Dave Matthews Band, Under The Table And Dreaming (1994) *****RCA

While most would be reluctant to call the meteoric fame of the Dave Matthews Band destiny, by their roots, success seemed inevitable. Their jammed out live shows made believers out of college students, and turned the band into a juggernaut even before signing with a major label in the early 90s. So much so, their independently released Remember Two Things sold hundreds of thousands of copies. DMB jumped up to RCA, and issued their proper debut album, Under The Table And Dreaming. Who would’ve thought that an innocent album cover of a carnival ride and a cute hit song about ‘marching ants’ would unleash a music industry behemoth with legions of fans?

Opening track “Best of What’s Around” sums up the rest of the album. The song puts the listener in a relaxed and peaceful state of mind, courtesy of Matthews’ lyrics and saxman LeRoi Moore’s smooth, jazzy solos. “Dancing Nancies,” the hit “Ants Marching” and “Jimi Thing” also draw from a rootsy, laid-back rock sound, which is the group’s backbone. Calling upon John Popper (of Blues Traveler) for harmonica, the group livens up the set with the down-home country groove of “What Would You Say.” The quintet delves into folk with “Typical Situation” and “Pay For What You Get” while finishing off with the instrumental “#34.” The live favorite “Warehouse” is a serious tune that lets drummer Carter Beauford and violinst Boyd Tinsley show off their talents.

Although DMB would further escalate in popularity with Crash, the true essence of the band lies within Under The Table And Dreaming. On their debut, producer Steve Lillywhite was able to capture DMB’s organic concoction of rock, folk, funk, and country on tape. Love ’em or hate ’em, with the talent and promise shown on the album, the Dave Matthews Band could only rise to glory.

-Mike Fordham