Customer Reviews

Dither

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have been a big moe. fan (moe.-ron, really), and was looking forward to the new studio work from moe. since 'Tin Cans'. In fact, it came out today and I ran to the record store to get it!! The good news is that this is NOT a re-hash of 'Tin Cans', however another groundbreaking effort from a supergroup (in my eyes) that should be supergroup. The funny thing about moe. is that I am not sure if they really want 'big commercial success' (as much as they deserve it). Anyhow, it is well known that their studio CD's are unlike what you see in the awesome experience of a moe. concert, and 'Dither' is no exception.

Bottom line - 'Dither' is a great, tight, melodious set of tracks that will keep the moe. fans like me excited, and this one just may expand their fan base even further. I won't do a 'blow by blow', however a few great tracks from 'L' are here ('Captain America' and 'Cant seem to find'), as well as some new great classics-to-be ('Faker', 'T6sorm', 'New York City', 'water'). Some real standouts are 'Understand', 'Water' and 'Opium' - worth the price of the CD alone! Most of the songs have less 'quirkiness' that labeled them in the 'Phish/Jam Band' category (like 'No Doy' did), however you can tell by listening to some of them that they have 'jam potential' - they just don't carry it out in the studio like they do live. Overall, most have the rocking/bluesy/jamming/kickass rock feel to them that one can expect from moe. The CD still clocks in at 73 minutes, so it is hardly bunch of 3 minute songs...

Overall, this CD may disappoint moe. fans that want 3 or 4 ten minute jams or are looking for ripping rocker jam tunes like 'Plane Crash'. Heck, it initially disappointed me...however after a few listens, this CD has already grown on me (in only 2 hours!) as another collection of tunes that are uniquely moe.

I had high expectations of this CD, and moe. delivered. A must for moe. fans, as the moe. element is there in a new and rather interesting form, yet the 'base' sound has not been reformed into something that a record executive has deemed as 'sellable'. (in other words, not a sell-out here at all). Just say moe.!

Just like any new album, Dither shines in some places and seems to drag in others. However, keep playing it and it will grow on you. "Captain America," the opening track, is pretty solid. While DJ Logic's addition is interesting, it neither hurts nor greatly adds to the composition. "Faker" is among the best tracks. In this song Rob manages to combine soothing vocals with a twist of mystery. It is very un-moe., but still works amazingly. "Understand" is the first Al song on the album. It rocks out pretty nicely, but it never fully captues that unique Al treatment fans may be used to. "The Ghost of Ralph's Mom" sort of sounds like an 80's rocker... but that's kind of what makes it cool. It's not amazing, but it's sort of fun. "So Long," the second Al song, never really goes anywhere and fails to flow with the imagery and fun that Al usually throws into his tunes. Enter "New York City." This is another song that highlights the album. Rob once again takes the listener on a nostalgic journey that captures the aforementioned imagery that usually comes with an Al tune. "Can't Seem to Find" is Al's best song on the album because it is what the listener wants and expects from Al... upbeat, fun, catchy. It also ranks high. At first, "Water" is a difficult song to get attached to. However, after a couple of listens, it becomes an interesting tune. By no means is it a highlight, but it is still pretty good. "Tambourine" is next... not exactly sure where this song came from or why it really exists. The title, alone, hints that it may be an upbeat, fun song that attracts the listener with a catchy chorus. It never accomplishes any of these in that it is only somewhat upbeat, not all that fun, and there is never a real catchy part to it. It is also a very short tune that seems kind of out of place. "In a Big Country" is a welcome cover that truly stands out on the album. Not only is it a cachy tune, but it is the second song that rings of the 80's... perhaps because it was originally recorded in 1983. "Rise" is yet another disappointment from Al. Al's voice is such a fun voice to listen to, and in this tune it is masked by unnecessery effects. Fortunately, though, this song has some more funky effects placed on the music which makes it kind of interesting. Still, this song never really stands out from the rest. "Opium" closes out the album with style as Rob lets the listener drift away into this mystical song that floats above the ground and never settles down. A hidden track of "Captain America" exists at the end and is sort of a pain because, well, the listener has to wait in silence when it would be more beneficial for the CD to repeat or for the player to move to the next disk. All in all, this is a pretty good disk for moe. as they seemed to have a good time experimenting. The biggest disappointments are that Chuck never really gets to work in any of his stuff, Al's songs are un-Al, and there are no long, extended Rebubula-esque jams. "Captain America," "Faker," "New York City," "Can't Seem to Find," "In a big Country," and "Opium" are the highlights and should be highly praised. The rest is so-so. All in all... it IS worth buying. Enjoy.

As reviewer Coopsam said, Moe. has definitely reinvented their sound to a degree with Dither. It is great for first time Moe. listeners or fans that have enjoyed their previous albums. Moe. combines complex musical pieces with great lyrical tunes on this album. A couple songs were on the live album (Captain America and Can't Seem to Find) and really gained maturity in the studio. Faker, NYC, and Tamborine have great melodies and Moe. keeps their traditional sound without sounding to poppy. TGORM and In a Big Country have really great tunes to them as well. I think this album is Moe.'s best studio effort up to date. I was really impressed with Tin Cans and Car Tires, but I can't wait to see Moe. perform the songs off Dither live. Both old and new Moe. fans are sure to love this album.

This is just an all aroung great album. Moe. is well known in the jam community but this isn't simply a jam album, it's a great rock n' roll album with hints of psychedelia. These guys know how to write great songs without letting the jam get in the way. Moe.'s best studio effort to date. Keep up the great work guys.

I was very impressed with this album. The songs are very tight and solid. The more familiar songs, Captain America and New York City are awesome, I definately like the studio version of Captain America. The cover of In A Big Country is very refreshing. Pulling out an 80s song like that is very unique and very special. The song Faker, a new song, is very good, and it sounds like it just might get some radio play. On a side note, the liner notes are very tight and interesting. In my constant search for what I call car CDs, albums that I can put on in the car and just let play, this CD will be getting heavy rotation, as the entire album flows very well and doesn't have any songs that are more out there. Overall, I'd highly recommend this CD, for both experienced Moe-rons, as well as those just getting into Moe. Get this album, you won't regret it.

With their new release moe. continues that climb that all great bands who are in it for the long haul must make to that pinnacle of superstardom. The new songs are tight, some are quite melodic, charmingly acoustic tunes, even a cover tune thrown in. With each of their studio releases the band widens the gap between them and their "jamband" compadres. Since the group hates the term jam band because it causes them to feel pigeon holed, they use this as a rallying point to make a new CD of songs that are shorter, hooked filled, introspective, yet will be great launching pads for live jamming, such as Captain America, already heard on the live set L.

But the word of caution, where as these songs have the critics praising them because of their very nature, they will also be the same ones who by the next album will cause moe. to be sellouts. But then again, who cares? One critics sell out is a moe.rons jewel. Oh yeah, this CD is fantastic.

IMO it's moe.'s best studio CD to date. The new material was road tested and the results show through in Dither. Capt America is down right FUNKY. Ghost of Ralph's Mom and NYC both pack a heavy punch with very catchy hooks. (not in the bad way) Water is another personel fav because the lyrics are so interesting.

They saved the best for last though with a MONSTER version of Opium. IMO that song shows off all of the qualities that make moe. one of the best bands around. The ebb and flow of the music and mood of the song building up in to the blazing guitars do what few songs can actually pull off. Being beautiful and rocking at the same time. A lot of bands try to do this and it's usually not pretty. I guess that's why I travel to see them in exotic, far away locals like Omaha or Milwaukee.

I've caught a lot of music by groups that are lumped in to that "category" but moe. is on another level for me. If you are just getting in to them Dither is a great start.

Moe. Dither, in my opinion, is moe.'s best release to date. It is an album that can appeal to everyone, from moe. fans to people who just enjoy rock music. It is an album that captures well in a studio this band's vocal, instrumental, and harmonic abilities. Although the album is rock solid front to back, the tracks that stand out to me are Faker, So Long, and New York City. It is an album that will definitely grow on you with time. You'll probably find a few songs you like at first, and then you'll fall in love with the whole album. I've recommended Dither to a bunch of friends who aren't really into the jam band scene and they all love it. I own well over 500 albums and I easily rank this in my top ten. Enjoy.

"With the exceptions of "Rise" and "Water," most of the songs here have been clipped to manageable size, making this Moe's most accessible album." This is quoted from the editorial review. Sorry to use that cliche term, but Moe is a jam band. Rise and Water are the two longer songs and happen to be the strongest and closest to what Moe sounds in concert. Overall this is a very fun album and worth the listen. (sorry for the bitterness)

moe. (not "Moe", or "moe") has been at the brink of mainstream success for a few years now and I think that this album is what will push it over the edge. I purchased this album just today and I know that it won't leave the CD changer for a few months!
This is not the moe. of the past, or even the moe. that you'll see in concert. These concert favorites have been stripped down to their bare bones and built up again and achieve new sonic greatness. The most obvious examples of this are in "Captian America" and "Rise" although every song has been infused with new life. For those who don't like the production of "Captian America" a remix appears as a hidden track at the end of the album that long-time fans may prefer.
"New York City" and "TGORM" (The Ghost of Ralph's Mom) seem destined to be radio hits and other great tunes like "Faker" and "Understand" help keep this album going strong. I recommend this album to anyone who likes musical exploration and also to anyone who likes to rock. There's something for everybody here.
moe. will not dissapoint and neither will "Dither"