DMB stands on solid ground

Stand Up is not the Dave Matthews Band's best album. Just as Pearl Jam will never make another Ten and U2 will never make another Joshua Tree, DMB will never make a triplet of albums comparable to Under the Table and Dreaming, Crash and Before These Crowded Streets. \nBut Stand Up is a damn good album. \nLyrically, Matthews continues to impress. His voice now sounds old -- like it is a thousand years old, calling from the past. His vocal range has only improved with time, and this go-round is no different. \nCarter Beauford (drums) has long been considered the most overtly and technically talented member of the band. Recently, he has become so potent on the drum set that it seems as if time is slowed down for his ambidextrous hands. For Stand Up, he became more concise, learning to do more with less. The product: his off-beat fills are more mind-bending than before, yet they are still the concrete base of the band. \nAll in all, it's a good record, though the album doesn't hit its stride until the fourth track, "American Baby Intro," where it really takes off. What comes in the first three tracks is fun but not really imaginative, probably the result of heavy influence by producer Mark Baston. Baston is known for his work producing hits for 50 Cent, Eminem and Beyoncé, and has worked with Sting, India.Arie and Seal.\nStand Up features beautiful tracks like "Stolen Away on 55th and 3rd" and "Out of My Hands" and tracks like "Louisiana Bayou," "Smooth Rider" and "You Might Die Trying," which can only be described as simple, Dave-like classics.\nThere will be fans who draw unjustified, negative comparisons that this album is too similar to Everyday, as songs from Stand Up will probably receive significant radio play. This might be obvious to everyone other than entrenched musical purists, but I must say: radio play doesn't make a song or album bad.\nThat being said, this is not the album I expected, especially after the band wrote four or so songs for the summer 2004 tour which turned into crowd favorites quickly -- only one of which made it on the album ("Hello Again"). Those songs were deeper, more organic and much more like the DMB of Before These Crowded Streets. \nThough I like many tracks on Everyday and love all of Busted Stuff and Stand Up, it is time for the band to take over executive production or return to former producer Steve Lillywhite (Under the Table and Dreaming, Crash, Before These Crowded Streets). \nHowever, kudos to DMB for proving once again that they're versatile and ingenious. This album makes me want to dance around singing, sit in quiet awe of the music and create music of my own -- all at the same time. You can't ask for more.