''Away from the World'' is the eighth studio album by Dave Matthews Band (DMB), released on September 11, 2012. The album is their first since 2009's ''

Big Whiskey & the GrooGrux King ''Big Whiskey & the GrooGrux King'' is the seventh studio album by Dave Matthews Band, which was released by RCA Records on June 2, 2009. It is the band's first release since the death of saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Guitarist Tim Reynolds played on t ...

.'' The album's title comes from a line in the song "The Riff": "Sitting in a box / away from the world out there." According to Matthews, it relates to the dour idea that "we are born and die alone" and that "our body is our box."

Recording

Steve Lillywhite produced ''Away from the World,'' which marks his first released studio album with the band since 1998's ''

Before These Crowded Streets ''Before These Crowded Streets'' is the third studio album by Dave Matthews Band, released on April 28, 1998. It was the last official album by the group to be produced by longtime producer Steve Lillywhite until 2012's '' Away from the World'' a ...

''. A series of failed sessions with Lillywhite led to the leaked ''

Lillywhite Sessions ''The Lillywhite Sessions'' (tLWS) is a collection of songs recorded by Dave Matthews Band in 1999 and 2000 and produced by Steve Lillywhite. The songs, recorded by the band as a follow-up to their 1998 album '' Before These Crowded Streets'', w ...

'' in 2000 and Lillywhite's departure from the band's work. DMB and Lillywhite recorded the album in a Seattle studio beginning in early January 2012, and production on the album finished in May. In addition to the 11 songs that made the album, one other song was attempted during the sessions, but the band did not complete that song. Violinist Boyd Tinsley said of the process: "Some of the songs that you hear on this album, the basic tracks came out, like, the first or second time we played them. Dave would come in with part of a song. We’d get into the control room and we’d finish it, putting in a chorus or bridge here and working out arrangements. And then we went to the studio, and we just played." Roger Smith from Tower of Power plays Hammond Organ on "a couple of tunes" on the album. Dave Matthews debuted the lead single " Mercy" on ''

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon ''Late Night with Jimmy Fallon'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by comedian Jimmy Fallon. About pag ...

'' on April 24, and DMB released the studio version in July. The band also released the studio version of "Gaucho" in May. Those songs, in addition to "Sweet," "If Only," "The Riff," "Rooftop," "Snow Outside," and "Belly Belly Nice," were all performed during DMB's 2012 summer tour. As part of the promotion in the week leading up to the release of ''Away From The World'', iTunes streamed the complete album for free beginning on September 4, 2012.

Critical reception

The album was listed at #29 on '' Rolling Stones list of the top 50 albums of 2012, saying "The album's political entreaties made for some of 2012's best GOTV rock."

Commercial performance

The album debuted at No. 1 on ''Billboard'' 200 with album sales of 266,000 for the week. This was the third lowest debut sales of an album since '' Crash'' but the band's sixth straight No. 1-debuting studio album. As of December 6, 2012, the album has sold 458,000 copies.

Track listing

The track listing for the album was announced along with the album's title and release date. All songs written by David J. Matthews except where noted. Deluxe CD Track listing #"Gaucho" (

Hartford, CT Hartford is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded County (United States), county government in 19 ...

– 5.25.12) - 4:50 #"Mercy" (

Bristow, VA Bristow is an unincorporated community of Prince William County in Northern Virginia about from Washington, D.C. In 2014, Bristow's postal area population was 29,346, a 287% increase since 2000; however, the Bristow community is formally includ ...

– 6.16.12) - 8:53 #"Sweet" ( Cleveland, OH – 6.3.12) - 4:43 The Super Deluxe Version includes the three live tracks featured on the Deluxe CD, as well as a Bonus CD featuring tracks from the DMB 2012 Summer Tour, and a DVD featuring live performances from the 2012 Summer Tour. Super Deluxe CD Track listing #"Save Me" ( Toronto, Canada - 6.2.12) #"You Never Know" (

Saratoga Springs, NY Saratoga Springs is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 28,491 at the 2020 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area, which has made Saratoga a popular resort destination for over 2 ...

- 6.8.12) #"Jimi Thing" ( Atlanta, GA - 5.22.12) #"Halloween" » (

Mansfield, MA Mansfield is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the United States 2020 Census, the town population is 23,860. Mansfield is in the south-southwest suburbs of Boston and is also close to Providence, Rhode Island. The vill ...

- 6.6.12) #"Tripping Billies" (

- 6.6.12) #"Mansfield Jam » Why I Am" (Mansfield, MA - 6.5.12) #"Time Bomb » "(

St. Paul, MN Saint Paul (abbreviated St. Paul) is the capital of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County. Situated on high bluffs overlooking a bend in the Mississippi River, Saint Paul is a regional business hub and the center o ...

- 6.24.12) #"Two Step" (St. Paul, MN - 6.24.12) The first 5 tracks are included with every pre-order of ''Away From The World''. The final three tracks are only available to Warehouse Fan Club members. DVD Track listing #"Eh Hee" ( Noblesville, IN – 6.22.12) #"Pig" (Mansfield, MA – 6.5.12) #"Say Goodbye" (Saratoga Springs, NY – 6.8.12) #"Lie In Our Graves" (Saratoga Springs, NY – 6.8.12) #"What Would You Say" (Saratoga Springs, NY – 6.8.12) #"Stay or Leave" ( Wantagh, NY – 6.12.12) #"Little Red Bird" (Hartford, CT – 5.26.12) #"Blue Water » Best of What’s Around" (E. Troy, WI – 7.6.12) #"Shotgun" ( Hershey, PA – 6.29.12) #"Don’t Drink The Water" (Noblesville, IN – 6.22.12) The DVD is only available to those who pre-ordered the Super Deluxe Edition.

Personnel

Dave Matthews Band * Carter Beauford –

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

, percussion, background vocals *

Stefan Lessard Stefan Kahil Lessard (born June 4, 1974) is an American musician, best known as the bassist for the Dave Matthews Band. Early life Lessard was born in Anaheim, California, Anaheim, California, to musicians Ron and Jacqueline Lessard. After movin ...

– bass guitar, Rhodes * Dave Matthews – guitar, piano,

lead vocals The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of t ...

* Boyd Tinsley – violin *

Tim Reynolds Tim Reynolds (born 15 December 1957) is an American guitarist and multi-instrumentalist known as both a solo artist and as a lead guitarist for the Dave Matthews Band. AllMusic critic MacKenzie Wilson has called Reynolds "an under-rated master". ...

- electric and

acoustic guitars An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...

* Rashawn Ross – trumpet, bass trumpet,

flugelhorn The flugelhorn (), also spelled fluegelhorn, flugel horn, or flügelhorn, is a brass instrument that resembles the trumpet and cornet but has a wider, more conical bore. Like trumpets and cornets, most flugelhorns are pitched in B, though some ...

keyboards Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Musi ...

, background vocals * Jeff Coffin –

soprano saxophone The soprano saxophone is a higher-register variety of the saxophone, a woodwind instrument invented in the 1840s. The soprano is the third-smallest member of the saxophone family, which consists (from smallest to largest) of the soprillo, sop ...

, tenor saxophone,

baritone saxophone The baritone saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of instruments, larger (and lower-pitched) than the tenor saxophone, but smaller (and higher-pitched) than the bass. It is the lowest-pitched saxophone in common use - the bass, contra ...

flute The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedless ...

alto flute The alto flute is an instrument in the Western concert flute family, the second-highest member below the standard C flute after the uncommon flûte d'amour. It is the third most common member of its family after the standard C flute and the ...

Guest musicians * Roger Smith -

Hammond organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert and first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, Hammond organs generated s ...

* Youth Co-Op Choir – background vocals Production * Steve Lillywhite – producer, mixing * John Alagía – co-producer , additional recording * Floyd Reitsma – engineer, mixing * Lars Fox – Pro Tools engineer * Steven Aguilar – assistant engineer *

Michael H. Brauer Michael Brauer is a New York-based mix engineer. He received a Grammy for "Best Pop Vocal Album" for his work on John Mayer's ''Continuum (John Mayer album), Continuum'', "Best Alternative Album" for Coldplay's ''Parachutes (Coldplay album), Parachu ...

– mixing * Ryan Gilligan – mix assistant and Pro Tools engineer * Justin Armstrong – additional engineering * Ted Jensen – mastering

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References

{{Authority control 2012 albums Albums produced by Steve Lillywhite Dave Matthews Band albums RCA Records albums