Dave Matthews Band

Everyday

ATTENTION: READ BEFORE BUYING EVERYDAY!

Review Score:

(4/10)
I am a long-time Dave listener. Their first three studio albums were absolutely amazing. Then, three years after "Before These Crowded Streets" they throw a CD at us with a new producer, new songs (they scrapped Lillywhite Sessions, only to put it out reworked as Busted Stuff, later) and totally new Dave. The first tiem I heard it, I was dissapointed. The only two songs I liked were "Everyday" and "When the World Ends." They had changed from their sweeping epics and made them shorter, popier, and even "When the World Ends" was cut short, as if they made a point not to make a long song on the CD, just as it began having potential. Several days later, I gave it a second try, and it began to grow on me. On "Before These Crowded Streets" Dave's lyrics touched a darker, more important side. What happened on "Everyday" is as follows. Dave went through a hard period in his life. His lyrics grew darker, his songs more complex. People have said that Dave went pop, and he did. This is a pop CD. But I have never seen a pop CD with lyrics quite like this CD's.
Now I have to tell you why I rated it like I did. As a Dave CD, it would have gotten three stars. There are some very good songs on the CD. As a pop CD, it gets five stars. I know that's not a perfect average, but hey, shoot me. I think this CD shows artist maturation, even if it isn't what fans are used to. It made a lot of money, and even introduced new fans to Dave. I got a friend of mine hooked on old Dave after she liked this CD. Hey, it's not perfect, but you've got to give the artists credit. The band is truly talneted (even though Leroi is practically cut out of the CD) and Glan Ballard did make a flawless pop CD.
Just as a note, if this CD weren't DAve, I probably wouldn't like it too much, but standing alone it is a good CD. Standing with other Dave CD's, it barely scratches the surface of who DAve really is. I can't wait for their new live CD, just to see how he worked these short songs into their typically great shows. It should be interesting.
All in all, it is worth listening to for a new listener, and it is worth a second, third, fourth (and on and on) listening by long-time DAve fans like myself, becuase it isn't as bad as it seems at first.

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