Dmb has not peaked

[c_tietze]

And in comes the horseback riders.

[jellyfish]

No. They peaked. Anyone who says they'd rather see one of today's shows than a 1998 show is just wrong and deaf.

OK, then. I was just listening to a 2004 version of Recently & it was incredible, same as all the other songs on the Warehouse disc's. All the songs are after 1998 and they are incredible.

BUt apparently Im wrong & deaf for not jumping on the bandwagon

You're listening to hand-picked compilations on those WH discs, of course they're going to be good stuff. I'm not saying they haven't had a stellar performance here and there in the last 6 years...they have. But night in and night out, their energy and Dave's voice in particular is just not what it used to be.

I just don't see how you can honestly sit down and listen to two concerts and say that one from the current era is better than one from 1998. Dave's voice, the setlists, the solos, the brilliant material, the guests...it just boggles me how you'd trade all that for a couple new average songs. Yeah there are a few good new songs. But let's be honest: The new albums have been ripe with filler. You go listen to UTTAD, Crash, and BTCS, and those are fucking ALBUMS.

EDIT: I just want to be clear that the arguement isn't that they suck. It's that they peaked. I think some people have trouble making that distinction.

Mike and everybody else, I can agree with that Dave had put more effort into his live shows in the past then now. Im sure because he is getting older & he no longer has to maintain the reputation as a performer that plays with everything he has inside. I think everybody is aware that Dave is a stellar performer by now. But, the question was, Has DMB peaked? I guess it's too broad of a question, and the angle i took was obviously not the one most did. My angle was such that DMB haven't peaked from a playing music point of view, that entails solos, tight jams, & etc. Things like the above mentioned can only get better -->The longer they play the tighter they will be. I certainly don't see them getting worse, do you?

[mbgreen]

My angle was such that DMB haven't peaked from a playing music point of view, that entails solos, tight jams, & etc. Things like the above mentioned can only get better -->The longer they play the tighter they will be. I certainly don't see them getting worse, do you?

Depends. If the drive to create and to perform isn't as strong, I think it shows when they play. And I think it's showing right now. Not that it's bad, mind you, but their drive to bring music to people and pour their heart out on stage has definitely peaked. You just can't tour for 13, 14 years and have the same magic as it did during your breakout years. Yeah, they're tighter, but I think it's due to being overly comfortable.

I mean, you can practice a piece of classical music 40 billion times and get tighter every time. But if you don't have the feeling behind it, it's going to be apparent. I think they've still got it, don't get me wrong...but that feeling behind what they create is just not as strong as it used to be.

Sure, they're probably not going to get "worse" from a technical standpoint. But they're not going to get better overall. They peaked, plain and simple.

[Elliottman]

Simply, i think DMB have peaked. Are we ever going to get songs like OSW, WWYS, SMTS, Jimi Thing, LIOG, Two Step, Seek Up, Ants, Halloween, ever again?

The answer is no.

The DMB has peaked, accept it.

[i am sam2]

Simply, i think DMB have peaked. Are we ever going to get songs like OSW, WWYS, SMTS, Jimi Thing, LIOG, Two Step, Seek Up, Ants, Halloween, ever again?

The answer is no.

The DMB has peaked, accept it.

so DMB fans have peaked....?

i dont know about the whole peaking thing mainly cuz i havent been a fan long enough to be able to give a well-based opinion...

but i have CP, LS, FF(dvd), RR....should i get Chicago? it seems that many people are sayin december 98 is tops...and thats LIC...so i guess i gotta get it, right?

[Elliottman]

Simply, i think DMB have peaked. Are we ever going to get songs like OSW, WWYS, SMTS, Jimi Thing, LIOG, Two Step, Seek Up, Ants, Halloween, ever again?

The answer is no.

The DMB has peaked, accept it.

so DMB fans have peaked....?

i dont know about the whole peaking thing mainly cuz i havent been a fan long enough to be able to give a well-based opinion...

but i have CP, LS, FF(dvd), RR....should i get Chicago? it seems that many people are sayin december 98 is tops...and thats LIC...so i guess i gotta get it, right?

You say DMB fans? Why? I NEVER MENTIONED dmb FANS?

[i am sam2]

Simply, i think DMB have peaked. Are we ever going to get songs like OSW, WWYS, SMTS, Jimi Thing, LIOG, Two Step, Seek Up, Ants, Halloween, ever again?

The answer is no.

The DMB has peaked, accept it.

so DMB fans have peaked....?

i dont know about the whole peaking thing mainly cuz i havent been a fan long enough to be able to give a well-based opinion...

but i have CP, LS, FF(dvd), RR....should i get Chicago? it seems that many people are sayin december 98 is tops...and thats LIC...so i guess i gotta get it, right?

You say DMB fans? Why? I NEVER MENTIONED dmb FANS?

...you said "we"

EDIT: nevermind...i misread...i read "are we ever going to get into songs like...."

my bad

[Nitro1515]

I think the question is has DMB peaked in their songwriting ability. I would have to say the answer to that is yes. The Lillywhite Sessions were the last time this band made truly great, intricate, thought provoking songs. Sadly, I think when they scrapped those sessions the band that I grew up with died. They have yet to get back to anything remotely close to what was in those songs, and it doesn't look like they will ever be making great tunes like that again. I honestly believe the LWS songs scared the hell out of the band. They all admit to the fact that those were their most moving and beautiful songs, yet they were so sad and they put so much work into them that they had to scrap them. As a result they have taken the easy route, choosing shitty, kiss ass producers who won't challenge them or push them to be their best. And therefore we are left with the rubbish that is Everyday, Busted Stuff, and now Stand Up. Its unfortunate because they still do have it in them to make great songs, but instead they are wussing out in the studio and not applying themselves for fear that if they do buckle down and attempt to make anything close to an LWS again it may be the end of them as a band.

[stepintothelight]

I think the question is has DMB peaked in their songwriting ability. I would have to say the answer to that is yes. The Lillywhite Sessions were the last time this band made truly great, intricate, thought provoking songs. Sadly, I think when they scrapped those sessions the band that I grew up with died. They have yet to get back to anything remotely close to what was in those songs, and it doesn't look like they will ever be making great tunes like that again. I honestly believe the LWS songs scared the hell out of the band. They all admit to the fact that those were their most moving and beautiful songs, yet they were so sad and they put so much work into them that they had to scrap them. As a result they have taken the easy route, choosing shitty, kiss ass producers who won't challenge them or push them to be their best. And therefore we are left with the rubbish that is Everyday, Busted Stuff, and now Stand Up. Its unfortunate because they still do have it in them to make great songs, but instead they are wussing out in the studio and not applying themselves for fear that if they do buckle down and attempt to make anything close to an LWS again it may be the end of them as a band.

I bet that still haunts Dave to this day..

[mbgreen]

I think the question is has DMB peaked in their songwriting ability. I would have to say the answer to that is yes. The Lillywhite Sessions were the last time this band made truly great, intricate, thought provoking songs. Sadly, I think when they scrapped those sessions the band that I grew up with died. They have yet to get back to anything remotely close to what was in those songs, and it doesn't look like they will ever be making great tunes like that again. I honestly believe the LWS songs scared the hell out of the band. They all admit to the fact that those were their most moving and beautiful songs, yet they were so sad and they put so much work into them that they had to scrap them. As a result they have taken the easy route, choosing shitty, kiss ass producers who won't challenge them or push them to be their best. And therefore we are left with the rubbish that is Everyday, Busted Stuff, and now Stand Up. Its unfortunate because they still do have it in them to make great songs, but instead they are wussing out in the studio and not applying themselves for fear that if they do buckle down and attempt to make anything close to an LWS again it may be the end of them as a band.

Good post. I agree that in terms of writing, that's where they hit the wall. I still think their live performances went south before though.

[i like tictacs]

No. They peaked. Anyone who says they'd rather see one of today's shows than a 1998 show is just wrong and deaf.

OK, then. I was just listening to a 2004 version of Recently & it was incredible, same as all the other songs on the Warehouse disc's. All the songs are after 1998 and they are incredible.

BUt apparently Im wrong & deaf for not jumping on the bandwagon

You're listening to hand-picked compilations on those WH discs, of course they're going to be good stuff. I'm not saying they haven't had a stellar performance here and there in the last 6 years...they have. But night in and night out, their energy and Dave's voice in particular is just not what it used to be.

I just don't see how you can honestly sit down and listen to two concerts and say that one from the current era is better than one from 1998. Dave's voice, the setlists, the solos, the brilliant material, the guests...it just boggles me how you'd trade all that for a couple new average songs. Yeah there are a few good new songs. But let's be honest: The new albums have been ripe with filler. You go listen to UTTAD, Crash, and BTCS, and those are fucking ALBUMS.

EDIT: I just want to be clear that the arguement isn't that they suck. It's that they peaked. I think some people have trouble making that distinction.

Song for song, I like busted stuff better then UTTAD and Crash. NOT the recordings. I like them live better than the songs from UTTAD and Crash, if not the same.

[Maldito`Tuelho]

Dave has written beautiful songs after BTCS, and one of them was written probably in studio: You Never Know.
SoL, Gravedigger and a few others are still an example of how this man can really make very good songs.
Maybe DMB has peaked in some aspects, but songwritting is not one of them, since the still make sweet stuff.

[Jay]

i do not think they have peaked.

i do think they need a year off.

[mbgreen]

Dave has written beautiful songs after BTCS, and one of them was written probably in studio: You Never Know.
SoL, Gravedigger and a few others are still an example of how this man can really make very good songs.
Maybe DMB has peaked in some aspects, but songwritting is not one of them, since the still make sweet stuff.

I'm not arguing that they're done...I love those songs that you mentioned. I just think that on the whole, they've peaked. They'll churn out a few gems, but not near the quantity they used to. But no more complete masterpieces. Where I get concerned is not with their standout material...but in their "average" material. Before their "average" stuff was still great. There wasn't really even any average material. Now there are noticeable filler tracks, at least to me.

And Tictacs, that's cool. I can respect that, cause as I mentioned I adjusted my stance a bit. I agree that in terms of songwriting, LWS was part of their golden era.

[musicalman865]

i like the lws better as a whole, but im kinda glad busted stuff came out because of You Never Know, if they hadn't gone into the studio again this song would have never been written, and i believe this song is cleary undrated and a moving song.