Busted Stuff

There are several million Dave Matthews fans who’d worship a fresh turd if it had his name on it, so you knew something was wrong when DMB loyalists started griping about the slickness of the band’s last album, Everyday. This should shut ’em up: Busted Stuff ditches the harness that production führer Glen Ballard (Alanis, No Doubt) strapped on them, returning the quintet to the loose-limbed folk rock they do best. Violins and guitars dance out an affecting melody on “You Never Know” as Matthews croons lyrics destined for immortality in high school yearbooks. But he also displays a dark side we’ve rarely glimpsed on the bluesy “Grace Is Gone” and the ominous “Bartender,” and the somber “Digging a Ditch” is evidence that truckloads of money and admiration don’t keep you warm at night. But the band colors Dave’s black moods with flourishes of strings, horns, and percussion. Some tunes hew a little close to old formulas, but after Everyday’s strained VH1-baiting, Busted Stuff’s more homegrown vibe feels like a revelation.