Three years after the stellar “Big Whiskey and the Groo Grux King,” Dave Matthews Band is back with “Away From The World,” very much a sequel to the previous record in both sight and sound.

Producer Steve Lillywhite, who helmed the band’s first three records, was back at the controls for this one. Lillywhite has not worked with DMB since 1998’s critically-acclaimed “Before These Crowded Streets.”

From the outset here, it’s clear that Lillywhite steers the band in a direction reminiscent of its beginnings rather than towards some of their more recent material.

The opening track, “Broken Things” is one of their more straight-forward pop songs. The band utilizes the loud-soft dynamic very well here, beginning the song with an excellent guitar riff from Dave Matthews and lead guitarist Tim Reynolds. Once the chorus hits, they slow down just a touch, but the song doesn’t lose any punch.

“My heart is set on you, set on you,” Dave bellows though the chorus, a lyric sure to make legions of DMB concert-goers shout along with the band from the first row.

Track number two, entitled “Belly Belly Nice,” shows the band at a more playful pace. Saxophonist Jeff Coffin and trumpeter Rashawn Ross open the song with a quick flurry of notes before then band breaks into a riff that would make any blues-based rocker proud.

Throughout his career, Matthews has always had a playful, if not straight-forward, way with his sensual lyrics (see: Crash Into Me). Here, the sentiment is no different as he barks out lines such as: “Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water / Jack fell down and broke his crown ‘cause he was messing with the preacher’s daughter.”

Then comes the first single off the album, entitled “Mercy.” The lyrics convey a positive message of hope and perseverance: “Mercy can we overcome this/ Can we carry on just a little bit longer?” Musically, this is where drummer Carter Beauford shines. The song doesn’t have much of a hook or melody. It really isn’t there to grab the listener, but Beauford holds the tune together with some outstanding playing behind the kit.

His cymbal work, especially on the hi-hat and China kept the song going, and kept this listener engaged all the way through. The highlight of the track actually comes within the last minute of the song.

Beauford keeps it flowing on the cymbals while Coffin adds spectacular bits of tenor sax accents over a rhythm piano riff. It’s outstanding musicianship. If you began the song and aren’t interested right away, skip to about the last minute and a half.

The next track, “Gaucho” begins with a double-time guitar riff, which sets the stage for a very different-sounding DMB song. Matthews sings: “We have to do much more than believe, if we want to see the world changed,” which conveys a message of urgency. Reynolds adds some tasteful lead lines to spice things up, but overall, this track really doesn’t do it.

“Sweet” starts with a rather soothing rhythm played by Matthews on a mandolin while singing. It is on this track where the now 45-year-old Matthews comes to terms with the path his career – and life – have taken. He uses the falsetto approach to the vocals throughout the song with lines like: “I’m too old to want to be younger now.”

Musically, the mandolin keeps rhythm for the duration of the song with occasional accents from other band members. Unfortunately, it isn’t one of Matthews’ best efforts.

Then comes the relationship chronicle, “The Riff.” Built around variations of the gloomy opening riff, Matthews pleads with his subject: “remember how we used to dance baby? / just like it was everything.” Clocking in at just under six minutes, it is one of the highlights of the album, while the next track, “Belly Full” is under two minutes in length and is rather forgettable.

“If Only” is another straight-forward song with pop sensibilities. It’s a well-put together tune, but it’s nothing spectacular. It definitely wouldn’t be out of place if it was recorded in 2000 and was placed on 2001’s “Everyday” album.

Another album highlight comes in the next track, called “Rooftops.” The song begins with a bouncy riff that could be mistaken for something not used on “Under The Table and Dreaming.” Beauford pounds out the primary beat on his snare and adds little intricate cymbal hits for color.

Later in the tune, Coffin gets a nice solo just prior to the final chorus, an excellent way to close out the song.

“Snow Outside” evokes thoughts of sitting in a cabin in front of a fireplace in the middle of winter. Musically, it could have been a B-side to 1994’s “Satellite.” The band really comes to life at the end of the song as Reynolds uses a slide guitar to perfection.

The album closer. a nine-plus minute opus called “Drunken Soldier,” begins with a nice guitar riff that leaves the listener with the feeling that something bigger and more grandiose is on its way. The song explodes through the next four-plus minutes with every player adding something to the sound, from electric guitar lines to horn accents. Around the six-minute mark, it slows to a smooth, jazzy flow and fades away — a perfect way to end the record.

Dave Matthews Band managed to achieve something quite unique here. On their previous record, under the direction of famed rock producer Rob Cavallo, the rock-oriented elements of the band were highlighted in the front of the mix — Beauford’s booming drums and Reynolds’ searing electric guitar — but on this album, with Lillywhite, everyone seems to have their own space in the mix with everything coming together perfectly.

The record somehow sounds new and fresh and at the same time nostalgic.