Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King

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Product Reviews

(4 stars) - Finally found the new sound
I have been a fan of DMB for the past decade. Like many people, I love them for their early work, particularly Under the Table and Dreaming, Before These Crowded Streets and Crash. It was a coincidence of the spirit of the times, a young and joyful band, and their loose, improvisational style. There is no way to go back to that. Their past three albums (Everyday, Busted Stuff, Stand Up) have been a noticeable dip in the 'magic' they had (though their live act has remained excellent). Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King seems to be a climb back into a new space of musical creation. It feels as though the death of Leroi Moore has given them the spiritual resources to bring into focus the more rock'n'roll/funk style that they have been experimenting with since Everyday.

While I do not like this style as much as their early work, it is obviously a genuine development for the band, and it is good to see them produce a record of substantial quality again. BW & GGK is permeated by a spirit of mournful joy, of bereavement and celebration of memories, and the band plays with energy and conviction. Standout tracks for me are 'Shake Me Like a Monkey', with it's infectious beat, 'Spaceman' as a classic Dave sleazy love ballad, and 'You & Me', with it's bright pop sensibility.

(5 stars) - Their best
I have to admit that Dave Matthews was an aquired taste. I just didn't get him, his music or his band when they fist hit the scene. After some exposure, though, I had to admit I was hooked. What really stands out is that this is a group of MUSICIANS, who know and undertand music and play it outside the POP box. There is a lot going on, on DMB tracks. You can't just listen to a song once, because its too much to take in just once. This CD rocks. Its the best yet. Every track on this CD is awesome. A rocking, yet poignent tribute to their fallen comrade. Why I Am, is my personal favorite. The arrangement, the complexity of the music. Great CD. The best yet. A lot to live up to though.

(4 stars) - The music on this CD is pretty good
I don't listen to a lot of music these days. I just listen to sports talk and stuff when I'm in the car. Anyway, I got this CD as a birthday present and it's pretty good. Not as good as my Buffet "Greatest Hits" CD, but it's cool. It's kind of rockin', but also sounds a little jazzy and a little funky. I don't dance to it because I don't dance. Well, OK, I'll like slow dance with my wife if we're at a wedding, but you know, whatever. Anyway, I put this CD on when I'm just doing stuff around the house and most of the time I forget it's even on. Which is totally cool. Even my wife likes it, which is totally cool too, since she mostly listens to Josh Groban and stuff. I even had it on when my frat bro Stan and his wife came over for Scattergories the other night. Stan said "Dude, is that the new Dave Matthews CD?" And I'm like, "Yeah." And Stan said "Awesome." That was good, because the last time they came over, I put on a Sting CD and Stan had too many Heinekens and started going off on Sting being a commie. Look, I hate commies too, but I'm like "Dude, you like need to chill out and stuff." Anyway, while it's a pretty cool CD, I wouldn't recommend putting it on if you and the wife are scroggin'. For that, I recommend an album called "Roxy Music" by the band Avalon. Works every time, chief. Later days.

(1 stars) - Sorry, but no...
I'm totally baffled by the number of positive reviews here. I could see maybe a few people liking it, a few thinking it was average, etc. But 95 ratings of 5 stars???? Almost seems like people who rated it this high never heard Dave's first albums. Because if I could rate this half a star, I would. Why? Honestly, there's not much to say, beyond the usual reasons we love/hate songs. I'm more of a music/melody kind of guy, so the music will make it or break it. Meaning, while the lyrics are a nice addition if they're good, I won't like a song with the best lyrics and crappy music. So I won't comment on lyrics here because I can't even get past the music. I don't find the melodies catchy, didn't find any riffs that are particularly cool, etc. There isn't even one single on this that I enjoy listening to. In other words, disappointing music by DMB's standards.

(4 stars) - LeRoi Moore's Final Recording With DMB Turns Out Nicely
Dave Matthews Band Big has overcome some up and down recordings over the years to produce the best work in years on Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King. This CD contains the last studio recordings of saxophonist LeRoi Moore who died prior to final production from injuries resulting from an ATV accident. Big Whiskey opens and closes with solos from Moore. The opening solo, "Grux" leads directly into the high energy rocker, "Shake Me Like A Monkey". Matthews his lower register for much of this one to give more of an edge to his delivery. Rashawn Ross' trumpet is also featured prominently on this one. However things slow down to a large degree on the introspective "Funny The Way It Is". Matthews uses his falsetto to contrast many dichotomies such as "someone's going hungry/someone else is eating out" or "somebody's broken heart becomes your favorite song", but he proclaims these "not right or wrong". The song structure is also interesting as it uses multiple instrumental and lyrical bridges after the verses and chorus. I could go on and on, but it is just very well done.

Things stay mellow on the next track "Lying In The Hands Of God" - another standout track. It is impossible to listen to this masterful song and not think of Moore and his passing although this might not have been the original intent.

Another musically interesting song is "Squirm", a slow and driving track with plenty of musical tension. It features an orchestral arrangement with violins that bring a very different sound that what we hear from Boyd Tinsley elsewhere on the Big Whiskey. The tension rises as the line "Drum beats louder" leads into the guitar and string flourish preceding the chorus. This is another nice job of avoiding run-of-the-mill pop/rock music.

However, not every song works out on Big Whiskey. "Seven" is does not match the other songs in being either musically interesting or catchy and the lyrics are rather repetitive. This is really the only true criticism that I can offer for this CD, and this is the first recording from Dave Matthews Band that I can say that about it quite a while.

As a final note, it is clear that Matthews was searching for deeper meaning in life, but the lyrics often show either confusion or the ability to hold contradictory positions. "Why I Am" has the oddest occurrences with the line "I grew drunk on water turned to wine" in a verse that was also preceded by the line "I grew from monkey into man". I found it odd to reference a miracle of Jesus after a statement of evolution. Later in the same song he rather flippantly quips "Heaven or hell I'm going there with the GrooGrux King". "Time Bomb" also has some interesting references - "If Martians fell from the sky/What would that do to God" and "Baby when I get home/I wanna believe in Jesus". As a final example, "Shake Me Like A Monkey" has "God or the devil alone/Could not have made you up/the two must have worked as one together".

All in all, Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King is a very good CD from Dave Matthews Band. There is a lot to like and enjoy on the final studio CD that will include LeRoi Moore. The music is good, and the lyrics will make you think. It is hard to ask for a lot more than that.

Download this: Funny The Way It Is

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