Dave Matthews Band "Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King"

On episode 18 of Past Prime, Steve and Matty confront their
demons which, as it turns out, do not look like Jam Bands. Nor do
they resemble hacky sackers or fratty teens drinking Zimas and
smoking joints in the parking lot. No, Matty and Steve come face
to face with the most insidious of fiends -- their own biases.
The problem apparently was not with Dave. The problem was with
our co-hosts and their pretensions. So, after decades rolling
their eyes, making snarky asides and generally avoiding the
subject, they immerse themselves in "Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux
King," the seventh studio album from the Dave Matthews Band,
released in 2009.


Following the death of saxophonist LeRoi Moore, DMB made a
sprawling, celebratory album for their legions of fraternity and
sorority alums. In middle age, Dave, Carter and the band were
among the biggest rock bands in the world and in full control of
the "GrooGrux" -- a nickname for their musical "flow" or "juju."
As with their previous albums, there are a couple tender ballads,
some B- middle school poetry, and the unlikely combination of
lite, worldly Jazz and athletic Funk. There are still songs with
numbers for titles, lots of sex talk and several of references to
monkeys doing things. But, in the end, Matty and Steve have to
admit the thing they tens of millions of fans already knew: Dave
Matthews Band aren't so bad. In fact, they're pretty impressive.
Spoiler alert: Matty even loved one of the songs on this one. Not
liked. Loved.


To read more about Dave Matthews Band's "Big Whiskey and the
GrooGrux King," check out the full essay at Past Prime.