Is Big Whiskey getting worse to anyone else?

[kydmb99]

It seems like the more I listen to the album, the more mediocre I feel it is. Other than Squirm, Baby Blue, LITHOG, and Shake Me, I really don't listen to much of it anymore. A lot of times it takes a while to really make a judgement on an album, and I think with more listens BW is settling into a position just above Everyday for me and miles behind the Big 3... Not trying to flame, just my thoughts...

[WiseManSay]

I disagree. I still think it's a damn good album. The only thing that gets to me is the mix. Maybe take some time off, listen to it again in like a month or so, that might help.

[PhishSticks40]

I don't really listen to Dive In or You and Me anymore from the album. I will throw on SPAC's versions of those ones every now and then because I was there.

Other then that though it all still sounds good to me.

Maybe give the album and the BW tunes a bit of a break for a little while? Listen to some of their older stuff or some other music...

[FellOffTheWagon]

Disagree with Op.

[SmoothG]

I agree with the OP. Hasn't aged well so far. 5th best album at best. I think it was a good effort and a step in the right direction. But still mediocre.

[vp719]

I think it is a real solid album, but having listened to it pretty consistently since its release I've started noticing myself switch back to the older stuff more. I think its not necessarily because Big Whiskey is any worse, I just enjoy listening to DMB for the feel-good aspect a lot (not all the time, but some times just call for a good OSW or LIOG). During one of the BW interviews Dave mentions when they play music its a celebration and I absolutely agree with that, so the fact that most of Big Whiskey is harder and darker than most of their other stuff causes me to play other songs more.

Maybe I'm way off, but thats just how I'm feeling lately. It seems like the other tunes (Big 3 + LW/BS) just have a real effortless flow to them, like all the instruments are "celebrating" while Big Whiskey has a much harder edge. Again, not saying Big Whiskeys bad, I love it, but lately I've played it less and less. Maybe its just summer time.

[HolyCow]

I really disagree. I think it has really settled in as a terrific album. I honestly think I may like it as much as anything.

[andrewj063]

Disagree. Great album live. Time will only tell which songs stick and which ones go. I'd say Gator, LITHOG, and SMLAM will be the winners from this album 5 years from now.

[DmBand801]

I disagree.

Take a few weeks off, then listen to it again.

[DMBCardinal]

No. I still love Big Whiskey. I listen to other music for a while but always come back to BW.

[HolyCow]

I was just listening to a couple Big Whiskey songs Dave and Tim and I was struck at how incredible they are. Lying In the Hands of God is just about as good as anything gets. Anything. Seriously.

[SmoothD41]

I placed it just above Everyday and miles behind the Big 3 on June 2, and I still feel the same. It's a solid listen, a pretty good album but it is certainly nothing spectacular. It proves that DMB can still make a pretty good album, but not sure if they will be able to make a great album again unless they work with Lillywhite or someone comparable.

I enjoy Baby Blue, Squirm, Alligator Pie, Why I Am, and Seven. The rest of them are either decent to me (LITHOG, Shake Me, Spaceman, Time Bomb) or pretty much trash to me (Dive In, Funny, You and Me).

Just my opinion.

[smokew11]

i took some time off bc i was listening to it too much, i'll let ya know in a month but i still love it

[cfjess012]

i still can't stop listening to Big Whiskey, especially Seven!

[jaymas9]

Originally Posted by SmoothD41

I placed it just above Everyday and miles behind the Big 3 on June 2, and I still feel the same. It's a solid listen, a pretty good album but it is certainly nothing spectacular. It proves that DMB can still make a pretty good album, but not sure if they will be able to make a great album again unless they work with Lillywhite or someone comparable.

I enjoy Baby Blue, Squirm, Alligator Pie, Why I Am, and Seven. The rest of them are either decent to me (LITOG, Shake Me, Spaceman, Time Bomb) or pretty much trash to me (Dive In, Funny, You and Me).

Just my opinion.

That is not why this album is only pretty good to you. Rob's work as a producer on this record is damn good. He obviously played a huge role in refocusing them, as they couldn't even make a pretty good record for a long time. So either your problem is with the quality of these songs at the core, or it is a pretty good album and they are starting to pick up a head of steam again. Their aren't really any glaring production issues.

[cubiesfan05]

I wouldn't say it has gotten worse but my opinion of songs (for better or worse) hasn't changed since I first heard them. That has never happened with another DMB album for me. I absolutely wore it out the first two weeks after release. Then it started becoming an every two or three day listen. Now I can honestly say I haven't had it in the player in probably two weeks. That also has never happened for me with a DMB album (not even Stand UP or Everyday). Now, it is far superior to those efforts but I guess it just doesn't have that staying power that I thought it did on first listen.

[jaymas9]

Originally Posted by cubiesfan05

I wouldn't say it has gotten worse but my opinion of songs (for better or worse) hasn't changed since I first heard them. That has never happened with another DMB album for me. I absolutely wore it out the first two weeks after release. Then it started becoming an every two or three day listen. Now I can honestly say I haven't had it in the player in probably two weeks. That also has never happened for me with a DMB album (not even Stand UP or Everyday). Now, it is far superior to those efforts but I guess it just doesn't have that staying power that I thought it did on first listen.

If you beat something into the ground as much as you are describing, its staying power won't be recognizable to you this early on.

[cubiesfan05]

Originally Posted by jaymas9

If you beat something into the ground as much as you are describing, its staying power won't be recognizable to you this early on.

I disagree..........I beat the Big 3, R2T, even Everyday into the ground much much more than I did whiskey and I could tell all along how I felt about those albums. Once again, Whiskey is better than Everyday but it just doesn't entice me to listen non stop like I did with prior albums.

That being said, maybe it isn't the music. Maybe I'm just not in the same place anymore to devote so much attention to one piece of art.

[SmoothG]

Originally Posted by SmoothD41

I placed it just above Everyday and miles behind the Big 3 on June 2, and I still feel the same. It's a solid listen, a pretty good album but it is certainly nothing spectacular. It proves that DMB can still make a pretty good album, but not sure if they will be able to make a great album again unless they work with Lillywhite or someone comparable.

I enjoy Baby Blue, Squirm, Alligator Pie, Why I Am, and Seven. The rest of them are either decent to me (LITHOG, Shake Me, Spaceman, Time Bomb) or pretty much trash to me (Dive In, Funny, You and Me).

Just my opinion.

Agree with all of it. Except about Seven. Can't stand that song.

[amphoofreak10]

yeah its cooled off for me, but i still love it and when i go back to it after a little break, fall in love with it again

[brobb]

Yeah I'm gonna have to agree with the OP. These I have a hard time finding a BW song that I want to listen to all the way through. I'd say it's somewhere between BS and Everyday for me right now.

[DreamingTree#41]

Originally Posted by DMBCardinal

No. I still love Big Whiskey. I listen to other music for a while but always come back to BW.

this

[SmoothD41]

Originally Posted by jaymas9

That is not why this album is only pretty good to you.

sure it is....Lillywhite pushed them and wasn't satisfied with anything short of perfect. You could say that's why the band parted ways with him, but that's not really the issue here.

I think Cavallo did a good job with DMB, he definitely got them back on the right track....he just didn't do as good as Lillywhite did with them in the 90s.

[HolyCow]

Originally Posted by SmoothD41

I placed it just above Everyday and miles behind the Big 3 on June 2, and I still feel the same. It's a solid listen, a pretty good album but it is certainly nothing spectacular. It proves that DMB can still make a pretty good album, but not sure if they will be able to make a great album again unless they work with Lillywhite or someone comparable.

I enjoy Baby Blue, Squirm, Alligator Pie, Why I Am, and Seven. The rest of them are either decent to me (LITHOG, Shake Me, Spaceman, Time Bomb) or pretty much trash to me (Dive In, Funny, You and Me).

Just my opinion.

You think LITHOG is just "decent"? Wow.

[SmoothD41]

Originally Posted by HolyCow

You think LITHOG is just "decent"? Wow.

yep, I know i'm in the minority on that one

pretty good song, nothing more nothing less.

[ShotgunDMB]

It's a decent album. Really like Lying in the Hands of God, Time Bomb, Squirm, and Why I Am. The rest are either pretty good or average. Seven is the one that really sucks.

What's really missing is saxaphone. Hopefully the next one has more solos and gets everyone involved more.

[jaymas9]

Originally Posted by SmoothD41

sure it is....Lillywhite pushed them and wasn't satisfied with anything short of perfect. You could say that's why the band parted ways with him, but that's not really the issue her.

I think Cavallo did a good job with DMB, he definitely got them back on the right track....he just didn't do as good as Lillywhite did with them in the 90s.

But still saying this is based off a lot of assumption. I don't doubt Lillywhite pushed them but to imply he pushed them better than Cavallo and that's why the old music is better is kind of silly don't you think. It may be they were just better at creating songs back then. I think with a good producer, they can make a good record, and I don't think Ballard or Batson was right for them, but I think this board really places too much stock in quality of the songs at their core on a producer. Plus I think it was pretty evident they busted their asses on this one. Also I think it we should be giving Rob more than one album as a sample space of judgement. If they go back in with him sometime in the future, I fully expect it to turn out better than Big Whiskey.

[SmoothD41]

Originally Posted by ShotgunDMB

It's a decent album. Really like Lying in the Hands of God, Time Bomb, Squirm, and Why I Am. The rest are either pretty good or average. Seven is the one that really sucks.

What's really missing is saxaphone. Hopefully the next one has more solos and gets everyone involved more.

Boyd is basically nonexistent, too.

[jaymas9]

Originally Posted by cubiesfan05

I disagree..........I beat the Big 3, R2T, even Everyday into the ground much much more than I did whiskey and I could tell all along how I felt about those albums. Once again, Whiskey is better than Everyday but it just doesn't entice me to listen non stop like I did with prior albums.

That being said, maybe it isn't the music. Maybe I'm just not in the same place anymore to devote so much attention to one piece of art.

Fair enough. And it certainly could be your latter point. We all change as fans too.

[MistreatedLewis]

Originally Posted by SmoothD41

I placed it just above Everyday and miles behind the Big 3 on June 2, and I still feel the same. It's a solid listen, a pretty good album but it is certainly nothing spectacular. It proves that DMB can still make a pretty good album, but not sure if they will be able to make a great album again unless they work with Lillywhite or someone comparable.

This is how I have felt word for word.