Cool DMB Stuff!

There is some cool DMB stuff on the market these days... some of it you might have missed hearing about. But if you're a die-hard DMB fan, then you're probably like me... if it's DMB-related, you've just gotta get your hands on it! Well, get to chunking that change into your piggy bank, 'cause you're going to want this cool stuff, no doubt about it!

• Rock Troubadours
• "Breathe: A Bluegrass Tribute to the Music of Dave Matthews"
• Maximum Dave Matthews
• Everyday Poster

The first item is a book called Rock Troubadours. We're going to include a lengthier review of the DMB-related features of this book in an upcoming installment, but in the meantime I'd like to give you a brief description of it: compiled by music journalist Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers, Troubadors is a collection of interviews songwriters discussing the craft, their music and their instruments. Dave's in good company -- other songwriters profiled in this book include Paul Simon, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Ani DiFranco and Jerry Garcia. This book is probably available at your local book store, or you can purchase it online at a store like Amazon.com.

Next up is "Breathe: A Bluegrass Tribute to the Music of Dave Matthews." This CD has blown me away so much, I will also be devoting an entire article to it. However, I am a little biased -- I already enjoyed bluegrass music, so I can't say how much you'll like this CD if you don't like bluegrass. As a friend said, you may fear: "It's going to be like DMB done as musak!". Well, in my humble opinion, it's anything but! Granted, it is a little strange to hear someone else doing DMB's music... especially bluegrassy and with no lyrics. But I think once you get used to it, you'll love this CD. My favorite track is "Don't Drink the Water," which if you can imagine, is even more haunting than the original. It's also available at Amazon.

The next CD is a biography CD called "Maximum Dave Matthews." Produced in the U.K., this CD consists of few and far between audio bytes from bandmembers. The rest is made up of general knowledge DMB FAQs (e.g. Dave left South Africa to avoid conscription, etc. More disappointingly, there are several factual errors in the bio from the simple (i.e. referring to Jane as a friend of the band) to the more serious. Chances are, if you've been a fan for a while, you've heard everything this CD offers. Also, you'll want to take note that there's no DMB music on this CD. However, if you simply must have ever DMB memento you can find... sure, you'll want to add this one to your library. Otherwise, I'd say skip it and put your bucks towards "Breathe."

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