5) Dead Set - 1980
A high-quality, fun collection of songs from the electric portion of the 1980 tour. Major drawback is the lack of continuity in the song choices (e.g. Franklin's Tower with no Help> Slip! before it, standalone Fire as well). Also, the best piece of album art.
Highlights: Samson & Delilah, Fire on the Mountain, Greatest Story Ever Told
4) Dozin' at the Knick - 1990
Another collection of live recordings from a particular run, this time featuring March 1990 at the Knickerbocker Arena. Great energy, a lot of content, and one of the last widely distributed performances with Brent.
Highlights: Brent Mydland, Hell in a Bucket, Blow Away, Lady With a Fan> Terrapin Station, Not Fade Away
3) Reckoning - 1980
A great collection of one of the most unique periods of Grateful Dead history. This all-acoustic album captures the boys in a loose, crowd-pleasing environment with limited musical freedom, which brings out their best by allowing them to play traditional folk and country songs.
Highlights: On the Road Again, The Race is On, Rosa Lee McFall
2) American Beauty - 1970
Despite being only their third studio album, American Beauty is probably the most mature and lasting the Grateful Dead would ever produce. It features 9 songs that would remain until the end as crowd favorites, and one that would be Pigpen's first effort at songwriting. In addition to the great content, this album is very well produced. Along with Workingman's Dead, also released in 1970, this is the last of Jerry's pedal steel.
Highlights: Ripple, Till the Morning Comes, the 8 other tracks
1) Winterland 1973: The Complete Recordings
This is by far, without a doubt, the best purchase of music I've ever made. The remastering is heavenly, the completeness of the recordings refreshing, and the content outstanding. Not owning this would be a mistake.
Highlights: Big River (all three nights), Weather Report Suite > Let it Grow, Loose Lucy, Black-Throated Wind, Me & Bobby McGee
1) Reckoning
ReplyDelete2) Live Dead
3) Without a Net
4) American Beauty
5) Dozin
Skeleton from the Closet doesn't make this list?
ReplyDeleteSkeletons from the Closet is great. Especially the Lovelight on there... oh man
ReplyDeleteI just didn't include it because it's a Greatest Hits album... Kind of cheesy, especially considering it was released in 1974.
The Lovelight is cut-off which is 100% lame
ReplyDeleteDude I just ripped up some Elton John while taking a dump.
ReplyDeleteI was being a bit sarcastic on the skeltons comment, btw. I'm usually not a big fan of greatest hits albums, certainly not as a top 5 commercial release, even though its probably the most well known release for a non-dead fan
ReplyDelete"Despite being only their third studio album, American Beauty is..." Uhhh, huh?! American Beauty is their fifth studio album, no wonder this list is dreadfully terrible. I truly mean dreadfully terrible. The person writing has no knowledge of the Dead. Whatsoever. No Europe 72, No Skull & Bones, No Live/Dead (all three absolutely essential if you know anything about the Dead). Dozin at the Knick is a great recording but never should be on a top 5, American Beauty is the only one that belongs there as Dead Set is known to be critically panned and lauded and Reckoning considered a slip above mediocre. Winterland is so extensive, and a box set too, that it can not be included. If you really want to get the best of the Dead, get Europe 72, Skull & Bones, Live/Dead, American Beauty and anything else they did before Blues For Allah. That was the apex era. After that it get murky. Still good, but murky. Cheers and log live the Dead!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Anonymous, this is not the 5 essential Dead albums. That would be:
ReplyDeleteAmerican Beauty
Skull & Bones
Workingman's Dead
Europe 72
Steal Your Face