I listened to every Dave Matthews Band album and lived to tell about it
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Dave and the band. Photo: Paul Natkin/Getty Images
I admit I haven't been the biggest proponent of Dave Matthews Band's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame candidacy.
Yes, but: It didn't matter. The fans have spoken, successfully campaigning for DMB to be in the class of 2024.
What I did: In honor of the group's induction during this Saturday's ceremony at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, I listened to every studio album in chronological order.
- Call me neglectful or a sucker for punishment. Here are my thoughts:
"Under the Table and Dreaming" (1994)
State of play: Even I can't deny how great this album is in its cohesiveness and musicality. It's easily one of the better debut albums of the 1990s.
Worthy of your time: The singles, led by "Ants Marching," are solid but the real masterpiece is the alluring album cut "Typical Situation."
"Crash" (1996)
"Crash" isn't as good, but it feels more quintessential — from the signature "Little baby" lyric making on "So Much to Say" to the blissful opening chords of "Crash Into Me."
"Crash" contains my favorite DMB song, the epic "#41."
"Before These Crowded Streets" (1998)
I don't get why this album is held in such high regard by fans, especially with unbearable songs like "The Last Stop" and "Halloween," which features Dave's awful Tom Waits impersonation.
An amazing song like "Crush," melding together all of DMB's musical styles, almost makes up for it.
"Everyday" (2001), "Busted Stuff" (2002), "Stand Up" (2005)
DMB was all about pop crossover at the start of the new millennium, particularly on 2001's "Everyday" and 2005's "Stand Up," two of the weaker albums in the band's catalog.
Sandwiched in between those two albums was "Busted Stuff" , a return to form that features the live staples "Captain," "Raven" and "Bartender."
"Big Whiskey & the GrooGrux King" (2009)
I remember a lot of anticipation for this album following the death of saxophonist LeRoi Moore and the return of Tim Reynolds on guitar.
"Big Whiskey" featured some of the best DMB songs in years, most notably "Lying in the Hands of God," which is such a knockout live.
"Away from the World" (2012), "Come Tomorrow" (2018), "Walk Around the Moon" (2023)
DMB hasn't recorded much lately, releasing only three studio albums since 2012.
"Away from the World" and "Come Tomorrow" are somewhat forgettable, but "Walk Around the Moon" feels surprisingly refreshing for a band that's been at it for more than 30 years.
Between the lines: I didn't have time to listen to DMB's plethora of live albums, but just a sample of them makes you realize this is a band best experienced in concert.
The bottom line: Dave Matthews Band could never release another studio album and would still have compiled enough stellar material to be a go-to live act for as long as the members want to keep touring.