So you're saying 'Ants Marching' (Under the Table) sounds similiar to 'The Last Stop' (Before these Crowded Streets) which is similar to 'The Space Between' (Everyday) which is similar to 'Grace is Gone' (Busted Stuff)?

Cdollaz, what kind of music do you listen to? I'm interested.
Well, I would say that may favorite bands are:

Rush
REM
Radiohead
They Might Be Giants
Rollins
Barenaked Ladies
King's X

Of course every song doesn't sound exactly alike, but I think the structure of his songs are very similar. I just really do not like anything after Crash very much. And I thought the Red Rocks live album was good. The last few have left me disappointed.

For what it's worth, the last few haven't been as good as the first couple to me, either. (Though, I do think Before these Crowded Streets is damn good). Everyday is still growing on me.

Truthfully, though, right now I feel like I wasted money getting lesser versions of the Lillywhite tracks. BUT, I did it primarily because I wanted the cleaned up versions, and plus, I thought it fair to pay for an incomplete CD that someone burned for me.

STILL, I almost wish they wouldn't have released it. Lillywhite Sessions could have gone down as one of the -- if not THE, behind the lost Beach Boys album - greatest lost albums of all time.

All the lyrics are there. There are 2 songs on each page, one song per column. For example, on the first lyric page, "Busted Stuff" is the left column and "Grey Street" is the right column.

I am generally pretty observant. Generally...

Thanks!

Toad, also remember Kit Kat Jam is instrumental/no lyrics

Here's my track by track analysis of the songs

1. Busted Stuff - This song is more upbeat as it should be and got rid of the strange sound the guitar had on the Lillywhite Sessions.

2. Grey Street - This song is possibly the biggest improvement on the album. The lillywhite version is so subdued and this one really captures the feel of the live version of the song.

3. Where are You Going - Possibly my least favorite on the album, but still a good song and i much prefer hearing this on the radio than The Space Between.

4. You Never Know - Only song on the album i hadn't really heard (just a crummy live recording). It has a very different sound than the other songs on the album.

5. Captain - While i still feel like the original Crazy on which this song is based is superior, this one is kind of a toss up. I like both versions basically the same. Very good song. When he starts singing high on the post-chorus part, some of the best parts of the album.

6. Raven - One of my favorites on the album and i think is really cool version of the song. Boyd's violin solo is really cool and Leroi's sax during the verse is awesome. One problem is the sax solo they took out at the end. Otherwise awesome.

7. Grace is Gone - While definitely an improvement over the unbelievably subdued Lillywhite version, this song still doesn't sound nearly as good as it does live. While i don't think that DMB songs sound alike as was said earlier, one has to think that the guitar in this and WAYG sound suspiciously similar.

8. Kit Kat Jam - This is such an improvement, its crazy. I liked the singing and all but this really is now a jam. One of my favorites on the album.

9. Digging a Ditch - Like Captain, this one is hard for me to discuss. I really like the song but its hard for me to choose which version i like best. Great song though.

10. Big Eyed Fish - I loved this song on the other album and i really like it hear. I like the new just guitar intro but i do not like the singing outro. Hard for me to choose which, probably the Lillywhite version.

11. Bartender - There's something about this version, i really really like. Its very crisp and well put together. Also, i'm really glad they did the transition from bef to bartender as they do live.

Overall, i think the album had an overall better sound to it (obviously since the other was not completed) and I agree with most of the choices they made.

-J

I think the Lillywhite Sessions are not "subdued" they are sort of underwhelming - it takes repeated, concentrated listening to really pull out all the intricacies in the songs... Sort of like a tight uninteresting knot that rewards you for the work of multiple listenings...

Busted Stuff, Grey Street, and Kit Kat Jam are better in this version.

Raven is still boring and no Monkey Man makes me sad.


In other news, do you guys have the MP3s of LWS or the SHNs? (I don't care how you got them nor should you talk about how you got them)

I meant not as energetic when i said subdued. I don't think they're worse. I just like the upped energy levels.

My opinion... think of it what you will... The Lilywhites pound the crap out of BS anyday. The whole incident surrounding those sessions being scrapped has been discussed at length by Dave himself. He was in a very dark place, even to the point of feeling self-destructive. He shelved those sessions and did Everyday as a change of pace to get himself into a different mindset. And he succeeded. Everyday came out and was a critically praised piece of crap with not even 1/10 the creativity or grace of BTCS. Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge DMB fan, but with a few exceptions Everyday sucked. Now of course, Dave's done his "upbeat" album and he's feeling all happy... so what does he do? He goes back and rerecords all the songs he wrote when he was depressed and self-destructive. And it's SO obvious that he doesn't feel that way anymore. BS is a MUCH better production than the Lilywhite sessions, obviously. But I'm sorry... the songs on BS are so confused... Dave doesn't sound like he's in pain... the songs don't express a damn thing. It's like saying "My life is miserable, I'm gonna kill myself" while sunbathing on the beach in Maui wearing a flower-pattern bathingsuit surrounded by supermodels. The Lilywhites made me feel something... the songs grabbed me because despite their lack of production they expressed A LOT of emotion. All BS makes me wanna do is grab my old Lilywhite CD.

'E

Well said!! I couldn't have said it better myself -- there WAS something about the Lillywhites that is lacking in Busted Stuff -- and it's the emotion.

The songs were written in a dark time for Dave, and rerecorded in a seemingly golden one. Sounds weird. For the polar opposite, imagine writing "Shiny Happy People" and then recording it the night of 9/11. It has the same, reversed, effect.

I agree that some of the songs sound a little more upbeat, but I prefer it. I've never been able to really get into "depressing" music. The Lillywhite Sessions were so gloomy it was hard for me to listen to them very often. On busted stuff the songs aren't as gloomy and easier to listen to IMO. Plus the production is so much better which helps a lot.

i think the lack of emotion was intentional, at some level..

as i stated before, he changed the lyrics to Big-Eyed Fish and ended up trivializing the song in the process (for such a dark theme, including the words "silly man" serves to render the topic impotent)... and i think this was purposeful. he doesn't like the pitch black darkness of the original theme, so he renders the song harmless by making it trivial.

the longing and aching are definitely missing.. i think i am prone to agree with you, Evolution.
-di doctor-

I think nothing is as sad as Dave singing "Digging a Ditch" on the Lillywhites... When he says he's saying he's digging a ditch, it seems like he's crying for help and at the same time accepting his fate AND at the same time hoping for something good to happen in the future...


On Busted Stuff he seems to be acting those emotions out...

Who knows, maybe some of this will return live.

Oh please. DMB's songs have always, always been a mix between upbeat tempos and lyrics that are depressing. To criticize Busted Stuff versions, which are pretty damn close to Lilleywhite is pretty ridicolous.

Well put, Chanster.

Well, while I agree with some things that have been said here [on both sides]...we have to understand that Dave didn't intend for tLS to get out. They were scrapped in favor of "Everyday".

Would it have stayed this way?

Who knows? But you wouldn't have noticed a perceived difference in the emotion of Dave's vocals if you hadn't heard the originals [which we weren't supposed to].

Obviously I wouldn't have noticed a difference if I hadn't heard the originals... I'd have no basis for comparison. That doesn't necessarily mean I would've liked Busted Stuff anymore. It sounds emotionally detached to me, and whether or not it would sound that way if I'd never heard the original recordings, we'll never really know for sure. As for the comment that Dave's always done depressing lyrics to upbeat tempos, ok... what's your point? I never said anything about tempos. I was talking about moods... He was obviously not in the same dark mood he was during the original sessions when he rerecorded these songs, and THAT is obvious. Listen to the darker songs on BTCS. They sound sincere... maybe he was really all chipper then too and he was just pretending... but if he was pretending, he did a damn good job. On Busted Stuff, the mood just doesn't fit the music. I'm sorry if you don't agree with that or don't hear it, but don't come tell me that my opinion is riduclous just because it differs from yours.

'E

Sorry, didnt' mean to make it personal and wasn't really criticizing you, just the opinion of Busted Stuff being inferior. Lilleywhite Sessions are much more raw than Busted Stuff, because they are unfinished works. Raw does not always equal more dark, although the recordings do sound more dark but that may be do to the recording quality - it sounds like he was belting them away in a garage or something.

My point about depressing lyrics with upbeat tempos is that people were criticizing Dave for going back and making Busted Stuff more uplifting by slightly changing the lyrics.

First off, that isn't a crime. Secondly, Well, I just don't see that. The lyrics remain pretty dark and the minor changes are pretty usual for DMB given how much they played on tour and used these songs.

by criticizing an opinion, you are criticizing the person's feelings towards something...

and my opinion will stay. the lyric changes, albeit understandable, are not good and change the tone of the song (Big-Eyed Fish) IMO. it may not feel that way to you, but it does to me.

obviously you don't feel that way, chanster, and the more power to you for that. hell, i wish i was in your shoes because then i would enjoy it more! but i'm not, and my feelings towards the diluted song lyrics will remain. ridiculous or not.

what's more, i think, in retrospect, the changed lyrics only reinforce the lack of emotion that i sense. i think the best words to describe my feelings towards the album are that "his heart wasn't in it" - it feels like something he was forced to do, in order to capitalize on some part of the Lillywhite Sessions. or, at least, that is the way it seems to me!

and, of course, i do appreciate the songs overall - see my sig - they just don't hold up to the Lillywhites overall.
-di doctor-

I'm apparently not into DMB as much as some of you, but I found BS to be a much welcome album after that steaming pile, Everyday. That remains the only DMB album I haven't purchased.