What does it sound like?:
Good news for Deadheads is that each of the band’s studio albums is to be re-released on its fiftieth anniversary – yes, it’s that long ago!
The first of these is a double cd rendering of their debut album, remastered for the occasion.
This album, I always think, is something of an anomaly compared to the work they were to produce over the next few years. The uninitiated may be surprised at the absence of the long psychedelic improvisations the band later became a watchword for. Instead you get a garage rock type, fiery, energetic, punkish sounding album, largely based around cover versions (7 songs out of 9). Indeed it sounds quite odd to hear future live staples such as Morning Dew played at such a fast tempo. The two originals here, The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion) and Cream Puff War show early signs of compositional promise, although both sound rather ‘of their time’ when listened to fifty years down the line.
The second disc has previously unreleased live material from mid 1966, recorded at the Vancouver Trips festival, and thus predating the recording of the studio album. There are a couple of quite weak original songs – Cardboard Cowboy for example – which thankfully soon disappeared into oblivion. Again however, covers dominate their set, but among them it’s good to hear early attempts at I Know You Rider and Viola Lee Blues (probably the best track on here) .
What does it all *mean*?
An interesting attempt to document the genesis of what was to become one of the most iconic bands of the next few decades.
Goes well with…
Other Dead albums, garage rock.
Release Date:
Might suit people who like…
Exploring the origins of The Dead or those curious to discover what all the fuss was about with this band.
deramdaze says
Releases spread over a period of time appeal to me far more than a bloated box set.
£12.99 seems more than reasonable, and it will replace the rather shoddy first-generation CD.
The second CD’s concert (29/7/66) is the date of Dylan’s motorbike accident!
duco01 says
Thanks for the review, Bargey.
Afterword Deadheads might also like to know that a TV film of the band’s show at the Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen on 17 April 1972 is being released on DVD on 10 February.
https://www.spincds.com/live-at-tivoli-1972-dvd
Vulpes Vulpes says
“Good news for Deadheads” he says.
Original vinyl copy bought way back in the day? Check.
Original crappy CD copy (poorly mastered) bought before the turn of the century? Check. Remastered CD copy as part of (one of two) humungous boxed sets, bought in last 5 years? Check.
Divorce and bankruptcy on back of another stack of remastered editions? Nope, I’ll pass this time!