ALBUM: Under The Table And Dreaming
ARTIST: Dave Matthews Band
LABEL: RCA- 1994
RATING: 9 out of 10 (Steve's rating)
A band that evolved from an intimate bar in Charlottesville, West Virginia, comes through with their first major label release. "Under The Table and Dreaming" follows up the Dave Matthews Band's first two independent releases ("Remember Two Things" and "Recently") with an amazing album which has flown off the shelves, even now, after it has been out since 1994. The album contains the five members at their best, and even has a guest appearance from guitarist Tim Reynolds, and John Popper of "Blues Traveller" fame. On "Table", Dave Matthews (vocals), Stefan Lessard (bassist), Boyd Tinsley (violin), LeRoi Moore (vatrious woodwind and brass instruments), and Carter Beauford (drums, percussion) give their fans 12 unforgettable tracks.
The radio fan will immediately recognize the hits "What Would You Say" and "Ants Marching", but they should not stop their with their exploration. The album starts off with Beauford's drums on "The Best Of What's Around", a song which, like a lot of other DMB tunes, has Matthews crooning about making the best of your life. "What Would You Say" and "Satellite", two singles from the album, follow and lead right into "Rhyme and Reason". "Typical Situation" comes strongly after, and fades into "Dancing Nancies", a song of wishing; if you were somebody else, would things have been any different? Three more enjoyable tracks, "Ants Marching", "Lover Lay Down", and "Jimi Thing", will lead you to a song which showcases the band's enormous talent, found in "Warehouse". The album closes off with two melodic tunes "Pay For What You Get" and "#34", a song dedicated to Miguel Valdez, a fallen friend of Matthews.
"Under The Table and Dreaming" is RCA's first release for the Dave Matthews Band and it is only an introduction to the band's unmistakeable sound and care that they have for the music. If you purchase this album, don't stop there - pick up all 9 of their other releases, which are even better.
- By: Steve St. Pierre
