Critique of Dave Matthews Band
... one. It is hard to put a label on them. From song to song, or even within a single piece of music, the sound they produce is near impossible to pinpoint. For example, in the song “say goodbye” it begins with a flute and drums duet that sounds orchestral but then evolves into an undeniable eighth rock pattern. Their choice in instruments allows them to jump the gaps between each genre. With the violin, they have belted out a tune that was very country/bluegrass; then they can turn completely around and put down an unmistakable hip-hop or funk groove. The Dave Matthews Band can, and does, stretch across the vast area of genres and appeal to a vast number of people. Their appealing lyrics are equally as impressive as their musical capabilities. The bands ability to write interesting and attractive lyrics has always been a strong suit. Their lyrics are never crude, obscene, or explicit. Dave Matthews has the ability to express emotion in his singing with out cursing of using other vulgar language. They write songs that deal with the most powerful emotions of human capability, love and hate. They write songs that speak about the issues we face every day. They are known to go a little deeper and get into the underlying meanings, thoughts, and ideas incorporated into peoples lives. In the song Lie in Our Graves the band says, “I can’t believe that we would lie in graves wondering if we had spent our living days well.” They are trying to stress the importance of enjoying life and getting the most out of it. They offer a transcendental attitude toward life that is often forgotten in modern society. They can get your attention and make you think, or they can humor you with a “did you ever notice?” type song. The Dave Matthews Band’s lyrics are strong and provide a standard that should be followed. The mood in each Dave Matthews Band song is as dynamic as a person. Each song flows into several separate moods. The Dave Matthews Band establishes several moods across an album and through each song individually to create a sense of progress or retrogression; this enables them to assist and move the lyrics into the direction they wish to go. They have a plan for the song and the album, and they used mood changes to help them get to their ultimate goal. While the album (Before These Crowded Streets) offers more of the folkish melodies and vaguely internationalist rhythms that made this Charlottesville, Virginia group a major record and concert draw, it also finds them adding new colorings to the mix (Wright). Their extensive use of multiple coloring makes sure that the music stays interesting. A song may begin slow and sad or fast and happy but it evolves throughout the song in accordance to the lyrics or vise versa. Just like people, the songs the Dave Matthews Band plays come alive and have a pulse provided by their amazing drummer, Carter Beauford. The mood through each song changes subtly or abruptly according to the needs of each song, what sounds best, and what the band is trying to get across. In the example used above, Lie in Our Graves, the band slips into a soft breakdown section where the listener is lead into a slower, smoother portion. The mood right before this is very up-beat and fast, so the listener is lead to think there is a change during the breakdown. Dave Matthews then kicks the band back into its gear and the song continues. This is a prime example of how they make the mood and lyrics coincide and work together for the empowerment of the whole song. The mood and feeling every Dave Matthews Band song is taken into strong consideration while the music is being written to ensure a result that is pleasing to the band’s desires and what serves the song best. This is again an illustration of how they set a higher standard and push the evaluation system ahead. Over the last decade the popularity of the band has exploded. They are one of the top touring bands ever. None of their studio recorded albums has sold under platinum. They have released several live performance albums that have done almost as well. They continue to sell out large famous venues like Madison Square Garden. The Dave Matthews Band, without being in the mainstream and its tainted views of good, has kept themselves and their music where it ...