From Amazon.com
The Definition of The Dead
Album Rating: (5 of 5 stars)
Review Comments: The Grateful Dead are unique in the fact that their body of live concert recordings is of far more consequence than any studio recording. Personally, I love and enjoy much of their studio work, but let's face it, this band can be awkward in the studio. Don't believe me? Check out Shakedown Street, (1978) quite possibly their worst studio effort. At the same time, the band was ripping on stage during that year (check out Dick's picks 18). The whole point of this rant is that Live/Dead should be considered the band's most important album, because it majestically showcases, more than any other live work, what their greatest strength is: spontaneous improvisation. The song Dark Star has been called "the definition of The Dead" and many regard the version here to be the best they ever did. Likewise the St. Stephen, The Eleven, and Turn On Your Lovelight. Add to that the fact that these performances are nearly flawless, highlighting the best of the best of what this band was capable of in 1969. At the risk of sounding elitist, if you don't own and enjoy Live/Dead, you just can't really call yourself a Deadhead. If your new to the group, don't start here. Get American beauty, Workingman's Dead, and Europe '72 to "warm you up" to their sound. But this, without a doubt, should be your next purchase.
Rhino edition 2003: Warning: This is a remix
Album Rating: (3 of 5 stars)
Review Comments: I wish someone had told me, so I'm telling you. This is a "dry" remix that somebody thought would approximate concert sound. It does not sound like the original release. Instruments appear at higher or lower levels, in different positions. Also: the CD is mastered too loudly, so this "improved" version includes distortion. Caveat emptor.
Essential Dead?: An Explanation
Album Rating: (4 of 5 stars)
Review Comments: The Grateful Dead have played many genres and to say that an album is 'Essential Dead' is naiive. For example, American Beauty could not be compared to Live/Dead because even though the same band (for the most part) is playing on the album, they are playing in a different style. If you are someone who enjoys listening to the Dead that plays psychedelic-rock jams, this album is for you. If you are a fan of the 'folk-rock Dead', then you should listen to American Beauty, Workingman's Dead, Europe '72, or Dick's Picks Vol. 8.
This album was surprisingly good in the beginning. The reason it was a surprise was because I didn't know what I was getting into. I had heard bits of Dark Star before, but I was used to the Dead that played on Europe '72 and American Beauty. So doubtingly I put the CD into my player and Dark Star began...I had never heard anything like it. It opened up my eyes to a different side of the Grateful Dead. Then came the seamless transition to St. Stephen, it had a rock feel to it yet was the perfect song to follow Dark Star. After St. Stephen, another jam came on called The Eleven. This jam was faster and displayed some great guitar playing from Jerry. Finally, Turn On Your Love Light came on which was another surprise: a blues-rock Pigpen song.
-The Album went down from there-
Death Don't Have No Mercy - A Disappointment even though it is better than the next two
Feedback - Unlistenable (It really is over seven minutes of feedback)
And We Bid You Goodnight - Really only thirty-five seconds of a harmonized song that is not worth paying for
Even though Live/Dead does have its flaws (three of them), I recommend it because the first four songs are memorable glances at a different side of the Dead. Essential Dead? No. Simply a look at the Jam Band aspects of The Grateful Dead.
Excellent live album
Album Rating: (4 of 5 stars)
Review Comments: My first exposure to the Dead back in 1971. A great album and arguably the band at it's peak.
The first official Dead live album, and still awesome...
Album Rating: (5 of 5 stars)
Review Comments: This was the Dead's first official live release, and it's still one of their best live albums ever. It has seven classic Dead songs. It starts with arguably the definitive Dead song, Dark Star. The version here runs 23 1/2 minutes, and it's absolutely stunning. The Dead were recorded on a great night, and they really are focused on this jam, but still loose enough to be brilliant. My favorite track is Pigpen's blues rave-up Turn on Your Love Light. It shows that the Dead could rock like hell when they wanted to. It wasn't all space jamming. The slow blues track Death Don't Have No Mercy is beautiful, with a great vocal by Jerry. The song Feedback is exactly what it says, Feedback. It's a mere 9 minutes long, but it's still really awesome feedback, a precursor to the later "drums/space" stuff that the Dead did almost every show. The final track is a simple, sweet a capella number, ...And We Bid You Goodnight. While some Dead shows/live albums were/are truly wretched, when they were on, there was no one like them. This album, along with Without a Net, One from the Vault, and Reckoning, are my favorite live Dead albums.
Purchases
1 Dark Star
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