It was inevitable. For years, Dave Matthews Band has produced quality music. Now, Dave Matthews has decided to test the waters with a solo album, “Some Devil.” It sinks faster than the Titanic, revealing to all that, yes, Dave Matthews is mortal.

When I first listened to “Everyday,” one of DMB’s more recent albums, I found it hard to swallow. Eventually, I grew to love it for what it was: different.

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To say that Matthews’ solo debut is different would be quite an understatement. For me, it was like hearing John Lennon without the Beatles. There is such a parody between the two sounds that I found it hard to get through an entire track on the album.

“Some Devil” defines wasted potential. When I heard that Trey Anastasio (Phish), The Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Tim Reynolds would appear on the album, I was overjoyed. Sadly, when I listened to the album, I did not feel the influence or presence any of the guest stars, which was disheartening.

Another problem was in the overall tone of the album. Matthews apparently has come to grips with mortality. The first track is “Dodo,” in which he sings of a bird we know to be extinct. This gloom also is seen in “Gravedigger,” the hit single with a name I needn’t explain. Matthews then turns to God for a way to deal with his mortality. He praises Jesus in the upbeat track “Save Me,” and features a gospel choir in “Up and Away.”

The best tracks, though, are found on the bonus disc, featuring Dave and Tim live.

I ask all you die-hard Dave fans to hold onto your Abercrombie, and refrain from writing me angry, defensive e-mails. I’ll just forward them to Greg Feltes.