Forget all of that election stuff; you are about to read the most politically charged sentence in today's paper right here. It's a sentence that has the potential to divide the University into two distinct camps and spur ferocious debate. So without further ado...
The new Dave Matthews CD is pretty darn good.
"Everyday," the band's newest studio album since 1998's "Before These Crowded Streets," is a distinct and definite departure from the band's previous work. The decision to go with Glen Ballard as the album's producer resonates throughout nearly every track, and as a result the overall feel of the album leans dangerously close to pop. Ballard, whose previous credits include Alanis Morissette's "Jagged Little Pill" and Aerosmith's "Nine Lives," is known for his polished touch.
The glossy sheen of "Everyday" is projected through shorter, tighter tracks and (gasp) electric guitar, as opposed to the acoustic that Matthews is known for. Fans who long for the return to the DMB's earlier, folksier days will be disappointed, if not thoroughly disgusted, by this shift. But that's not to say that "Everyday" is a worthless, overproduced package of pop trash.
Without a doubt, there are negative aspects of Ballard's work. The most prominent is the reduction of violinist Boyd Tinsley and saxophonist Leroi Moore to background figures. Aside from Matthews's grainy vocals, Tinsley's instrumental brilliance is perhaps the feature that has most distinguished the band from its contemporaries in the past. For the most part, "Everyday" buries Tinsley's work behind digital background loops uncharacteristic of the band, and many of the tracks suffer as a direct result.
"I Did It," the ubiquitous first single, is a prime example of the band's new style. Keyboards and bubblegum frou frou take command of the bridge, one of many wasted opportunities to showcase the rest of the band.
"I Did It" is, inarguably, a leap into the mainstream, but fortunately is by far the worst track on the album and not particularly indicative of what the album has to offer. With lines like "Your legs don't work cause you want me so / You just lie spread to the wall / Love you got is surely all the love I would ever need" from "When the World Ends," "Everyday" is as full of brazen sensuality and candor as any other Dave Matthews offering.
The lyrical component of the album is particularly strong this time around. Matthews is a master of clever poetic devices and forgoes lyrical superficiality to lace his songs with references to social and political issues.
Not surprisingly, some of the strongest tracks on the album are the most introspective. "The Space Between," a melancholy and yet passionate piece, strikes such a perfect balance that it is both moving and chilling. Similarly, the band seems able to break the chains of overproduction in "Sleep to Dream Her," one of only a couple of tracks where saxophonist Moore's work truly shines through.
Songs that showcase the band as a whole also strengthen the album. "So Right" and "What You Are" bring to mind earlier albums. The best pieces on the album are undoubtedly "Fool to Think" and "Mother Father." "Fool" is a jazzy and rhythmically complex track that demonstrates the entire band's raw musical talent.
"Mother" takes a similar approach, emphasizing instrumentality with a guest appearance by guitarist Carlos Santana. Santana and Matthews, despite very different musical histories, compliment each other quite well, perhaps surprisingly so.
Fans and casual listeners alike will undoubtedly enjoy "Everyday" because of its very listener-friendly approach. To say that the darlings of Charlottesville have sold out would be ridiculous; "Everyday" has its moments of sheer brilliance. The veneer of production, however, will bring a new dimension to the DMB's live performance.
Ballard's influence on the new material has a strong potential to weaken the band's live performances. And the live show, no doubt, is what has given the Dave Matthews Band is greatest reknown so far - but we'll have to wait until April 21 to know for sure. Undoubtably, "Everyday" will bring out the crowds in droves to Scott Stadium, despite the band's tinkering with the formula that got them this far.
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