Album Review: DMB's "Big Whiskey"

For the Fallen
In one of the more highly anticipated albums of the summer (a solid four years since DMB's last release, the ho-hum Stand Up), the Dave Matthews Band crafted another classic-in-the-making: Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King; albeit, this effort was completed without the band's sax player and founding member, the fallen Leroi Moore, an untimely victim of an ATV accident last August.

The term "Groogrux King" was a moniker the band created for the taciturn Moore, a man who often diverted interviews and public attention at every turn. Once called "DMB's soul" by one-time producer Mark Batson, Moore's jazzy influence was often the impetus for the band's signature in-concert jams, a man the band replaced with Jeff Coffin (of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones fame) at the time of his death for the remainder of the '08 summer tour and the remaining Big Whiskey sessions. Despite the switch, Moore appears to be all over the album, including its opening track Grux, an instrumental featuring Moore's sax and drummer Carter Beauford's rolling-thunder drums. The 1:41 minue-long clip is but one of countless highlights pouring through DMB's latest return-to-form, the 13-track bombshell that serves as a fitting tribute to the band's fallen comrade.

5. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Tim Reynolds

Perhaps best known for his supplementary work on Live at Luther College, Tim Reynolds has proven to be formidable with the axe, both acoustic and electric. With great ease and prowess, Reynolds, through countless acoustic shows with Matthews, helps fill the space left void by the band (after all, Matthews and Reynolds live is strictly a two-man show) with his innovative plucking, solos, and multi-layered effects, including pedal-work and use of the slide. He is now the band's "unofficial" seventh member (along with Matthews, Beauford, Coffin, violinist Boyd Tinsley, bassist Steffan Lessard, and trumpet player Rashawn Ross), as he is featured on a number of Big Whiskey tracks and is currently on-tour with the band, who recently played before a packed house at the Saratoga Performing Arts Centre in Saratoga Springs, NY. Simply put, his work on the electric guitar is mind-blowing enough to warrant (let's hope) a permanent stay with the band, who have featured his talents in one way or another for the past 17 years (since the band's inception in

Charlottesville, VA in 1992).

4. How about those vocals?

Most noteworthy amongst Big Whiskey's highlights is the vocal renderings of Dave Matthews, whose voice appears to be healthy yet again (for a time, the band had to abandon "Satellite" in its live sets because several ailments, including cigarette smoking and vocal chord strain, wouldn't allow him to reach the chorus' falsetto range). He's heard scatting, growling, crooning raspily (in a raw tribute to Moore, "Baby Blue"), wailing, and smoothly laying down some great vocals not heard from him in quite some time. Producer Rob Cavallo (of My Chemical Romance and Green Day fame, circa American Idiot) has beautifully captured Matthews's vocals that have become the driving force of the band's live sets, whether he's heard bellowing the "I'm on bended knee" lyric on "Bartender" or heard scatting on "Too Much" and "So Much to Say," two lively tracks from 1996's Crash. Simply put: very few effects are needed to refurbish Matthews's voice, an instrument that, even at Matthews's 42 years, remains as powerful as it ever has.

3. Whispers of "Big Three" status

When you think of Dave Matthews Band, there are three albums that come to mind: Under the Table and Dreaming, Crash, and Before These Crowded Streets, a trio of musical works that featured the band at its peak from 1994 to 1998. As a result of a grass-roots following, DMB rose from the frat house to the stadium, selling out show after show from one summer to the next...even playing as much as three consecutive sets at the likes of Giants Stadium and Fenway Park. While Big Whiskey will need to grow in order to reach "Big Three" status, its tracks have translated extremely well to the live setting, as first heard at the Beacon Theater, a show telecast on the Hulu Network earlier this month, the first of its kind. The band has truly returned to its roots with Big Whiskey, abandoning synthesizers and drum tracks in order to blend with the unique sound of horns and strings that made them the band they are today.

2. Carter Beaford on the drums!

For those of us who listened to Stand Up for the first time (DMB's last studio album, circa 2005), you may have noticed one glaring omission: the signature percussion/rhythm section that was the band's heartbeat. Beauford's feral drumming was oddly replaced by hip-hop drum beats that left the band sounding flat (quite fitting, when you consider the producer at the time was Batson, who had worked previously with hip-hop artist Nas). Thankfully, the mastery of the band's eldest member returns with some much-needed fury. Listen to "Shake Me Like a Monkey" if you don't believe me (a track that runs amok with horn-work by Coffin and Ross, as well).

1. Their Best Record in over a Decade

The mellow stylings of the band returns with the wonderful tracks like "Lying in the Hands of God," "Time Bomb," "Baby Blue," and "You and Me,"a sound combined with toe-tapping gems in "Why I Am," "Alligator Pie," and "Seven," all of which speak to the carpe-diem/universal love themes that have allowed the band to grow as chart-topping monsters and summer-concert heroes for the college coed and top-40 listener alike. Without question, Big Whiskey bests the likes of Everyday and Stand Up by a long shot, two albums that were considered clunkers by many loyal fans of the band. No doubt, DMB is back...and here to stay, thanks to the in-your-face return-to-form of the perfect summer album, Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King.

Top 5 GOONIE Moments:

Jerk Alert! News of the Goonies sequel has sent me into a frenzy. This joyous information has awoken this blogger from his hibernation, and I'm about to blow. To quote Samuel L. Jackson in Pulp Fiction, I'm like, "super fly TNT, I'm the guns of the Navaronne!" This is nothing like the sacrilegious remake of Footloose. It isn't even akin to the crappy remake of Willy Wonka. We're talking about the original cast members, and all the original players. Forget for a moment my recent diatribe on the fact that we don't invent any new intellectual properties anymore, because I'm talking about GOONIES. So here are my favorite GOONIE moments. Feel free to sound off in the comment section below!

Number 5: Either Andy lost weight, or she didn't come up in the bucket...

After a moving speech by Mikey, the gang decides NOT to take a ride up Troy's bucket. Too bad for him.

Number 4: That's what I call modern art...

Amidst the chatter and bickering in the attic, Mouth finds a moment to spread some love while rummaging through the "rich stuff".

Number 3: Sloth loves chunk (Need I say more)

Perhaps the most misquoted line from the film, this was a touching moment where two outcasts found each other. Sloth, you complete me.

Number 2: "I want to know everything..." "Everything?!"

Aside from taking  a "doo doo" a la Chapelle in the back of a theatre, this deed finishes a close second place.

Number 1: Hey you Guuuuuuuuuys!

Here's to saving your friends with a little panache.

Mark Wahlberg Talks to Animals

A CLASSIC SNL skit from Saturday, October 3, 2008....

Top 5 Phrases Mistakingly Overheard @ Bailout Cabinet Meeting...

There's nothing funny about the prospect of another great depression, but anybody watching the last few days of Congressional meetings with interest could use a little humor right about now. Lest our lawmakers can reach a decision sometime soon it appears that the McCain/ Obama debate will be the least important casualty of the economic crisis. Of course the news media has been in a feeding frenzy over the whole ordeal, and I for one would love the meetings to be held in public for all of the world to see. I wonder what these Senators and Congressmen are talking about as our economic system goes down in flames. I have compiled a brief list of things which I would love to hear caught by a random open microphone on CNN.

5. Sen. Richard Shelby: "700 Billion! Do you realize how many Big Mac's you can get for that kind of money?!"

4. Nancy Pelosi: " Another 700 Billion dollars worth of work and Gretta Van Susteren's face will look normal."

3. John McCain: "But what if they have weapons of mass destruction? We should invade AIG!"

2. George W. Bush: "Fu^$ing January can't come soon enough!"

1. Barack Obama: "Holy Sh*@, now that's a lot of Change!"

Welcome Back! Fall Must See TV

Hello everybody, it's so great to be back. We took a brief hiatus to straighten out our personal and professional lives, but rest assured the V List is back in action to bring you the best mental drivel on the Internet. Before I spew my mental garbage allow me to take the time and say how much we appreciate our readership. Despite our absence, many of you have faithfully come to the site to check up on our authors and thanks to Google analytics, your patronage has not gone unnoticed. We love our readers, and appreciate your support. With that said, let's get back to business. Much like our website, Hollywood went into a brief hibernation for summer, but now it's back with a vengeance. With so many new shows flooding the airwaves, we've picked five shows your DVR simply must record when it comes to prime time TV. The envelope please...

5. How I met your Mother

Like a fine wine, this show keeps getting better and better. For those fortunate enough to watch the season opener with a Star Wars theme, you know what I'm talking about. I always wanted to know how people understood the talking bear in Star Wars. Thankfully How I Met Your Mother delivers the answers.

4. Dexter

Spoiler Alert: After blowing up Dokes, how can you top season 2? Showtime seeks to answer that question with the third season of the lovable psychopath. If you haven't yet acquainted yourself with Dexter (and I'm not talking about the watered down crap CBS pawns off on viewers) then what are you waiting for? Do you really want to be the only one standing around the water-cooler that doesn't have a clue?

3. Kitchen Nightmares

This is the only reality show to make the list because it has all the right ingredients for a great TV show. Drama, heartbreak, and sass are cooked to perfection by Chef Gordon Ramsey. Don't be turned off by his other Fox reality show, this one is legit. Ramsey visits troubled eateries and shows why he truly is an iron chef. Warning to viewers, when you see some of these restaurants, you may think twice about ordering out next time.

2. Fringe

It the X-files for a new generation, and it's got Pacey from Dawson's Creek. Just when I thought I hated the FOX network, they go and make me love them again. Bravo J.J., you have another hit on your hands, and unlike Cloverfield, this one doesn't give me motion sickness.

1. Entourage

Who needs Sex in the City on DVD when you have this show? Jeremy Piven just won his millionth Emmy for his portrayal of Ari Gold, and despite a gloomy season finale last year, the crew is back and better than ever. Thank god Vince shaved his beard, he was beginning to look like Grisley Adams. Aquaman is Back!

The Power of the 'Stache: Beijing Style

On the heels of the 400-meter relay, U.S. Olympic hopeful Michael Phelps cultivates his assault on Mark Spitz's record 8 Olympic golds in competitive swimming, doing it the only way he knows how: by sporting some manly growth. Although Jason Giambi has rid himself of the most masculine of fashion statements (fret not: Giambi hit three homeruns since going stacheless), Phelps serves his country like the stud he is.

I'm a Marvel and I'm a DC.

In lieu of our "I'm a Mac and I'm a PC" poll, the V-List presents to you a hilarious video that uses the recent success of Iron Man and The Dark Knight as its vehicle to pinpoint why one should be favored over the other. Although not as clear-cut a debate as the PC/Mac argument (Mac wins in a landslide, by the way), the banter between Iron Man and Batman is worth your time. Enjoy!

Long Before Manny was Being Manny...

Thanks to GM Theo Epstein, Red Sox Nation has been cleansed of the subversive element that was Manny Ramirez, whose antics were no longer worth stomaching, even if he is one the game's righthanded hitters, perhaps the third best to don a Boston uniform behind Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski. Many faithful Sawks fans, knowing full well the impact Manny had on their ballclub over the life of his contract, were glad to see the game's most sophomoric personality switch coasts. Know that he has made some Los Angeles Dodgers fans ecstatic, we need to pay homage to the men who put Manny's tomfoolery to shame. Presented here are some of baseball's most lewd, crude, and downright foolish personalities.



5. David Wells suffered from a mild case of gout.
David Wells, he of perfect game fame (hurled against the Minnesota Twins in 1998), was said to have been drunk for the entirety of his pursuit in leaving an impression on baseball's history books. Apparently, not even a drunken stupor could compromise his assault on an achievement only reached in Yankee history by David Cone (one year later against the Montreal Expos) and Don Larsen (who hurled his perfect game in the 1956 World Series, an event commemorated on the same day that Coney threw a gem of his own). Prior to this historic season, in which Wells finished third in Cy Young voting, Wells developed a nasty case of gout, a disease normally associated with laziness and boozing; essentially, gout brings on immense swelling and pain to a sufferer's extremities, sometimes resulting in amputation. Think gangrene of a lesser degree. Although this condition deprived Wells of a large portion of spring training sessions in 1998, Wells would later miss starts during stints with the Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox, and San Diego Padres, clubs blessed to have a control pitcher who contrarily epitomized the lifestyle of a fatso. Like Manny, Wells was never truly known for rigorously training in the offseason.

4. Reggie Jackson was the self-proclaimed 'straw that stirs the drink.'
Our man Reggie, an import from the Oakland Athletics, was the Yankees' first million dollar man. Jackson, in many ways, defined the very idea of a big free agent signing, taking the Bronx by storm and pissing off the likes of manager Billy Martin and owner George Steinbrenner with his flashy accolades. In an pre-season interview conducted by SPORTS Magazine's Robert Ward, Jackson made a comment he thought was off-the-record, stating that he was 'the straw that stirs the drink,' a quip that enraged current Yankee catcher Thurman Munson, whose abilities earned him a title not given since Lou Gehrig last retained it: Yankee captain. And like Reggie before him, Manny remarked in an interview that he could play baseball anywhere and be happy, even if that place were Iraq; this sit-down was said to have been the final straw that resulted in Manny's 'amiable' exodus to LA.

3. John Rocker swore off the Number 7 train.
While at his apex as Atlanta Braves closer in 1999, John Rocker produced media fodder quintessentially associated with rags of the National Enquirer mold. While sitting down to a Sports Illustrated interview, Rocker eloquently summed up the city of New York by stating, "It's the most hectic, nerve-racking city. Imagine having to take the 7 train to the ballpark, looking like you're riding through Beirut next to some kid with purple hair, next to some queer with AIDS, right next to some dude who just got out of jail for the fourth time, right next to some 20-year-old mom with four kids. It's depressing." And if that weren't enough, the bigoted lout called his black teammate Randall Simon (who once took a bat to a racing bratwurst in Milwaukee years later) a "fat monkey." Sure, Rocker had every right to blast New York; after all, Met fans at Shea Stadium once threw batteries at him, resulting in a hocked loogie into the stands from a rankled Johnny Boy. Although the rage may be somewhat understood, Rocker truly revealed himself as a neanderthal in the interview and his legacy was supplanted as a man who tarnished the Braves franchise, not helped it with his fire-hurling capacities. Although not as disgusting, Manny once opened a door to the scoreboard in Fenway's Green Monster and relieved himself inside, all in the midst of an inning that was still in progress.

2. Rickey Henderson declared himself 'the greatest of all-time.'
Rickey Henderson holds the records for most stolen bases in a year (130) and a career (1406), runs scored in a career (2295), walks (2129), and games led off with a homerun (81). After breaking Lou Brock's long-standing stolen base record, the game in which he broke it was suspended so that Henderson could deliver a speech. Ever the attention whore, Henderson gave thanks to Billy Martin, his favorite manager and close friend, and emphatically touted himself as 'the greatest of all-time.' As far as what he was the greatest at (sure, the aforementioned remarks were outstanding, but he DID play 25 seasons in order to obtain them, the most in major league history), baseball fans aren't entirely sure. One thing is for certain though: Rickey's selfish ways were only met in baseball history by one Manny Ramirez. In the same interview about hypothetically playing in a war zone, Manny proclaimed, "The Boston Red Sox don't deserve a player like me."



1. Roger Clemens took the first half of the season off on numerous occasions.
In a moment that defined Yankee radio personality Suzyn Waldman's career, the Yankee organization welcomed Roger Clemens back for his second stint in pinstripes with a hero's welcome in May of 2007. This acquisition reportedly cost the Yankees an astonishing $28 million, a figure that was pro-rated to pay Clemens for his efforts throughout the second half of the season. Prior to this undertaking, Clemens performed this stunt only a year before for the Houston Astros, who allowed Roger to stay home on days he was not scheduled to pitch. Call it the "Clemens Precedent" (better yet, call it the "Brett Favre Precedent"); Roger, on two separate instances, held an organization hostage, knowing that the franchise in question was pining for his services and each was at his will. Now that we know where Clemens is heading, we can only wonder where Manny's is heading now that he will effectively be a free agent in the offseason; although teams will gauge Manny by his skills at the plate, teams should REALLY be looking at Manny for giving up on his team on a number of occasions, even blaming a phantom knee injury for not appearing in a portion of his last series against the Yankees in Fenway. Then again, that's only 'Manny being Manny;' why forsake him?

Honorable Mentions:

• Mike Piazza called a press conference to state that he was not gay.
• Babe Ruth performed on a diet of beer and hot dogs.
• Mickey Mantle was a Hall of Fame boozer.
• Pete Rose once ruined a catcher's career...in an All-Star Game collision.
• Ty Cobb, the game's dirtiest player, received criminal charges for...*ahem*...murder.