[music] Dave Matthews Band, Crash (1996)

RCA Records
Total Running Time - 68:48

Personnel
Carter Beauford - Drums, percussion, background vocals; Stefan Lessard - Bass, tac piano; David Matthews - Vocals, acoustic guitar; Boyd Tinsley - Acoustic and electric violin; Leroi Moore - Alto, tenor, soprano, and baritone saxophones, flute, whistles

1. So Much to Say
2. Two Step
3. Crash Into Me
4. Too Much
5. #41
6. Say Goodbye
7. Drive in, Drive Out
8. Let You Down
9. Lie in Our Graves
10. Cry Freedom
11. Tripping Billies
12. Proudest Monkey


I'll admit that I was sucked into buying this album by the first single "Too Much," which is a really engaging, funky tune. Most of my problems with this band is that they sound too nice, in a kind of folksy, earthy, middle-of-the-road kind of way. Those problems still exist on their latest album, and nothing my little sister says about them is going to change the fact that I don't like sappy acoustic songs. And singer/guitarist Matthews lays heavy on the sap on tunes like "Crash Into Me", "Say Goodbye", and "Let You Down". His overwrought, overemotional delivery reminds me of why I don't like Jeff Buckley. It's just too damned melodramatic. Coincidentally, I've found that women really dig both Buckley and Matthews, so I may be on to something here. I'm basing this on exactly three people, but I get the feeling that these intense shows of emotion are particularly appealing to women.

The album certainly isn't all that bad, with Matthews playing a bit nastier on a few tunes than I had expected from the singles from their last album, and saxophonist Leroi Moore playing baritone sax certainly adds some grittiness to the mix. Unfortunately, it doesn't add enough for me to really like the whole CD. This group just doesn't take enough chances, as evidenced by Moore's tame soloing throughout. Being a jazz aficionado, I have a very high standard for saxophonists, and Moore doesn't cut it. With their non-traditional instrumentation, loose feel, and decent songwriting sense, this band could have a lot of potential. Instead, they take the path of least resistance, with mixed results at best.

On a more sinister note, the CD was accompanied by a mini-catalog for Dave Matthews Band merchandise that was perhaps as many pages as the actual CD booklet. Makes you wonder...