Well, it certainly has been an interesting week. I was able to get through 5 more ‘albums’ last week, but then this weekend (and through the current time) have been dealing with a sickness…not fun. Was laid up all Labor Day weekend with a fever and other things. Yuck. But finally I’m feeling a bit better and now feel up to typing up a blog for the latest 5 albums I’ve listened too…
DMBLive Warfield Theater – 5/10/1995
This was a pretty good release. A short concert, heavy on Under the Table and Dreaming, with some crash thrown in. Also included is one of the first ever plays of ‘Don’t Burn the Pig’. Overall 2.5 of 5 stars.
The Lillywhite Sessions
Ok, so technically this isn’t a REAL album. In fact, technically it doesn’t exist. These were the songs that were recorded right after Before These Crowded Streets. The band decided they ‘didn’t feel it’ when they were recording it and Dave called them ‘sad bastard songs’. So after they scrapped these songs, Dave went to work with Dave Ballard in LA and pooped out the album ‘Everyday’ in 10 days. 10 DAYS. Lucky for us, the tapes were leaked and mastered by someone and released through sharing websites and programs. In my opinion, tLWS contain some of the best songs they ever made. Some of them did get reworked and released through the album ‘Busted Stuff’, but not all and not the same. Some really good songs from tLWS that weren’t ever released are JTR, Monkey Man, and Sweet Up and Down. This album is great. Not really one song on it that I dislike. I give it 5 of 5 stars.
Everyday
I know above I said they ‘pooped out Everyday’…that was my reaction to it when it came out. It was so different from their other stuff it felt like they sold out. 10 DAYS? Ridiculous. However, as the years have gone on, the songs have grown on me quite a bit and it’s been slowly creeping back up my album list. It has a really good run of songs mid album, from Dreams of Our Fathers, So Right, If I Had It All, and What You Are. Fool To Think is really good as well. However, it has one of the crappiest songs in the DMB catalog…Angel. Just horrible. Overall, I give it 3.5 of 5 stars.
Live Trax 15 – Alpine Valley, WI
One thing every hardcore DMB fan knows is that when DMB plays at Alpine Valley, usually the show is killer and this was no exception. A great rendition of Seek Up, the rare Spoon, a 5 minute Water into Wine, Halloween, an 18 minute Crush, and a concert ending killer Two Step. Those are just some of the highlights. I really liked this concert, even with the repetitive Louisiana Bayou. I give this release 5 of 5 stars.
Live Trax 2008
As I indicated when I first started doing this, I did not have this release. However, I did not know that iTunes was offering it for sale…until I looked. 
It’s a nice 8 track release with songs from the tour in the summer of 2008. A really nice Crush and Dreaming Tree make this a fun quick set of songs to listen to. I’m not a big fan of Proudest Monkey or Eh Hee, but the other 6 songs are great. I give it 4 of 5 stars.
Next 5 albums up:
- The Gorge (This is the extended 3 night set of discs as well)
- Eh Hee (I know, not technically an album, but it’s its own thing…no album)
- Live Trax 1
- DMBLive Prism Coffeehouse
- Live Trax 18
I am going to be taking a break from this as the much anticipated Dream Theater album is coming out next week. It may take me a few weeks of listening to that before I come back to this, so forgive me.
