DMB new release is a taste of their past

The Dave Matthews Band has built a gigantic fan base through relentless touring and solid studio albums. The band’s latest album, "Away from the World," continues to take their careers toward hall-of-fame status.

After taking a much-needed break from touring, the band reunited with producer Steve Lillywhite ("Crash," "These Crowded Streets") and created an album that emulates the early days of DMB.

This is a good album, but it falls short of making the same impact on the American music scene as the first few albums.

"Away from the World," DMB’s second album release since losing saxophonist and founding member LeRoi Moore, stays true to the style and sound long-time DMB fans expect.

The opening track, "Broken Things," has a similar tone to some of the songs released on early albums such as "Under the Table and Dreaming."

Other tracks on the album, such as "Sweet" and "Gaucho" are great songs to listen to while relaxing. The musicianship in these songs is outstanding and takes the band back to their beginning days.

"Gaucho," in particular, has an incredible rhythm and builds to an exciting climax.

I like this album much more than the band’s 2009 release, "Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King." It wasn’t a terrible album; it just didn’t have the same effect on me as "Crash" and "Under the Table and Dreaming," which are the best of DMB.

"Away from the World" doesn’t reach that greatness either, but it comes much closer. It is one of those albums you can push play and listen to all 11 songs before you have noticed.

My personal favorite on the album is "Rooftop", because the chorus has a very cool jam, and the song as a whole has a big sound.

With more than 20 years under their belts, DMB has withstood the test of time. It is one of the only bands that can consistently sell out the largest amphitheaters in the country two nights in a row. They must be doing something right.

While it is not their greatest effort, "Away From The World" is a must-own for any DMB fan.