Go get these shows–they’re some of my favorites….

1/20/68.  Good old grungy bluesy early Dead.

Little Red Rooster (3/29/87).   From the Spectrum, and one of my favorite shows of all time.

5/26/77 Baltimore.  1977 was their best year.

Dent May, who is now on an RIAA label, has made some great indie music in the past.  Showing his music-for-the-people roots, he offers a free cover of The Grateful Dead’s funkiest disco tune….

I loves me some Dead, and this “show” is a true keeper.  Compiled by a fan, it contains all songs sung and performed by Joan Osborne, her band, and the Grateful Dead.  There’s tons of fan favorites and rarities in here, like the Beatles cover She Said She Said, Mr. Charlie, Addicts of My Life, Stella, Queen Bee . . . And the sound quality is fan-nomenal!

So, any love left for Jerry’s former band?

Disc One
1. Queen Bee 8:48 (Tweeter Center, Mansfield, MA, June 22, 2003 – Laford)
2. She Said She Said 4:03 (Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Dec. 30, 2003 – Unknown)
3. Built To Last 4:27 (Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Virginia Beach, VA, June 17, 2003 – Burns)
4. Casey Jones 6:29 (Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD, June 18, 2003 – Carlson)
5. Mr. Charlie 5:27 (Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY, June 20, 2003 – Doughty/Cole)
http://player.groovebat.com/player.swf
6. Comes A Time 9:36 (Tweeter Center at the Waterfront, Camden, NJ, June 27, 2003 – Suraci)
7. All That You Are 7:04 (Verizon Wireless Music Center, Noblesville, TN, Aug. 5, 2003 – SMadigan)
8. Night of 1,000 Stars 8:08 (St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa, FL, July 30, 2003 – Unknown)
9. Lovelight 9:24 (Tweeter Center at the Waterfront, Camden, NJ, June 27, 2003 – Suraci)

Disc Two
1. China Doll 9:02 (Tweeter Center at the Waterfront, Camden, NJ, June 28, 2003 – Suraci)
2. No More Do I 7:04 (Darien Lake, Darien, NY, Aug. 8, 2003 – Suraci)
3. Peggy-O 7:13 (Darien Lake, Darien, NY, Aug. 8, 2003 – Suraci)
4. Reuben and Cherise 6:54 (Darien Lake, Darien, NY, Aug. 8, 2003 – Suraci)
5. Morning Dew 12:47 (Verizon Wireless Music Center, Noblesville, TN, Aug. 5, 2003 – SMadigan)
6. Days Between 15:07 (Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO, July 6, 2003 – Evans-Sacks)

Disc Three
1. Stella Blue 8:37 (Jones Beach Theatre, Wantagh, NY, Aug. 9, 2003 – Traietta/McCreary)
http://player.groovebat.com/player.swf
2. Jam > 3:28 (Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Dec. 30, 2003 – Unknown)
3. Space > 5:24 (Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Dec. 30, 2003 – Unknown)
4. Sugaree 14:03 (Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Dec. 30, 2003 – Unknown)
5. Organ Donor Rap > Band Intros 3:36 (Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Dec. 31, 2003 – Phopely)
6. It Must Have Been The Roses 6:31 (Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Dec. 31, 2003 – Phopely)
7. Attics Of My Life 7:08 (Verizon Wireless Music Center, Noblesville, TN, Aug. 5, 2003 – SMadigan)
8. We Bid You Goodnight 3:39 (Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY, June 20, 2003 – Doughty/Cole)
9. Brokedown Palace 6:07 (Erie Canal Harbor, Buffalo, NY, June 27, 2009)

ZIP

ALT ZIP LINK

“Nothing But Our Love,” the first cut off of Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.‘s EP titled, “Horse Power,” feels a little twee at first.  It’s a very simple song, vocalized like a mantra (“All we have/All we have/Is nothing but our love”)–like one of those old contemplative Paul McCartney love songs.  It’s very simple, yet immediately captivating.  I really didn’t want to like this song, either, because it sounded so meek at first.  But I couldn’t help myself.

It goes on to “Vocal Chords,” which is at once similar and different.  And then comes “Simple Girl,” which perfects the McCartney influence just in time for the closer: A cover of my least favorite Brian Wilson song, “God Only Knows.”  But it works.  Quite well, actually.  In fact, I like it a lot more than the original.  The vocals are stil airy and heavy on harmony, but there’s more bottom here and the singer lets his voice crack a few times.  It makes the song less idealistic–now it feels real, grounded.  Like someone really loves someone else so much it makes him afraid.  It hurts.

Yeah, this is a fluffier review than you’re used to reading here.  This is a fluffier album than I tend to listen to.  But if you’re looking a lovely, meditative record like Grizzly Bear or Postal Service, this hits the spot.  There’s a lot of music like this out there these days, but this is some of the best.

God Only Knows (Beach Boys cover)
http://player.groovebat.com/player.swf

BONUS BEACH BOYS!

Okie From Muskogee-The Grateful Dead and the Beach Boys
http://player.groovebat.com/player.swf

Funniest.  Picture.  Ever.

Ain’t It Crazy (The Rub)-The Grateful Dead (4/28/71 boot)

1993 might not (definitely was not) the best year to see the Grateful Dead.  Health issues plagued the band, and Bobby’s songwriting skills were not peaking, either.  What makes this show so cool, though, is the widely varied setlist.  There’s the last Casey Jones ever played, and in set one no less, a rare recording of Broken Arrow, and then old favorites like Eyes, Corinna, and Cassidy.

So, without further ado, The Dead, March 27, 1993, 3/27/93, Albany, N.Y.  Enjoy.
SET 1:
01.  Hell In A Bucket
02.  Bertha
03.  Same Thing
04.  Peggy-O
05.  Queen Jane Approximately
06.  Broken Arrow
07.  Loose Lucy
08.  Cassidy
09.  Casey Jones (last time played . . . Ever!)

SET 2:
01.  Eyes Of The World
02.  Estimated Prophet
03.  Comes A Time
04.  Corinna
05/6.  Drumspace
07.  The Wheel
08.  All Along The Watchtower
09.  Days Between
10.  One More Saturday Night

ENCORE:
I Fought The Law

ZIP FILE

Keep Your Powder Dry is the new EP from New York’s country-rockers The Izzys.  The EP is structured a little methodically: upbeat-downbeat-upbeat-downbeat-big closer, and the downbeat numbers are good—but not good enough.  The second song, “Under the Sun,” sounds vaguely like the Beatles—but it’s a little too slow, and definitely the weakest track here.  But it’s still eminently listenable.  Best of all, it’s followed by the ass-kicking Neil Young-like guitar crunch of “You Are Free,” an instant country rock classic that’s well worth the price of the entire EP.  But the structure speaks volumes: The band has made a studio EP, and one gets the sense listening that they really want to spread their wings.  What makes “You Are Free” and the band’s cover of The Grateful Dead’s “Deal” so good are the extended jams and the more experimental vocals.  This is the rare example of a band that needs less song structure, not more.

And don’t let the “country rock” moniker fool you.  Yes, they’ve got the honky tonk swing and twang, but enough rock and roll to keep fans of old Stones and Skynyrd coming back for more.  I can’t help but think that they must be great live.

Tear ‘Em On Down

BONUS GRATEFUL DEAD COVERS!

In honor of the great cover of “Deal” on the above-reviewed Izzys’ EP . . .

Cold Rain & Snow-Oenida

New Speedway Boogie-Catherine Russell

Franklin’s Tower-Ryan Adams

Scarlet Begonias/Ring The Alarm (Grateful Dead/Fushnickers)-Sublime

ZIP FILE WITH ALL THESE GREAT TUNES!

1.  Go here for a good Dolly Varden show, in which she covers Hot Chocolate’s “You Sexy Thing.” Great song.

2.  Looks like the Archive has got downloadable Dead shows again.  Dunno when that happened.  But here’s one from 1980 that looks pretty good.  Any 1980 Althea is worth checkin’ out, anyway.

3.  Cover Me has a good collection of songs with the word “Radio” in them.  It’s a random reason for a post, but he’s got Jesse Malin covering the Ramones, and covers of Springsteen and Costello, to name a few.

4.  Everybody Cares was always a good blog.  They said they were back in August, but where the fuck are they.  Go harass them, here.

5.  Now this is my kinda padded room.  Lock me up!

6.  The Spinto Band’s debut was one of my favorite indie albums this decade.  Here, they cover ELO (direct link).

Susannah “The Bangles” Hoffs and Matthew “Girlfriend” Sweet teamed up for the first time in 2006, releasing what may be best described as a low-key powerpop album of covers, “Under the Covers Vol. 1,” with killer versions of classic rock (The Beatles’ “And Your Bird Can Sing,” Dylan’s “Baby Blue,” and Neil Young’s “Cinnammon Girl,” e.g.) and some more eclectic choices like “Different Drum,” “Run to Me,” and “Sunday Morning.” Volume 2 attempts the same magic, with a balance of classic rock covers (“Bell Bottom Blues” is a particular standout), and some more ambitious selections as well. In some ways, the album reaches a little too far. “Seen All Good People/Give Peace a Chance” is an eight-minute epic that starts out interesting but just goes on too long. If you’re going to make a light, folkpop album, don’t do extended songs. On the other hand, the duo’s willingness to approach the offbeat and ordinary with equal enthusiasm produces the albums greatest successes. “You’re So Vain” and “Hello, It’s Me,” hew close to the originals, but veer off with just enough fun and spirit that they actually improve upon them. I’d tell you that their cover of “Sugar Magnolia” is also a step above the original, but The Grateful Dead have never been known for their studio efforts, so it might seem like damning with faint praise. But it shouldn’t. Hoff’s charm and Sweet’s skillful arrangement make the song as happy-go-lucky as its supposed to be–a love song for summer.

This second time around isn’t as consistently great as the first one, but there’s enough greatness here to make this the album that should be slamming from the deck while you’re driving on the sand this summer.

Bell Bottom Blues

BONUS DUET

Scarlet Begonias-The Grateful Dead and Janis Joplin. (Because the Dead are basically one dude with several bodies.)