After ten years of making music with his self-titled band, Dave Matthews has decided to branch off a little and create some sounds of his own. In “Some Devil,” his first solo album, Matthews is the only boss of his music. With that, he creates an aura that is both dismal and sweet.
Alternating between glum melodies and love ballads with a sprinkling of cheerful tunes, “Some Devil” is appropriate for background music during times of deep thought and reflection. It begins with “Dodo,” a transcendent song about the past and the last dodo bird. Next is “So Damn Lucky,” which describes the thoughts of a man whose car is veering off the road.
The album turns from gloomy to morbid in “Gravedigger,” where Matthews asks his future gravedigger, “When you dig my grave / would you make it shallow / so I can feel the rain.” Two versions of this song — hard rock and acoustic — appear on the album. The hard rock version is catchy, but the lyrics are too disheartening to make it dancing music, and the strings and
guitar on the acoustic version make the tune appropriately spooky.
The depressing mood of “Gravedigger” remains apparent throughout the album. It seems that even the songs intended as upbeat are miserable, such as in “Oh,” where Matthews sings, “The world is blowin’ up / the world is cavin’ in / but you are here with me.” In “Trouble” and “Save Me,” the instruments signal a happy mood, but the lyrics are pessimistic as Matthews begs for trouble to leave him alone and for someone to save him. The only blatantly optimistic tune, “Up and Away,” is a giddy tribute to a lover and comes as a surprise near the end of the album.
There are a few slow, sweet tracks that are relieving to hear. The orchestral “Stay or Leave” pleasantly asks a lover to make up his or her mind about a relationship, and the gentle lullaby, “Baby,” is the best comfort song since Jewel’s “Angel Standing By.”
Various guest artists, including guitarist Tim Reynolds (who has also played with the Dave Matthews Band), guitarist Trey Anastasio of Phish, string and horn arranger Audrey Riley and organist Alex Veley all bring different instruments and styles to the album. “Save Me” sounds like a down-south gospel tune, and “An’ Another Thing” is based off Qawwali, a style of music created by the Hindustani Sufi Muslims.
In “Some Devil,” Matthews succeeds at expressing himself with no scruples. Without being surrounded by his band, he allows himself to put in as much personal passion that can fit into 14 tracks. It’s an intricate album of difficult emotions that deserves to be in any CD collection, but stay away from it when the day calls for motivation. Play it after a breakup, before meditating or at bedtime.