Fans who ordered the Super Deluxe version of “Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King” received, among other goodies, a bonus disc containing four songs: “#27,” “Beach Ball,” “Little Red Bird,” and “Write a Song.” None of these songs have been previously released as a studio track, although listeners might recognize “#27” and “Beachball” from their live recordings. The bluesy “#27” debuted live on 7/28/07 (too bad it wasn't one day earlier on the 27th!) and was played three times during the Spring 2009 tour. “Beach Ball” was first performed live on 4/29/09 and presented once more last Spring. “Little Red Bird,” and “Write a Song,” have yet to be introduced on stage.Fans who ordered the Super Deluxe version of “Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King” received, among other goodies, a bonus disc containing four songs: “#27,” “Beach Ball,” “Little Red Bird,” and “Write a Song.” None of these songs have been previously released as a studio track, although listeners might recognize “#27” and “Beachball” from their live recordings. The bluesy “#27” debuted live on 7/28/07 (too bad it wasn't one day earlier on the 27th!) and was played three times during the Spring 2009 tour. “Beach Ball” was first performed live on 4/29/09 and presented once more last Spring. “Little Red Bird,” and “Write a Song,” have yet to be introduced on stage.
Anytime a world renowned band releases a new album, a plethora of reviews is sure to follow. Every opinion from the good, to the bad and ugly will be expressed. Some neophytes expose their lack of knowledge about the band by misquoting lyrics or mistaking the number of albums produced, or worse yet, making it clear that they've never experienced a live show. In many ways, critical analyses tell far more about the assessor than the assessed. That being said, here's a summary of what the journalistic world is saying about “Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King.”There are a few key points that most writers are articulating in their descriptions of the new creation.
Dave Matthews was right when he described “Big Whiskey” as a record that “doesn't apologize.” With this effort, the band held no bars and left no stone unturned. The album boasts incredibly diverse sounds, representing everything from the back streets of New Orleans in “Alligator Pie,” to an almost Jimi Hendrix-like feel in “Seven.” The fact that one production successfully merged such divergent musical genres is a stunning accomplishment, even for the Dave Matthews Band.
They say it takes a village to raise a child. Thanks to the support and encouragement of everyone involved, the youngster grows into a confident, secure adult, ready to take on the world. Well, the same can be said of a creating a new record. Birthed and developed with loving hands, the album makes its way into the good graces of fans. As we're all basking in the splendor of the finished product, let's take a moment to honor the process that made “Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King” a reality.There is no doubt that this album is reminiscent of old school Dave Matthews Band. There is a distinctly unique feel evident in the band's first four albums, “Remember Two Things,” “Under the Table and Dreaming,” “Crash,” and “Before These Crowded Streets.” Many fans felt that the band lost their way with “Everyday” and “Stand Up,” as the characteristic DMB essence seemed to have changed somehow. Now that the old DMB spirit has returned for “Big Whiskey,” we can clearly see what has been missing.
This may come as a shock to some of you, but lately I've been doing a lot of thinking: about Dave Matthews. And not just for the obvious reason that I can almost always hear a DMB song playing in my head. Nor for the even more obvious reason that I have a continual countdown running in my brain until my next live show. The reason that I've been thinking so much about Dave recently is because I think he's an excellent example of the power of creativity, and the sometimes fine line between creativity and madness. We've all witnessed the fruits of Dave's imagination evident in his ability to write songs and play music, both of which are amazing contributions to the musical milieu. But what I find even more phenomenal, is the way that he dabbles in other mediums with such apparent ease.
With the closing of the Spring tour, most Dave Matthews Band fans have only one thing on their minds: 16 days until the summer concerts begin! But before we turn our attention to what's to come, let's take a look at where we've been. Wrapping up an unbelievable run last weekend in Las Vegas, the Spring shows have been nothing less than spectacular. From old wonders like “Pig,” “Raven,” and “Granny,” to new tunes like “Funny The Way It Is,” “Beach Ball,” and the "Rye Whiskey" cover, to “The Last Stop” tease and “Blue Water” partials, this expedition truly offered something for everyone.
Undoubtedly one of the most exciting parts of this journey has been the introduction of fresh compositions from “Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King.” So far we've been gifted with a total of 4 numbers from the record, “Funny The Way It Is,” “Spaceman,” “Why I Am,” and “Seven.” We also enjoyed “Beach Ball,” which is featured on the bonus disc and available with the super deluxe purchase of “Big Whiskey.” The most recent addition, “Seven” debuted just last week on May, 5th 2009 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. By far the most unconventional of the contemporary songs, it features a cacophonous, asymmetrical style. In the DMB road crew notes, Dave says of this piece, “ Tastes a little bit funny, but that's okay. Something's wrong with it. I hope that it eventually affects you in a positive way at some stage.” Perhaps surprisingly to Dave, it already has.
dave & tim at Radio CityA young woman walks down the street looking for her lost dog and meets her future husband. A man walks into a bar to get a drink and leaves with a new job. A teenager joins a soccer team and finally finds a friend that shares her love for science fiction novels. All of these are examples of serendipity, which can be defined as uncovering something unexpected while searching for something else entirely. When serendipity bursts into your life, changes that you never saw coming are afoot. It is a process that cannot be controlled or predicted, only looked upon with wonder. Once you become aware of the power of serendipity, you may start noticing her magic emanating from every corner of your life. And nowhere is serendipity more evident than inside the creative process of the Dave Matthews Band.When asked during a 60 Minutes interview whether Dave knew exactly what kind of sound he was orchestrating by bringing saxophone and violin elements into a rock band, he admitted that he had no idea what to expect.
Two nights ago in Pelham, Alabama, The Dave Matthews Band almost played “Blue Water”, a song which has not been performed since July 3rd, 2003. Two nights before that in Charlottesville, Virginia the band dangled “The Last Stop,” which hasn't been heard live since September 12th, 2006. Fans of DMB are not strangers to song teases. According to dmbalmanac.com, the band has been playing partial songs since the early 1990's, although less often than now. In the early days, mostly cover songs and the occasional “Dancing Nancies” were baited. Later, songs like “Proudest Monkey” and “Kind Intentions” started to enjoy some teases. More recently, “#40” seems to be the song of choice for taunting the crowd. Luckily, we had a more complete “#40” last summer in Saratoga Springs, after which Dave mused, “I keep workin' on it. Hoping it will come back...” which speaks to the way in which works take on a life of their own once they have sprung from the artist's psyche. The song will only come back if she wants to; all Dave can do is try. But this is hardly the only reason for the infamous song teases of DMB.This week, the Dave Matthews Band revealed the complete “Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King” album cover. After much anticipation, we now have all 9 pieces of the puzzle including 8 individual images, along with a ninth drawing which integrates the works into a complete portrait. In two previous articles, we have explored the symbolism behind pictures 1-3, and 4-6, respectively. This article will focus on pictures 7-8, before taking a look at the final gestalt. The fact that the band released the images in such a unique way, has certainly given us an opportunity to delve deeply into the many layers of interpretation. And now that the final image is on display, we have an even clearer view of the artworks' intended meaning. It occurs to me that the album will provide a similar experience, in that we will be treated to each musician's contribution both individually, and completely, as a unit.
In picture 7, we have 2 white horses pulling a cart. Their feet are in the mud, which could symbolize either being stuck or laboring with much effort. They are also wearing blinders, which is customary for these types of working horses, but it can also point to the enduring focus that the band may have needed in order to complete this album.
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In picture 7, we have 2 white horses pulling a cart. Their feet are in the mud, which could symbolize either being stuck or laboring with much effort. They are also wearing blinders, which is customary for these types of working horses, but it can also point to the enduring focus that the band may have needed in order to complete this album.