I’m really starting to get into the last Dave Matthews Band album, Stand Up. Initially I thought they were some hippy grassy band. I think it was because I kept getting them mixed up with the John Butler Trio.

Then Ray forced me to listen to the album by playing it in the car. Talk about captive audience.
American Baby really caught my ear. I love the plucked violin, and the bass line in the pre-chorus. I was surfing around for the lyric meanings and apparently it’s not a very typical DMB sound and disappointing in that respect. Bah, what do they know. It is a great song.

The song was written the day after the “election” (which I’m guessing is the 2004 American Presidential Elections) and references 9/11, terrorism and war. From what I can tell, it’s about patriotism and sticking together nevertheless. I know this but perversely, the only images in my head are Abercrombie & Fitch blonde blue-eyed cheerleader sorority types lolling around. Terrible eh.

The other songs I’m currently digging are Dreamgirl and Old Dirt Hill (Bring That Beat Back), for similarly flippant reasons. While all three songs are great musically, the part I like best about them are the lyrics. I found Dreamgirl and Old Dirt Hill sweetly romantic. Having Dave Matthews’ husky masculine voice crooning out those lyrics is pure WIN.