Dave Matthews Band release intimate, instrumental album
Dave Matthews Band released its eighth studio album “Away from the World” on Sept. 11, which was the first album they have put out since 2009. The album sold a remarkable 266,000 copies in stores the first week.
The epic instrumentals and intimate vocals make this yet another hit. This alternative rock album consists of 11 tracks and debuted at No. 1, marking the sixth straight No. 1 album released by the band.
DMB debuted the lead single "Mercy" from the album on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" on April 24. The pop track is full of emotional lyrics such as “love is not a whisper or a weakness, no, love is strong,” giving it a classic DMB smooth sound.
According to Rolling Stone, DMB reached out to fans for photos and video, looking to make an ultimate tribute to fans in the video for "Mercy." After collecting and editing submissions from around the world, they spliced together a patchwork quilt of emotions with a universal message of love, which is the general theme of the song.
In addition, the track “The Riff” was performed during DMB’s tour this past summer. This single features a theme of loneliness in a new song, which starts off somber with light acoustic guitar and then following lyrics “please don’t leave me here, sitting in a box away from the world out there."
The song ends with the classic eruption of horns, electric guitar and stellar violin action toward the end. This song was the stimulation for the title of the new album.
It wouldn’t be a DMB album if there wasn’t room for solo instrumentals, setting the stage for the famous live jam-out performances. “Drunken Soldier” is the epitome of this type of DMB song. It’s the longest song in DMB history at 9 minutes and 46 seconds. It ranges from hard rock to soft jazz with lyrics coming in around three minutes into the track.
“If Only," “Belly Belly Nice” and “Sweet” are the sensual, gentle, sexual and playful sounding tracks that will attract fans. Whereas “Gaucho," “Rooftop” and “Snow Outside” are more lyrical tracks aiming at deeper meanings.
If you like a solid saxophone honk paired with melodic guitar patterns topped with the sultry, soulful voice of Dave Matthews, you’re sure to be pleased and surprised with yet another brilliant album.
