

[mmccoy173]

Originally Posted by jas230314

Lillywhite is who made this band and the bands sound. They can make great records, but the DMB we love requires lillywhite

Personally, I like DMB regardless of who produces their music... DMB creates the music and their sound. DMB came to life as a result of their live performances, the songs were already done before Lillywhite. I don't see how you can say that Lillywhite made this band and their sound, that's ridiculous.

It's been almost 10 years since Lillywhite, no use beating a dead horse over and over again. He was fired because DMB didn't think he was a good fit for them anymore, so if you don't like their studio albums anymore, blame it on DMB and quit obsessing over Lillywhite.

[dmbredsox36]

Originally Posted by jas230314

Lillywhite is who made this band and the bands sound. They can make great records, but the DMB we love requires lillywhite

Correction: The band YOU love requires Lillywhite. It's a pretty sad state to be in honestly. I'm in love with this band right now, Big Whiskey is an excellent album and I certainly hope that they go back into the studio with cavallo. Those of you at a loss without lillywhite should probably move along.

[mmccoy173]

Originally Posted by dmbredsox36

Correction: The band YOU love requires Lillywhite. It's a pretty sad state to be in honestly. I'm in love with this band right now, Big Whiskey is an excellent album and I certainly hope that they go back into the studio with cavallo. Those of you at a loss without lillywhite should probably move along.

[TMoore4075]

I think Lillywhite gets too much credit for the songs themselves. Now if we are talking an album as a whole or the sound of an album, producers have a lot to do with that. But in terms of song writing, come on. I'll Back You Up, Seek Up, Song that Jane Likes, Recently, Minarets, #34, Ants Marching, Best of What's Around, Dancing Nancies, Jimi Thing, Lover Lay Down, Pay for What You Get, Rhyme & Reason, Satellite, Typical Situation, Warehouse, What Would You Say, Cry Freedom, Drive In, Drive Out, Lie in Our Graves, Proudest Monkey, Say Goodbye, So Much to Say, Tripping Billies and Two Step were all written before Lillywhite. Now those album versions are killer and if you want to give him credit for taking a live song and making it a great album song you are correct but he didn't write those. Especially all the stuff off UTTAD or before. That was all DMB. I've listened to the songs from before 94 and they were great then. I'm not saying he wasn't a great producer for the band but they wrote great music before him.

[KevinTH]

big whiskey is very entertaining and i listen to it a lot. BUT...i just listened to every dmb album in a row and after listening to the first 3 and busted stuff...it definitely went down a notch. the big 3 gets stroked off at least 5 times a day by people on here...and after listening to them in a row...deservedly so. big whiskey definitely does not hold the mgic that the first 3 original albums held. don't think we're EVER getting it back folks. but it definitely stands up well as a great album...

[brobb]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure Lillywhite has little to do with the song quality. He was a great producer, but he also worked with what he was given. Back then, the band just made that kind of music, and after a while the band changed their style and subsequently changed producers. Since the Lillywhite sessions the band has chosen the music they want to make, and clearly they want to make more "rock" oriented music now. I'm fairly certain though, if they wanted to make folksy jazz again, they could. They just don't want to.

EDIT: I still like Big Whiskey.

[GLR87]

its getting better

[jspampin]

Originally Posted by brobb

Yeah, I'm pretty sure Lillywhite has little to do with the song quality. He was a great producer, but he also worked with what he was given. Back then, the band just made that kind of music, and after a while the band changed their style and subsequently changed producers. Since the Lillywhite sessions the band has chosen the music they want to make, and clearly they want to make more "rock" oriented music now. I'm fairly certain though, if they wanted to make folksy jazz again, they could. They just don't want to.

EDIT: I still like Big Whiskey.

This is a good post. My problem exactly with people that go on and on about Lillywhite, they always ignore that the band is writing a different style of music. Many bands do this, I don't think it's strange for a band to want to evolve.

[juveboy]

Originally Posted by jspampin

Many bands do this, I don't think it's strange for a band to want to evolve.

Or devolve, as some see it.

[mmccoy173]

Originally Posted by brobb

Yeah, I'm pretty sure Lillywhite has little to do with the song quality. He was a great producer, but he also worked with what he was given. Back then, the band just made that kind of music, and after a while the band changed their style and subsequently changed producers. Since the Lillywhite sessions the band has chosen the music they want to make, and clearly they want to make more "rock" oriented music now. I'm fairly certain though, if they wanted to make folksy jazz again, they could. They just don't want to.

EDIT: I still like Big Whiskey.

Great post. I agree.

[tesulander]

Originally Posted by kydmb99

It seems like the more I listen to the album, the more mediocre I feel it is. Other than Squirm, Baby Blue, LITHOG, and Shake Me, I really don't listen to much of it anymore. A lot of times it takes a while to really make a judgement on an album, and I think with more listens BW is settling into a position just above Everyday for me and miles behind the Big 3... Not trying to flame, just my thoughts...

I agree but disagree. Some of the songs are getting pretty old, like funny or spaceman but there are some really, really good ones too which make it worth it 100%.

[DMBartenderWI]

Originally Posted by MistreatedLewis

If by "classic DMB" you mean, anything close to being as good as the Big 3, like, in the same universe, nope.

Yes, like, in the same universe. Sorry you can't enjoy anything past the Big 3, Mistreated. I've allowed my tastes to evolve along with the band's. Try it some time, you may just find yourself a happier person again.

[brobb]

Originally Posted by DMBartenderWI

Yes, like, in the same universe. Sorry you can't enjoy anything past the Big 3, Mistreated. I've allowed my tastes to evolve along with the band's. Try it some time, you may just find yourself a happier person again.

Yes, but even if you like both genres of music, the Big 3 has everything good about Big Whiskey and more. Just listening to their older albums you can tell there is so much going on in just about every song. Plus, the fact that there's actually a great deal of memorable sax and violin lines in the Big 3 puts it over the top. Big Whiskey is a very good album though, it's just no where near the UTTAD, Crash, or BTCS.

[Foreverford05]

I personally disagree with the OP. I like BW for the songs, but also for the structure. Putting it in and hearing grux jump right into shake me always makes me smile; then hearing an awesome song in lithog play and fade out opening into the right-off-the-bat pop of why I am is an awesome feeling. Lithog is slow and melodic then a quick transition. Personally I like the banjo outro in spaceman, thats a really cool twist. The squirm->pie->seven run is awesome, followed by the mysterious and anticipation building Timebomb. I look at it here as Timbomb closing the BW set, then they come back with two softies; baby blue, awesome, and you&me, Trash.

[TheLastStop123]

The songs I skip on Big Whiskey are Dive In and You and Me.....I can listen to anything else. Big Whiskey is definitely a very solid album, and almost 3 months later, its getting better and better for me. Some of the songs (SMLAM, Time Bomb, Seven, Squirm, Alligator Pie, Why I Am, LITHOG) are among my top 50 favorite DMB songs.

[MistreatedLewis]

Originally Posted by DMBartenderWI

Yes, like, in the same universe. Sorry you can't enjoy anything past the Big 3, Mistreated. I've allowed my tastes to evolve along with the band's. Try it some time, you may just find yourself a happier person again.

Allow my taste to get a lot worse? No thanks. That would make me miserable.

[Sniper15]

If the band did work with Lillywhite again there is no way that the album would meet the hardcore fan's expectations even if it was basically BTCS Part II

[MistreatedLewis]

Originally Posted by Sniper15

If the band did work with Lillywhite again there is no way that the album would meet the hardcore fan's expectations even if it was basically BTCS Part II

I can't speak for the hardcore fans, but I am quite certain it has a good chance of meeting mine.

[ShotgunDMB]

Originally Posted by MistreatedLewis

Allow my taste to get a lot worse? No thanks. That would make me miserable.

Well, you do like Ani Difranco and Tori Amos.

[MistreatedLewis]

Originally Posted by ShotgunDMB

Well, you do like Ani Difranco and Tori Amos.

I do! But I always have, so my taste has remained constant even if you think it's bad.

[ShotgunDMB]

Originally Posted by MistreatedLewis

I do! But I always have, so my taste has remained constant even if you think it's bad.

You do have good DMB taste.

[MistreatedLewis]

Originally Posted by ShotgunDMB

You do have good DMB taste.

Damn straight.

[dmbrasil]

Originally Posted by brobb

I'm fairly certain though, if they wanted to make folksy jazz again, they could. They just don't want to.

Probably with Jeff in the next recording sessions, since the beggining of writing the songs, it will sound "jazzier". Tim and Jeff are really going well together and in the band, so IMO the next step will be having them on the writing process as well (Tim was there for Whiskey, I know) and that would change a lot of the chemistry.

Remember that Squirm was written based on a solo by Jeff...

[darkfwank]

I thought Whiskey was a pretty good album until last weekend, when I threw in BTCS. I guess it's not fair. BTCS to me is just perfect. All this talk about Lillywhite can never be disputed unless he goes back into the studio with them and see another result. But that probably won't happen so the argument will always live on.

[cntrlnydmbfan]

Originally Posted by darkfwank

I thought Whiskey was a pretty good album until last weekend, when I threw in BTCS. I guess it's not fair. BTCS to me is just perfect. All this talk about Lillywhite can never be disputed unless he goes back into the studio with them and see another result. But that probably won't happen so the argument will always live on.

So you don't think it's a pretty good album anymore?

[mmccoy173]

Originally Posted by darkfwank

I thought Whiskey was a pretty good album until last weekend, when I threw in BTCS. I guess it's not fair. BTCS to me is just perfect. All this talk about Lillywhite can never be disputed unless he goes back into the studio with them and see another result. But that probably won't happen so the argument will always live on.

lol this same thing happened to me. Thought BW was a pretty decent album until I threw in the old school jams, I just get into the older stuff a lot more than BW. Deciding factor to me right now is... I pretty much like every song off BTCS, etc. and only like a handful from BW, although I'm still optimistic in BW's potential to be put in the category with BTCS, etc. Definitely a very strong album!