(Red Light) The Dave Matthews Band iTunes Pass launches today, April 21, on the iTunes Store With iTunes Pass, music fans can get new and exclusive music, video, remixes, art and other content from their favorite artists over a set period of time, delivered to their iTunes library as soon as it's available.Fans who purchase the Dave Matthews Band iTunes Pass ($19.99) beginning today will receive an instant download of the band's latest single, "Funny the Way It Is," and the new album, Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King, as soon as it's released on June 2nd.
They'll also receive plenty of additional content from now through September, including Scenes from Big Whiskey, a documentary on the making of the record, exclusive bonus music (including b-sides and live music from the band's Spring and Summer 2009 tours), two tracks in advance of the album's release ("Shake Me Like A Monkey" and "Lying In the Hands of God"), a download of the "Funny the Way It Is" music video, a deluxe digital booklet of the album artwork, drawn by Dave Matthews, and more.
Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King, which was produced by Rob Cavallo (Green Day, My Chemical Romance), is the follow-up to 2005's Stand Up, the fourth consecutive Dave Matthews Band studio album to enter The Billboard 200 at No. 1. With its celebratory spirit and lyrical ruminations on fragile mortality, Big Whiskey pays tribute to the band's saxophonist, LeRoi Moore, and features some of his last recordings. Moore passed away in the summer of 2008 while the group was on tour and midway through making the album.
The remaining founding members - Carter Beauford (drums), Stefan Lessard (bass), Dave Matthews (vocals, guitar) and Boyd Tinsley (violin) - kicked off the group's Spring 2009 tour last week at New York City's Madison Square Garden. The group, named the top-drawing American band in the world by Billboard, will perform on NBC's "TODAY" show on Rockefeller Plaza on June 5th.
