Unreleased album surprises
audience with creativity
'Lillywhite Sessions' use
solos to show more
dark emotions
By Ayall Sagi
Staff Writer
 Twelve
songs that add up to a 70 minute album with amazing saxophone, flute,
violin and drum solos - there's no doubt that this is a Dave Matthews
Band Album. This album holds all the songs that the band debuted in
its 2000 summer concert tour as well as a few more pleasant surprises.
The band decided not to release "The Lillywhite
Sessions" album because they felt it was too dark. But the best albums
are usually the dark ones, as shown by Radiohead with their album "OK
Computer."
"The Lillywhite Sessions" starts off with the song
"Busted Stuff," a sad, slow song where Matthews cries about a woman
leaving him behind. This depressing, yet extremely romantic song shines
with a smooth electric rift and a nice beat that climaxes with a saxophone
solo by Leroy Moore.
The next song, "Grey Street," is a faster instrumental
song, but still features Matthews' lazy, gentle voice. In this song,
the band uses reverb, which is atypical, and helps bring out the emotion
Matthews poured into the song. It shows just how amazing his voice is.
Staying with the soft, slow melody, "Diggin' A
Ditch" might remind someone of songs like "Cry Freedom" from 1996's
"Crash" with lyrics such as, "I'm diggin' a ditch where madness gives/diggin'
a ditch where silence lives." Saxophone and violin solos ring out through
the song, which would bring even a trucker to tears.
The album picks up with "Sweet Up and Down," where
Matthews starts the song with his creative vocal jargon like in "Pig"
from 1998's "Before These Crowded Streets." In the middle of the song,
a strong violin solo breaks through and then gives way to a strong saxophone
solo, which proves how talented they are.
"JTR" would leave any listener in awe at the massive
array of instruments coming together brilliantly on this track to create
their own sound garden.
The song "Big Eyed Fish" is astonishing. The lyrics
in this song are incredible, and help prove that DMB has not lost its
touch in making extraordinary music. With Matthews' amazing voice, the
lyrics come to life as he sings "Oh God, under the weight of life/things
seem brighter on the other side."
The album transforms back into a slow soft gap
with "Grace Is Gone." As the saxophone softly hums, the drummers lightly
beat and Matthews faintly sings, "Excuse me please, one more drink/could
you make it strong cause I, I don't need to think/she broke my heart/my
grace is gone/another drink and I'll be gone…/one more drink and
I'll move on."
A 10 minute version of Matthews concert favorite
"Bartender" is on this album, which is probably the biggest sign of
the band's improvement. With his deep strong voice, Matthews starts
off soft and gets progressively louder, like in his past hits "All along
the Watchtower" and "Halloween."
Other incredible songs include "Captain," "Kit
Kat Jam," "Monkey Man" and "Raven."
Unlike their latest album, the radio friendly "Everyday,"
this album includes more emotion and feels like the whole band contributed,
not just Matthews.
This album can be downloaded from http://dmb.jktang.com.
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