andrew dodson

The Dave Matthews Band has released Volume 8 of their Live Trax series. The set comes from a 2004 concert at Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wisconsin. I’ve been wanting to do semi-regular album reviews, so here’s the first installment.

Hello Again - One of the “new” songs from 2004. The band spent the summer road testing a handful of new songs, including this one. It eventually appeared on 2006’s Stand Up. Newer versions of this song are faster and more aggressive. I appreciate this early version because it’s more laid back, and has a better delivery.

Granny - One of the better versions I’ve heard of this song. Once again, a good delivery by the band.

#41 - One of my favorite DMB songs, especially live. A little shorter than some versions, mainly due to no guest solos. Nice, simple version.

The Stone - Fairly standard version - this one doesn’t change too much live. I’m not a huge fan of this song, but overall, it’s a good version.

Crazy Easy - This song was the main reason I bought the set. Another one of the “new” 2004 songs that’s yet to appear on any official release. It’s an excellent version - similar to “Crush” and “Captain” in its laid-back, jazzy style. Also has a chord progression that reminds me of “Best of What’s Around.” Very nice to finally get a clean, mixed version of this song. Up to now, I’ve only had audience tapes to rely upon.

So Much To Say - Standard version. Never a bad song live.

Super Freak - The band elected to pay tribute to Rick James, as opposed to doing their usual segue called “Anyone Seen the Bridge?” Not a complete version of the song, but a nice tribute. James had just passed away at the time of this concert.

Too Much - This song got a small face lift in 2004. LeRoi added a nice, Indian-style breakdown, and they added an extended outro with Dave quoting lyrics from a song I don’t know But, it finally made the song more listenable for me. Before the changes, it was a fairly mundane song, in my opinion.

Bartender - I’ve yet to listen to this song closely, but it’s always a great live song. Especially the end solos between Butch and LeRoi. More of the laid-back, jazz style that I enjoy from DMB.

When the World Ends - Simple. Short. Standard.

Help Myself - A somewhat rare song that I enjoy. A studio version can be heard on the Scream 2 soundtrack. I really enjoy this song though - similar in style and emotion to “The Stone.”

I’ll Back You Up - a great “full” band version of the song. Stefan adds a nice solo in the middle, Butch adds some emotion to the song on keys, and Carter comes in at the end with cymbal rolls and backing vocals. A very nice version of the song.

Joy Ride - Another one of the “new” 2004 songs. Sort of a jab at George Bush and the war. If you don’t pay attention to the lyrics too closely, it’s an enjoyable, upbeat song. I actually don’t pay too much attention to lyrics most of the time, so maybe that’s why I enjoy this song.

Grey Street - A great transition from “Joy Ride” to this one. Probably my second or third favorite DMB tune.

Sugar Will - Once again, a “new” 2004 song. Very mellow. Some fans love it, some fans think it’s boring. I enjoy it once the song gets to the solos. The intro is too long for my taste, and as I mentioned, I don’t pay attention to lyrics too often. Just give me the solos, and I enjoy it.

Ants Marching - My favorite song. Probably the song that made me fall in love with DMB. Particularly, Carter’s playing on the song. I love it.

Everyday - Newer versions of this song are butchered, I think. Dave has come to the point of scatting most of the lyrics, which I don’t like. However, at the time of this concert, he was still singing the lyrics. I really enjoy pre-2005 versions of this song.

Typical Situation - A “classic” DMB song. It’s not a “standard” live song for DMB, so it’s always a treat to hear.

Warehouse - I’ve never heard this as a set closer, but I was pleasantly surprised. It works really well, and this is a great version.

Overall, it’s probably my favorite live release to date. To top it off, the mix is fantastic. Chris Kress is responsible for mixing the Live Trax releases and he does a great job. I firmly believe DMB live recordings are better than any other live recording. Even “bad” DMB live mixes sound better than most. Besides the mix, it’s nice to hear just DMB with no guests. While guests are usually cool (Bela Fleck, Robert Randolph, Rashawn Ross), there’s something special about just DMB on stage together in this set. If you’ve got some money to spare, and enjoy DMB, I recommend this release. You can buy it here.