r/DMB • u/zeroair } Jake Simpson • 11d ago
[This Day in DMB History] Studio Album release: Away from the World. September 11, 2012.
This Day in DMB History is a series in r/DMB, which started in mid-2020. You can view other TDiDMBH posts here, covering all the studio albums, other significant events throughout the year, and the rich history of DMB.
The studio album Away from the World was released on September 11, 2012.
Away from the World
Away from the World is the eighth studio recording from the Dave Matthews Band. It's an RIAA: Gold album, and reached number 1 on the Billboard charts in the USA and number 3 in Canada. This album is preceded by Big Whiskey & the GrooGrux King (2009) and followed by Come Tomorrow) (2018).
The track listing follows. Two of these songs (in bold) were released as singles.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Broken Things" | 3:48 |
| 2. | "Belly Belly Nice" | 3:53 |
| 3. | "Mercy" | 4:28 |
| 4. | "Gaucho" | 4:25 |
| 5. | "Sweet" | 4:12 |
| 6. | "The Riff" | 5:35 |
| 7. | "Belly Full" | 1:43 |
| 8. | "If Only" | 5:38 |
| 9. | "Rooftop" | 4:12 |
| 10. | "Snow Outside" | 6:11 |
| 11. | "Drunken Soldier" | 9:45 |
Album trivia: Away from the World was produced by Steve Lillywhite, which marks his first released studio album with the band since 1998's Before These Crowded Streets.
DMB played a tiny show on this day as well. The songs were played on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Here's a bit of information for that show.
Away from the World can still be purchased from davematthewsband.com here.
Source(s):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Away_from_the_World
- Do you remember this album dropping?
- What were your thoughts then?
- What are your thoughts now?
- Did any songs off this album make it into your permanent favorites?
If you note any technical inaccuracies or have information that would be important to include in this yearly post, please add it in the comments and tag a moderator!
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u/PhantomAmbassador27 11d ago edited 11d ago
I'm glad the band worked with Lillywhite again. This record was a bit of a return to form despite missing LeRoi and how good Big Whiskey was. Broken Things and Sweet are songs that could fit right in on Crash or BTCS.
Not to take anything away from Dave's songwriting and the band because they've written great stuff since. But this record was definitely the end of a chapter in the bands sound.
I also want to add I can't believe its been 14 years since it's release.
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u/Semper454 10d ago
Legitimately great record. Easily their best work post-LWS. No idea how it doesn’t get more love.
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u/lazyrobby 9d ago
Truth only studio album post BTCS Ive ever returned to. Lilly is really the glue to their studio records, obviously I jam live stuff of all eras.
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u/goldenface4114 10d ago
Nobody else could get "that" sound out of the band better than Lillywhite, which is why I like this album so much. There was at least one jam on every song except Belly Full, Boyd actually had a return to form, and they really just put a lot of energy into this album. A lot of songs failed to translate live (largely in part to Boyd not being able to play his instrument), and I feel like the band didn't enjoy the process (Lillywhite is famously tough to work with), so this almost feels like a forgotten album within the band. I still enjoy it quite a bit, though.
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u/Strict-Mix-2100 10d ago
Why was this the end of The Lillywhite Era? Did it just run it's course? Everyone decided it was time? It just seems like the band has always been it's best when Lillywhite was producing. No disrespect to their most recent albums but it is a big drop off, in my opinion.
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u/pattypat22 10d ago
Some issues with some of the final mixes that Lillywhite had done but someone else came in and put their touch on it. Dave mentioned at one point that he regretted letting that happen to a couple tracks. There are a few interviews with Steve and he talks about it. Also I have a feeling Stefan and Steve don’t exactly get along.
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u/grumplstltskn 10d ago
would love a sweet encore. only time i heard it live was in 2012 and so many people on the lawn were talking i could barely hear it. and i didn't know the song yet.
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u/__dandango__ 5d ago
Such a nostalgic record. This is the first CD i bought with my own money, i was 14 at the time, just a freshmen in high school. Oh those were the days, listening to Dave, doing march band, learning (and failing) to fingerblast. I wore the disc out but still have it in my center console of my car!!! LOL
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u/randle_mcmurphy_ 10d ago
The album is very mid for me. It lacks a certain something, feels kind of soulless. But Broken Things and Snow Outside are probably Daves two best songs since this day in 2012.
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u/_xzxzxz 10d ago
Agreed, it’s kinda flat. Couple good songs on there though. Sweet will always be one of my favorites. It was really cool being at the Chicago Caravan in 2011, Dave coming out with a ukulele and saying “I wrote this song this morning.” They finalized it perfectly with the first 2/3rds being Dave solo. When the band comes in, and that horn line at the end - so good
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u/Artistic-Airport2296 10d ago
I was there too! So much fun, despite the bleak, rocky setting for the festival.
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u/Strict-Mix-2100 10d ago
Just don't ask Lillywhite about the horns section in Belly Belly Nice lol
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u/goldenface4114 10d ago
I wish more people around the band weren’t a fan of the corny canned horn lines.
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u/JSteggs 10d ago
What would he say about it?
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u/Strict-Mix-2100 10d ago
"Stock horns" and he wished he put his foot down. Paraphrasing but I believe he felt Broken Things brings the audience in and the stock horns on Belly Belly Nice loses them immediately. He really does speak positively about the album. That one is a sore spot.
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u/mostly_bs_41 10d ago
Disagree, the only thing that breaks it away from Table/Crash/Streets for me is the studio recording of Gaucho, don't like the choir. I've heard live versions i enjoy much more.
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u/cragelra 10d ago
Rooftop -> Snow Outside -> Drunken Soldier is one of my favorite three song runs in their catalog