Dave Matthews Band – Crash (2xLP)

Crash, released in April 1996, stands as a defining moment in Dave Matthews Band’s early career. Building on the foundation of their debut, it broadens their sonic palette by weaving acoustic rock, jazz-leaning instrumentation, and rhythmic complexity into a cohesive whole. Tracks such as “Too Much” and “Tripping Billies” introduce a more assertive groove, while the tender ballad “Crash Into Me” highlights Matthews’ lyrical vulnerability. Produced by Steve Lillywhite, the album showcases the band’s evolving confidence in blending delicate melodies, layered arrangements, and improvisational interplay.

Beyond its standout singles, Crash deepened the band’s presence in the rock mainstream and became their best-selling studio album. Songs like “#41” and “Lie in Our Graves” remain staples in their live repertoire, pointing to the record’s lasting emotional resonance. Its reception, both commercially and critically, helped cement the Dave Matthews Band as a major force in 1990s rock, influencing subsequent acts seeking to merge accessible songwriting with instrumental ambition.

"Fusing together folk-rock, worldbeat, jazz, and pop, the band is arguably the most musically adept of all their contemporaries." – AllMusic

“Crash made the Dave Matthews Band a beloved household name … the funk hit harder. The ballads luxuriated in deep moods, sexy or solemn.” – Pitchfork

“one of the nicest things about DMB’s music is that its distinctive complexity serves as a virtual assurance against a flood of lame imitator bands.” – Entertainment Weekly

“equal parts originality and willful complication … almost every track of Crash is at least ‘good in parts’.” – Q Magazine