Dave Matthews Band
Come Tomorrow

In May 2018, Boyd Tinsley was forced to leave the group. Apparently for family problems, but shortly after, he appeared in the news, being investigated for sexual abuse, allegedly against a trumpeter and other musicians in projects parallel to those of DMB.

Thus, the country violinist was removed, and one of the founding members, characteristic and composer of the band, after 26 years, was missing (although not completely, as he is present in "Idea of You" and in the composition of "Can't Stop") in the sound of one of the coolest jam bands on the planet.

Listening to the albums of the Dave Matthews Band, I've learned to "musikimmaginarmeli" with the ear of someone who wants to hear them live, because it's live that the band of the Johannesburg native performs at 200%.

Six years after "Away from the World", we have an album recognizable in sound, in the dynamics of Carter Beauford (a phenomenal drummer, from my point of view), with a now well-established brass section formed by the legendary Jeff Coffin on sax and Rashawn Ross on trumpet, and two small additions that give new verve to the whole.

The first is that of the organist Arthur "Buddy" Strong (already with Usher, Israel, and many others), officially credited in the band (for "Black and Blue Bird"), and the induction into the band of Tim Reynolds, guitarist, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist already on tour with the band and with Dave Matthews in duo on various occasions.

It's not an album that convinced me 100% on the first listen.

It's an album that requires depth, especially for those who still have masterpieces like "Under the Table and Dreaming" or "Before These Crowded Streets" in their heads.

There's a more intimate image of the band, there are no virtuoso performances or solos in the recording (except for Dave Matthews himself in "That Girl Is You", a song that is technically very difficult to reproduce, between falsettos and controlled hoarseness), these are tracks constructed from the first to the last note, well thought out in the lyrics, a composition tied to the feminine universe, from birth, through growth, love, suffering, the idealization of the perfect "She" (the main track of the album), ending with the awareness that the years are felt (51 springs for Dave Matthews) and sooner or later we must leave this world to the future generation ("Come Tomorrow"), with trust and optimism.

The tracks are no less than 14 (actually 13, because "bkdkdkdd" is just a 27” musical interlude) and the main unifier is Dave Matthews himself, who puts in his face, words, and voice for the entire album, probably more prominently than ever before for the entire duration of the work.

It should be said that "Come Tomorrow" doesn't bore and three or four listens are enough to get into the mood that even allows you to notice the less captivating country ballad "Black and Blue Bird" or the ethereal "Virginia in the Rain", but above all the legacy of "When I'm Weary" ("when I'm weary, when I'm tired, you remind me to keep trying... when you are weary, when you are tired, it will be me telling you to go on"), with a minimal but emotionally effective arrangement with Mark Batson (one of the producers along with John Alagia) on the piano, strings played by Oliver Kraus, and Amy Sanchez on French horn.

The tracks worth mentioning, those that probably stay with you the most, are certainly "She" (attached a version with "The Roots" live), "Samurai Cop (Oh Joy Begin)" already presented in various live shows across the United States (perhaps it's my fault, but I found something of "U2" in it), certainly a radio-friendly track, the lively and funky "Can't Stop", the carefree and weezer-like "Do You Remember", the wonderfully pop-ish "Again and Again" and the title track "Come Tomorrow", featuring folk co-vocalist Brandi Carlile.

A small note for the cameo of the late LeRoi Moore, whose saxophone resonates in "Idea of You", an original track but recorded and played live many years ago in Charlottesville, remastered and perfectly inserted in this 2018.

In the final analysis, I would say that the album is once again magnificently produced, that the band always plays excellently, that Dave Matthews is in great vocal form (at least in the recording), and that... something is missing.

Maybe Boyd Tinsley is missing, maybe a bit of novelty, maybe the Beauford-Lessard rhythm section is too contained (ready to explode on tour), maybe I expected Reynolds to stand out more, maybe it's simply too pop for my tastes, or maybe I just have to wait to hear them live again to be fully convinced, hopefully soon, in 2019.