Dave Matthews Band

Listener Supported

Flawed, but a good introspective into the future of the DMB.

Review Score:

(6/10)
Many people have argued for years that the best way to experience the Dave Matthews Band is through seeing them in concert. Well, this is an unadulterated concert recording of the band, the second of that kind in official release by RCA. While not even in the same league as the 8.15.95 show that's sold as _Live at Red Rocks_, _Listener Supported_ is a fine album on its own merits, and more importantly, provides some introspective into where the band appears to be heading, for better or for worse.

The album starts off well enough, with the jazzy intro to "Pantala Naga Pampa", which immediately moves into a slowed-down, languid "Rapunzel". The slower pace works well with this song, but it will certainly take those used to the _Before These Crowded Streets_ version by surprise. The album continues on its way with excellent versions of "Rhyme and Reason" and "The Stone". These downtrodden songs songs add weight to a show which seems to float into the clouds from that point forward all the way into the encore. "#41" is next, and this song, considered by many to be the tDMB's greatest musical (though not lyrical) triumph. The ubiquitous and unquestionably overplayed "Crash Into Me" is next, and though it is helped by the traditional live outtro "Dixie Chicken", the song becomes tiresome and is almost an ordeal in concert. "Jimi Thing" is impressive as ever. "#36" is certainly strike one on this album, and a huge strike it is. The female backup singers, Tawatha Agee, Cindy Azell, and Brenda White-King, display an amazing ability to destroy a perfectly good song with their annoying and unharmonious rhapsodizing. The song also lacks the customary Carter Beauford drum intro. Stick to the _L@RR_ album version of "#36" and press the skip button over this song. It's worth it, because a fantastic version of "Warehouse" awaits us, the best version of the song on any DMB or Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds album. This might be the high point of the album.

A spirited version of Too Much awaits on Disc 2, complete with very, very funky bass effects by Stefan Lessard. An absolutely gorgeous Boyd Tinsley Band classic is next, "True Reflections", followed by a 15-minute long "Two Step", and then fairly standard full-band versions of "Granny" and "Stay" to finish up the regular step.

"#40", albeit a tease, is suprising but certainly welcome, and is a gorgeous little love song. "Long Black Veil" has become one of the favorites of DMB fans, "Don't Drink the Water", is rather standard, and the show is finished by a great, if rather unorthodox, version of "All Along the Watchtower".

While this is certainly not the best DMB album on record, not even the best live one, it is a solid, if not exceptional, effort. It certainly is not the best album to start someone on DMB,as 10 minute jams take a bit of time (not to mention patience) to get accustomed to. I was at this show, and after listening to the album, I have concluded that while it was a better show than I originally thought it was, it still pales in comparison to some of the better shows of the '99 Summer, especially the gem that was the 5.26.99 show at Giants Stadium. tDMB emerges as still a great band, but much more polished than they had been in the "glory days". Whether you like the polishing is the key to whether the album will work for you or not. Personally, I feel that if they keep Butch Taylor (the keyboardist, who is a revelation, and even better than the original one, Peter Griesar), and ditch the awful backup singers, the future will be bright, doubtlessly. While we may never see the "glory days" of 92-95, the direction of the band has been set by this album, and it is not altogether a bad one.

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