Stand Up

1	Dreamgirl / Dave Matthews 4:01
2	Old Dirt Hill (Bring That Beat Back) / Dave Matthews 5:00
3	Stand Up (For It) / Dave Matthews 4:13
4	American Baby (Intro) / Dave Matthews 2:03
5	American Baby / Dave Matthews 4:35
6	Smooth Rider / Dave Matthews 2:17
7	Everybody Wake Up (Our Finest Hour Arrives) / Dave Matthews 4:17
8	Out of My Hands / Dave Matthews 3:41
9	Hello Again / Dave Matthews 3:56
10	Louisiana Bayou / Dave Matthews 5:36
11	Stolen Away on 55th & 3rd / Dave Matthews 4:17
12	You Might Die Trying / Dave Matthews 4:44
13	Steady as We Go / Dave Matthews 3:24
14	Hunger for the Great Light / Dave Matthews 6:52

Barnes & Noble

With a string of live recordings since 2001's controversial Everyday, the Dave Matthews Band has been grooving in something close to autopilot, more intent on pleasing fans than in stretching out. That M.O. changes significantly on Stand Up, one of the band's most adventurous efforts, and certainly among the most varied studio sets of their career. For starters, Matthews pumps up the energy level surprisingly often, as on the title track, which uses a martial drumbeat to anchor a bottom end that doesn't politely suggest that folks shake their groove thang but rather forces them onto the dance floor. That's underscored by the agreeably gritty playing of saxophonist Leroi Moore, who also struts his stuff on the hip-hop-tinged "Stolen Away at 55th and 3rd." Some credit must go to producer Mark Batson, who helmed India.Arie's breakthrough, Acoustic Soul, as well as tracks for Eminem, Beyoncé, Seal, and Sting. But Matthews retains his unique style, making better use of world music elements here than he has in some time, notably on the sensual "Dreamgirl," which employs eerily echoing backing vocals dripping with aboriginal flavor. That song is one of several that let the singer get his mojo working and provide good counterpoint to topical tunes such as the sprawling "American Baby," a life-during-wartime allegory that's preceded by the separate "American Baby" intro, a mélange of mournful piano and sampled gunfire. There's a similar urgency in "Everybody Wake Up (Our Finest Hour Arrives)," a song that also boasts a fascinating (and somewhat jarring) arrangement drawing as much on modern classical music as on anything from the rock idiom. The vibe of Stand Up is slightly different than the average DMB album, but for those who value a thrill ride as much as a cruise, it's definitely worth buckling up for. David Sprague

All Music Guide

The Dave Matthews Band decided to team up with a very different producer for Stand Up -- Mark Batson, who earned his reputation with modern R&B and hip-hop records by the likes of India Arie, Joe, Beyoncé, and Seal. This doesn't result in an extreme makeover but instead puts a gentle gloss on the band's sound that renders it sleek and muted. Batson produces the DMB as he would any other record -- by keeping the mixes relatively spare and open, cutting up the rhythms in the computer, and polishing it all so it glistens. It's much warmer than Glen Ballard's makeover on 2001's Everyday, even if some of the cuts here appear to be pieced together in the studio. Matthews pulls away from the introspection of both Busted Stuff and Some Devil, occasionally reviving the humor that spiked his earlier work. The resulting album may not be to everybody's taste -- some fans will surely miss the loose jams that characterized DMB's '90s work -- but it is an intriguing change of pace for the group. Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Rolling Stone

1/2 Stand Up is the sound of a veteran outfit navigating between jammy mojo and pop-wise charm. Christian Hoard