The Dave Matthews Band latest album, “Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King” debuted in the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s US album chart after selling 424,000 copies in the first week out in stores.

It was this year’s third highest first week sales, behind “Relapse” by Eminem which sold 608,000 copies and ”No Line on the Horizon” by U2 which sold 484,000 copies, based on retail figures from Nielsen SoundScan reported by Billboard.

“Relapse,” after holding the No. 1 spot for two weeks, dropped down to No. 2 with sales of 141,000 copies. “Uplifter” from 311 debuted in the No. 3 spot with its first week sales of 60,000. The self-titled debut from Chickenfoot, despite having a short first week due to its release on Friday, debuted on the chart with the No. 4 spot after selling 52,000 copies.

“21st Century Breakdown” from Green Day and the soundtrack for “Hannah Montana: The Movie,” each dropped two spots into No. 4 and No. 5 with respective sales of 52,000 and 50,000 copies.

The top 10 rounds out with “New Again” from Taking Back Sunday, debuting at No. 7 with sales of 48,000 copies; “The Fame” from Lady GaGa in the No. 8 spot with 47,000 copies sold; “Greatest Hits II” from Kenny Chesney at No. 9 with sales of 39,000 copies; and “Fearless” from Taylor Swift in the No. 10 spot with sales of 36,000 copies.

The album doesn’t grab your attention immediately. The songs on a first listen for the most part pass on by, which didn’t happen too often on the band’s earlier albums.

The claws, and there are some, do take time for digging in deep. Although electric guitars have been added, something missing from a lot of the band’s work both in the studio as well as live, “Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King” registers as the most subtle album for the Dave Matthews Band yet.

The album’s first half is down tempo, with a weird synthetic sound that’s slightly too slick. This band, after all is known for their live shows. Included on the album is “Funny the Way It Is,” the first single from the album. It’s a very shiny tune. It’s hard, indeed imagining that Rob Cavallo, producer, who helped to sharpen the edge for My Chemical Romance and Green Day on their releases, was even involved on the first seven songs of the album.

However, the mood changes on “Alligator Pie (Crocodile)”, a raucous tune that’s a Bayou brother for the other Louisiana flavored offerings from the band like “Corn Bread” and “Time Bomb,” a tremendously fierce song that explodes in a way that might come as a shock for those who refer to the band mockingly as the “Dave Mathews Bland.”

The thing tying the entire set together and what makes it a worthy addition for the band’s cannon, is they lyrics from Matthews. The words overall are very meditative and medicinal.

The band is still mourning losing LeRoi Moore, saxophonist and original band member, who last year died from complications following an off road car crash. In order to get this album fully, one needs to understand where the band really was coming from while making it. That place is grief, but also a point where the musicians found themselves trembling over and finally embracing their mortality.