*CRASH
Dave Matthews Band
Matthews's multi-platinum major-label debut, 1994's Under the Table and Dreaming, stretched the limits of alternative radio with its loose brand of folk fusion. You couldn't mosh to it if you tried, but the CD was an ear-friendly surprise in the narrowly defined pop universe - even if some critics griped that the Charlottesville, Va., group's Dead-inspired jams could come off as a tad too precious and ephemeral. Fortunately for their fans, the Matthews enesmble sounds even crisper on their solid followup and proves that their previous record was not just an intriguing oddity.
Each song unfolds in a relaxed way, propelled by Carter Beauford's airtight drumming and Boyd Tinsley's heavenly violin. The urgent funk of "Too Much" varies the pace, although the Chili Peppers they ain't. Matthews sounds possessed by Eddie Vedder on the sinewy "Drive In Drive Out" but reverts back to his calmer, more serene vocal style on the gentle love song "Let You Down." Leroi Moore's happy whistling at the end of the track sums up the feeling of joy that pervades the album. As alternative music threatens to become just another bland pop category, the Dave Matthews Band succesfully redefines it on its own eclectic terms.