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If You Love DMB, You'll Like... Guster!

© Jennifer Scott

This is the first installment of what will be a semi-regular series of articles introducing you to bands or musicians that are somehow "related" to DMB or that have some of the same musical qualities as DMB. This week we look at the music of Guster! Here are some of the ways in which Guster and DMB are related:

• Phish's Paige McConnel plays on Guster's studio album.
• DMB opened for Phish.
• Guster opened for DMB during the summer tour.
• There is a game of ping-pong going on in the background at the end of both a DMB and a Guster song. ;-)

Musically, I think Guster and DMB are united by the sheer uniqueness of their sound. Just as you don't hear an oboe or a violin in most mainstream music like you do in DMB's, in Guster's case, it's not everyday that you get a three piece band whose drummer plays the bongos!

You may have seen Guster's video "Fa Fa Fa (Never be the Same)" when it was in light rotation on MTV2 earlier this fall. Or perhaps you caught them performing in Woodstock 99. Most recently, they opened for the Barenaked Ladies' winter tour. Guster is one of those phenomenal bands that are just waiting to hit mainstream super success... hmmm... kind of like DMB was a few years ago!

The trio first hit mainstream radio with "The Aiport Song" and since then, the band has released their first "big time record company" album, Lost and Gone Forever, which features "Fa Fa Fa." But if you want the true Guster experience, you really need to get their indie releases, Parachute and Goldfly. Both of these CDs are absolutely breath-taking. As soon as you hear Lost and Gone... you'll want to go out and buy its predecessors anyway, so go ahead and get them now!

If you had to choose only one CD to introduce yourself to Guster, I would suggest Goldfly. Here's a play by play review of this album:

1. "Great Escape" - what a great song to start the disc out with! This song is very high energy and definitely showcases Brian's talent as conguere.
2. "Demons" - this is a very memorable ballad. Ryan's vocal talents shine on this one, especially during the chorus. This song also features some of the best lyrics to be found on the album (and, BTW, the album's lyrics overall are simply beautiful).
3. "Perfect" - a midtempo, catchy song with more great lyrics.

4. "The Airport Song" - introduced many fans to Guster. It has a driving beat and the lyrics are dark and almost hypnotic. Bottom line: This song it unlike any other I have ever heard.

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