Grateful Dead Album: “Grateful Dead (Skull & Roses) [Bonus Tracks]”

This is a live album with almost no annoying background noise from the audience. That alone would make it worth 5 stars. I don't know why there is a need to add in cheering on live albums. It doesn't have to be there. When a group is recorded live, there are specially arranged microphones to pick up the audience cheers. I don't need to hear an audience cheer to know what is good. It is like adding a laugh track to a TV show. I know what is funny.

Listening to this album, it is hard to believe it was recorded live, especially by the Grateful Dead. The sound quality is very good (but not perfect).

What is really amazing is the live performance of the Dead. It is crisp, tight and controlled. It is like they are playing in the studio, with retakes and overdubs. Even the 18 minute Other One sounds like it is under control. I love the long winded, rambling jams of the Dead, but this change of pace is also great.

The song selection and interpretation of the songs is great. There are a number of country songs from contemporary song writers of the time, like Merle Haggard. They are played in new and interesting ways (for that time). Then there are the longer songs, like Buddy Holly's Not Fade Away and the Other One. You can tell that the Other One was pulled out of a longer jam. It would be interesting to hear the entire piece.

Rhino records has done a wonderful job of remastering all of the original Warner Brothers Dead LP's. The original CD release was not bad, but here the sound is enchanced even more with HDCD. Each remastered CD contains extensive liner notes and bonus tracks, filling all 80 minutes of the CD length. Since the original album was 74 minutes long, there is not too much room for extras here. You get two short songs, one that sounds like it should have been included in the first place and one that doesn't. After a 55 minute blank spot, there is the original radio commercial for this album.

If you like American Beauty, and especially Workingman's Dead, you will like this one also. I think it is even better than those 2.

This album is well reviewed by various listeners. I appreciate Alan Sandler's review pointing out Bob Weir's work on the bridge between Not Fade Away and Goin'Down the Road. Another excellent example of Bobby's ability to lead the transition between songs in medleys can be found in Europe 72's China Cat/I Know You Rider combo. In both of these recordings, Weir lays out the plot with Jerry providing punctuation, then when the mood is set, Garcia is able to elaborate on the story with soaring lines that truly define the Dead during this era. Listen closely to the stereo separation on these recordings and it becomes easier the distinguish these two very different guitar styles that blended so seamlessly together.

Another facet of the Skull and Roses recordings that is underappreciated in my mind is the drumming of Bill Kreutzman throughout this album. Kreutzman once said that drumming should feel like dancing, and if you want to hear a drummer dancing to the sound of a band in its prime, just listen to the drum tracks here. I love Mickey Hart and his contributions not only to the Dead, but to percussion in general, but to my ears,the single drum set on this recording lends a simplicity and purity that is seldom evident on Dead outings with the full double drum set-up.

One more item that stands out and separates this live recording from others that came before and after, was the engineering of the sound. The Dead were surrounded by technical people who loved the music and found a way to give it life on vinyl (and digital media). The sound here is remarkable, especially in light of the fact that the technological leaps that were just around the corner, were not at the disposal of the bands at that time. It wasn't long before the Dead jumped into the world of digital effects and processing, pioneering new sounds and techniques, but the pure energy of the band always sounds best to me right in the grooves of Skull and Roses.

I claim this as the best live American Band recording, fully appreciating some other fantastic live albums (The Allman Brothers, the Band's Rock of Ages, and many others). I admit to a slight bias having followed the Dead since 1968, but I have never been a fan with blinders, unaware of the band's shortcomings, or of the great efforts from all over the American Rock and Roll map. Still, this album can give me the same sense of euphoria that I felt listening all those years ago.

First, (by way of explanation) I'm not a Deadhead. That said, I love the group's first four albums! This one (#4), recorded in 1971, includes legendary performances like "Bertha" (check out Los Lobos' version on Deadicated), "Mama Tried", "Playing In The Band", "Me & My Uncle" and "Wharf Rat". The tracks were recorded live at either the Fillmore East, The Manhattan Center or The Winterland. That said, it isn't really a live album. It's a great recording of some now-classic GD/FM rock songs that admirably display the group's versatility and skill. I'm awestruck by Jerry G.'s superb guitar work (and can now understand why NYC punksters Television were called the "punk Grateful Dead"), not to mention the great drumming, bass and keyboards (let's not forget Bob Weir's rhythm licks). "I am on my bended knees" to quote a lyric from "Bertha". The HDCD remastering is full and warm without too much distortion or hiss while the brief liner notes provide decent information. If you've never purchased this (my first time!) make the effort. You'll be in for a real treat! It's a "must have" classic that showcases the group's "jam" side without going into "snooze after 5 minutes" mode! If you've always had "Grateful Dead (Skull & Bones)", revamp with this version! It brings out the group's nuances and shadings superbly! In a word: wow! A definite eye-opener!

I read somewhere that Jerry said this record epitomised what the Dead were all about. and after hearing it again ,re-mastered after all these years I agree .I had this on vinyl while living in London in the 70's(a double LP) I liked it then and I love it now . Jerry's guitar never sounded better (especially on the remaster -great job whoever is responsible )Song selection is what they were doing back then .This is the disc that has the famous , Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away'' seguing into Woody Guthries' , "Goin Down The Road Feelin Bad" and the superb Big Railroad Blues(was that Gus Cannon's Jug Stompers?) .All tunes contain astounding band performances Kicking off with "Bertha" ,and Jerry's axe shines throughout . I would recommend this to anyone new to the Dead ,as a great place to start. This remastered version contains two extra tracks that could have been left off .. The Coasters' Im A Hog For You Baby,and Buddy Holly's Oh Boy! .. 'Hog' is the better of the two , but neither of these performances enhance the disc .. but, there again .. some Deadheads might be ecstatic that this extra material is on here.

This album, Europe '72 and Live/Dead are all what I'd consider the "classic" live grateful dead albums, and this, along with those other two, should be in every serious Grateful Dead collection. This album introduced some indispensable songs into their catalog, namely Bertha, Wharf Rat, (one of my absolute all-time favorites) and Playing in the Band, as well as some great covers of Mama Tried, Me and My Uncle, and Big Railroad Blues that remained staples of the Dead's live shows for most of their career. Reason enough to own this, but the performances also stand up very well; the band culled some choice recordings from their spring '71 tour. I'm baffled by someone's comments that this album is "quite honestly boring." While it doesn't contain the wild improvisations of Live/Dead, to me there are many incredible moments, most notable being a long The Other One that contains some truly psychedelically inspired band interaction, and including a spirited drum solo by Kruetzman (that is not overly long) and some ferocious bass from Lesh. And i don't know how anyone can consider the not Fade Away > Goin' down the Road Feeling Bad sequence "boring" - it's some of the most straight up rock music you'll ever hear from this band. Take it from me, you can't be without this.