headyversion

find the best versions of grateful dead songs

please login or register.

Carrion_Crow

Stealth Head

+49682


Submissions

7
Smokestack Lightnin'
Dec. 4, 1971
Felt Forum, Madison Square Garden

Gut bucket blues. Pure danger from Blue Ron. Hard to figure why this ain't already here.
3
You Win Again
Dec. 4, 1971
Felt Forum, Madison Square Garden

Sweet little rare tune.
6
Tennessee Jed
Dec. 4, 1971
Felt Forum, Madison Square Garden

One of those versions where it sounds like every note is just the embodiment of perfection.
2
Uncle John's Band
Dec. 2, 1971
Boston Music Hall

Shredding solo over the 7/4 section and lots of dark power here, though there are some mix issues and maybe some tape speed wobble. Clean versions?
13
The Other One
Nov. 20, 1971
Pauley Pavilion

Totally overlooked: An intricate, mercurial, and explosive monster masterwork. Overshadowed by but totally different from the enormous 12/02.

Comments

The Other One
Sept. 23, 1972
Palace Theater

The Brubeck comment is great. Funny thing is, it's a straight 6/8 jam that sounds like 7/4, starting around 07:20. Magic in any case. The Cryptical is hardly even present though, so hard to really consider it complete. It was the last time they played it until the '85 experiments. If anything, the odd-angled jazz jam in this TOO emphasizes how far they'd come from the psychedelicore Crypticals of '69 and '70.
Bird Song
Sept. 23, 1972
Palace Theater

Bobby master class here. The mix has him nicely audible and it's a fun switch from the era in which he's usually hard to find, but unfortunately the whole sound is over-compressed with a lot of tape wobble. I'd nominate this one to Grandmaster Miller for a re-mastering and clean-up if anyone has his phone number, pretty puhleeze.
Mexicali Blues
Sept. 23, 1972
Palace Theater

...and Billy drives the band like a man possessed. More a triple-time march than your usual polka. Good to see this oft-overlooked number here.
Mississippi Halfstep Uptown Toodeloo
Jan. 18, 1978
Stockton Civic Auditorium

Papa bear voice, coupla' years ahead of time. The band is beautiful behind them, and Donna makes a nice Ri-o contribution in a raging outro.
Ramble On Rose
May 5, 1991
Cal Expo

I dig, Crackstraw, I dig.