O how we long for ten years hence

Don't you find it the least bit ironic that the latest offering from Dave Matthews Band was released on 5-10-05 -- precisely ten years after one of their best (short) performances ever (at Yoshi's in SanFran). Check that bootleg out for the best version of song #40 ever recorded.

We were unimpressed by Stand Up, the new studio album. You know it is sad when the b-side CD has received more airplay (on our iPod) than the main release.

We enjoy the second half tracks much more than the first. For the "bombing" track is the fourth (of fifteen total). As if the lyrics of "American Baby" weren't blatant enough, the quintuple from Virginia must supplement them with the sounds of gunfire, explosions and other morbid war 'noise' as intro to the song that reminds us "Nobody's laughing now/ God's grace lost and the devil is proud." Thanks for the reinforcement.

A few of the tracks are redundantly repetitive. Even more than a typical chorus-refrain framework. The title track repeats the phrase "stand up" a mere 67 times in 4:13. And we thought "Stay" was repetitive! It reminds us of a revival of english as a second language christians on public television. Repeating a phrase over and over doesn't make it any more clever, Dave. "Everybody Wake Up," three tracks after the lyrical masterpiece "Stand Up" reminds us of another 'up' action. Waking up. A Pulitzer Prize these lyrics shall not win.

The highlight of the album for us is track 10, "Louisiana Bayou." A very catchy tune that we hope to hear at Blossom on June 15th. The following cut, an ambling, reminiscent of "Little Thing" from the Dave & Tim shows of the past effort is "Stolen Away on 55th & 3rd."

Be sure purchase the dual disc and enjoy the b-sides (a mesmerizing "Joyride") as well as the live cuts from the 2004 tour including a chilling "Typical Situation."

If only we could hear Carter's tom toms and a younger, undamaged Dave voice a la 1995. But, alas, we are stuck with a few bearable tunes interspersed with repetitive bombs (literally & figuratively).

2.5 stars (out of 5)