Search - Dave Matthews :: Before These Crowded Streets

Jim S. from WOONSOCKET, RI
Reviewed on 3/16/2010...

DMB is the best!!! Love all their tunes especially the earlier releases.

Lewis C. from FRANKLIN, TN
Reviewed on 3/4/2008...

not the best dave cd but still good any way

2 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.

Emily B. from MEDFORD, NJ
Reviewed on 11/19/2006...

great!

1 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.

A somewhat biased review of Before These Crowded Streets

Andrew John Wilhoit III | 03/26/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Biased in the sense that if all other bands on earth (and i mean all, now that Soul Coughing broke up) except DMB (dave matthews band for those of you that aren't dave-o-philes) magically disappeared, i really would not care much. This is possibly the strongest of DMB's studio efforts. Crash was good, but had more weak links (just one: let you down) than BTCS. And UTTAD was an awesome CD (after all, its DMB) but a totally different style than this, so it's hard to compare. Now the run-down of the songs:Pantala Naga Pampa: Amazing that this 30 second intro is so awesomely good. (bad english, so sue me) Rapunzel: This is just a GREAT song, completely fun to listen to, makes you wanna dance insanely. The Last Stop: The darkest, most angry song on a CD that also has "Halloween." Now THAT is an accomplishment. However, it really is a good song, and the lyrics are VERY nicely done. Don't Drink The Water: An awesome, almost hypnotic tale of colonization (and murder of the natives) told from the settler's point of view. The way Dave singing the lines "dont drink the water, there's blood in the water" turns to desperation at the end is an AMAZING touch. Stay (Wasting Time): A love song along the lines of Rapunzel, but a little less goofy. Female backup vocals give this song the perfect touch. Halloween: A song Dave wrote to a girl he was QUITE upset with (she turned down his marriage proposals multiple times, as the story goes). A very interesting, dark song with the Kronos Quartet (see "classical music") in the background. very different, VERY good. The Stone: A counter-part to Halloween, still with the Kronos Quartet in the background. I haven't the foggiest what this song is about, but its beautifully written. Crush: Many would consider this the album's highlight. An AMAZING love song that only gets better with repeat listenings. LOVE stefan's bass. The Dreaming Tree: An absolutely beautifully written, and yet very disturbing song. Look up the lyrics to this one, trust me, they're like poetry. Pig: A happy song, lacking much of a melody. Still a pretty song, but one of the album's weaker points. Spoon: Good song, very good song, but Alanis wasn't made for this sort of thing (dont get me wrong, i love alanis morissette, but this is by no mean's her greatest work). FOR GODS SAKES WOMEN JUST LET DAVE SING, he's got the best voice of any vocalist around today! Unmentioned Outro: PERFECT WAY TO END THE CD! "Come in from the cold for a while....everything will be alright....come in from the noise for a time.....everything will be alright....for now....goodbye...friend....goodbye...""

Stunning

Andrew John Wilhoit III | Villa Park, IL USA | 01/20/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've decided after listening to this cd such an awful amount of time, it was worthy of a review. This album is just so amazing to me. It's personally my favorite DMB record by far, Crash and Under The Table & Dreaming in at 2 and 3. This is probably their darkest release and it's so emotional. So many great jams on this and just about every song is 6+ minutes which i love. Every single song on here is just amazing, and it's a very diverse cd.



1.Pantala Naga Pampa 8/10...A short 0:40 second fun intro, that actually manages to hold it's own as a song. But still basically serves as an intro to..

2.Rapunzel 10/10...What a great song. Starts off fun keeping in unison with the previous and then it switches into lush melody, this is classic DMB.

3.The Last Stop 9.5/10...Wasn't a huge fan of this song at first, but it has since grown on me alot. It has an Native kind of feeling to it, and it's pretty dark, great song.

4.Don't Drink The Water 10/10...Probably my second favorite on the cd. The verses are amazing and kind of creepy, and then it gets passionate and a little darker towards the end, just fantastic.

5.Stay (Wasting Time) 8/10...Eh. Probably my least favorite song on the cd. Good, don't get me wrong, but the ladies singing gets annoying quick and this is probably the most up beat song on here, taking away from the mostly dark theme.

6.Halloween 10/10...Wow. Very rarely do you see this much emotion crammed into a song, a whole album for that matter. This is DMB's darkest song, and it's so raw and Dave pretty much loses it at the end, probably my favorite.

7.The Stone 10/10...The great songs don't stop rolling. Best violins on this song. The beginning is as cool as any DMB intro has been. Love it.

8.Crush 10/10...While Halloween was about not having someone, this one's more about having someone and loving them dearly. The jazziest song on here, and it really is probably in their top 5 best written songs.

9.The Dreaming Tree 10/10...Was initially one of my favorites before i decided the whole cd is. Reminds me of a less jazzy Crush for some reason, great song.

10.Pig 9/10...I didn't like this song that much at first, but i listened to it more and it's great. Nothing horribly special but Dave sings very melodically in the end.

11.Spoon 8.5/10...A very good song, but the silence after it bugs me. I especially like Alanis Morisette's singing part in this. Very soft and a good way to end it.



I never thought i could like Dave Matthews Band, but i actually love them. They build songs better than any better out there. This is their best album, there's not enough good things to say about this. Highly recommended."