Remember Two Things (2014 reissue)
Legacy, 2014
REVIEW BY: David Bowling
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 07/14/2014
The Dave Matthews Band has passed the quarter century mark. The group has produced five number one albums, sales exceeding the 30 million mark, and has consistently filled concert halls and arenas.
Formed in 1991, the band had an epiphany in 1993 when they decided to issue an album on their own Baba Rags Label. Remember Two Things was released November 19, 1993 and served as the band’s introduction to the world. That disc has now been reissued with two previously unreleased bonus tracks by the Legacy label.
Remember Two Things catches the DMB at the beginning of their career. They had learned their craft in bars and small clubs and this album reflects that period of their career. The music is recorded live and is basic and energetic, lacking the layers of production that would inhabit their studio releases.
The band at the time consisted of singer/guitarist Dave Matthews, drummer Carter Beauford, saxophonist Le Roi Moore, violinist Boyd Tinsley, and bassist Stefan Lessard. Guitarist Tim Reynolds is also present on four of the tracks. They are not as tight a unit as they would become but they more than make up for it in the energy they generate and the chances they take.
The recording equipment was running at The Flood Zone in Richmond, Virginia on August 10, 1993 and at The Muse Club on Nantucket Island, August 16-18, 1993. The live nature allow for extended versions of many of the songs. While a few of the tracks may drag a little, it is always interesting.
There are early versions of “Ants Marching” and “Tripping Billies.” The first radiates energy in waves, while the second is leaner and cleaner than the studio version that would follow. The live acoustic “I’ll Back You Up” has a poignant feel. The other live acoustic track, “Christmas Song” is equally as good and is a many times forgotten holiday classic.
The Dave Matthews Band has continued to evolve throughout their career. This is a release that not only stands the test of time but provides a picture of the group not far removed from their beginnings. The sound has been enhanced and archival photos have been added. It all adds up to a well-deserved resurrection of a sometimes forgotten album.