Not many bands have staying power and few bands get better with time, but the Dave Matthews Band has proven that wrong – they are here to stay and they are better.

"Everyday", their latest effort, is their most significant work yet. Being a late DMB fan I didn’t discover them until their modest hit "Crash", but since then I have added all their CDs to my collection, as well as followed their commercial success. No other band seems to delight me more and more with their style and sense of musical integrity as DMB.

I must admit I didn’t have high expectations for this CD. I thought that DMB had peaked with the last multi-platinum CD. I suspected mainstream recognition would spoil this group, leaving little for creative growth. Much to my surprise, the Dave Matthews Band still rocks! It was a smart move to enlist Glen Ballard (Alanis Morrisette) to produce "Everyday". Glen’s insight for perfection and his ear for glossy melodies are present on this CD. DMB sounds great; their arrangements are tighter and their overall sound is richer.

This CD is packed with hits – no B-sides seems to be the formula for this DMB release. The set starts with the first single from the CD, "I Did It" (a tongue-in-cheek take on their mega-accomplishments), which in my opinion is the weakest song. "Everyday" has much more to offer than "I Did It". Long gone is the anger and aggression of their last CD "Before These Crowded Streets". Dave Matthews is happy and in high spirits, even when he sings of fading love. On "The Space Between" he seems to have a smile on his face and contentment in his heart. This is a signature DMB ballad laced with a sweet melody and chords that evoke feelings of hope. On the song, "Everyday" (which digs into gospel a bit), Dave sings, ‘Lift me up, lift me up, lift me up everyday.’ These boys are having fun and are comfortable in their own skin.

The passion of this CD doesn’t lie only in the songs. What comes through most on this album is that DMB are still homeboys from Charlottesville, VA. Sold-out stadiums, platinum album, and international success is only a small part of the picture for these five men. Their real colors come from what they represent, and that is making good music – a sign of real musicians.

Dave Matthews Band’s "Everyday" is a Corey Stone-certified must add to your collection, and don’t miss them on tour this spring and summer. If you get a chance to catch them, do so – they put on an amazing show. In Chicago they will be playing at Soldier Field. Like only DMB can, they will turn that stadium into an intimate gathering of friends. Their mentality is "down-home fun" in a "rock-the-house" kind of way – you will never forget the experience.