DMB's latest album far from 'Busted'

Dave Matthews Band
Busted Stuff
RCA Records If I'm former long-time Dave Matthews Band producer Steve Lillywhite, I'm not happy. He produces the deepest and most personal DMB album ever, only to be replaced by pop-producer Glen Ballard on the more-poppy Everyday; but that's not the worst part. Once Matthews realized fans had more copies of the discarded pre-Everyday album (The Lillywhite Sessions) than the electric guitar-filled Ballard project, he decided to give the public what it wanted and recorded the same album, now named Busted Stuff, without Lillywhite. To add insult to Lillywhite's injury, it's a good album! Even though Lillywhite isn't jobless -- he produced the Counting Crows' latest release -- it wouldn't have hurt him to be part of Busted Stuff. Now, for those Dave fans who are skeptical about the new album as compared to the bootleg, the main difference is that you can actually hear the music and lyrics in Busted Stuff. With the songs being rerecorded, and even rewritten in the case of "Grey Street," this album just sounds a lot better. But that doesn't make the new release overwhelmingly better than Lillywhite's. While it would have been better if Busted Stuff included ALL of the songs from the original sessions -- "JTR," "Sweet Up and Down" and "Monkey Man" were cut -- all of the songs on the new album compliment each other very well. In addition, "Grey Street" and "Grace Is Gone" were already instant DMB classics from The Lillywhite Sessions, but Busted Stuff could help them grow into Matthews' best songs to date. If there can be one complaint, it would be that drummer Carter Beauford isn't utilized enough. Beauford does get the chance to showcase his talents in "Grey Street," "Kit Kat Jam" and "Bartender," but the easy going melodies don't cater to the DMB drummer. Busted Stuff appeals to the pop music fans with songs such as "Where Are You Going," which is also featured on the "Mr. Deeds" Soundtrack, and to the DMB diehards that have been waiting for years to hear "Bartender" on an album. But for those diehards, you may need to listen to Busted Stuff a few times over to get The Lillywhite Sessions out of your head. But once you do, you'll enjoy it.