A mighty a primal drum section reminiscent of the early acid test days. Follows after a rare Cryptical and breaks through into The Other One.

Shocked that this hasn't been listed! Great energy with some decimating lines from Jerry and Bobby is screaming his big ol heart out. Great version.

Jerry and Bobby create a beautiful space before TOO. A conversation in strings. Billy and Mickey create primal, carnivorous music. Hunting music.

What a crown jewel Pretty Peggy O can be. A truly tender version that washes away all my worries. These 74 versions are quite special.

The Dead take the Parisians through a cowboys surrealist day dream. Check out how both Keith and Jerry are utterly locked into the music.

A spiraling staircase Truckin’ that has the band exploring spaces only they can create. You can feel the frosty air and the lyserhic atmosphere emitting from the sound waves of the recording. This Truckin’ is vessel of exploration into rainbow colored spirals, Jerry acting as a wizard using his guitar as a staff to open portals to these realms, and Bobby’s brewing up some alchemy with each strum of the string. I love how much you can hear his impact on this one.

Speaker breaker. A Cowboy deluxe package transitioning straight into Me and My Uncle. Turn this up loud and let Jerry shoot lightning bolts right through your skeleton and feel the jolts of electricity with each pluck of the string. Jerry’s tone is one of the best I’ve heard on a Cumberland, with the right amount of twang that has all the hairs on your body standing straight up. A severely underrated version, great vocals, and Keith’s saloon western piano work is just sublime. Also check out Billy just swinging away, the 5 minute mark he takes you away into an old dusty ballroom where you can dance for eternity.

Shocked to see this so low. This is where Pigpen shined the most, a real goddamned bluesmen. With the boys following his lead into swampy marshlands under a harvest moon, Alligator, who is perfectly dialed in, swims in these waters, snapping his long jaw at any unsuspecting creature finding its way in this land. Pippen howls at the moon, asking why she doesn’t hear him crying. A real lament. Keith was the perfect addition for this band, and his lines in this tune are a perfect example as to why. A true saloon pianist. Jerry is also utterly electrifying, and his tone is a perfect peak into what 72 is all about. Sublime version that takes you right down the Mississippi delta.

A buddy of mine showed this to me after having an argument about which key this song is better in, and while I still prefer my Dire Wolves in the key of A, this scorcher had my ears perked up. As my friend said, “You can hear in the solo his anger from not being able to sing.” And sure enough the aggressive leads really make up for the rough vocals Jerry was having. Truly amazing. 78 is full attack mode.

Coming out of one of the most definitive moments of the bands career, they keep the momentum going and awaken an ancient serpent like creature with seven heads, engaging in the battle of their lives, and ultimately, coming out victorious. The sequence of DS>TOO>Lovelight is a fable in itself, a tale of heroics passed through generations. It truly doesn't get better than this. Side note, I ate too many mushrooms a long time ago and after having an epiphany during Dark Star, listening to this was far too scary and bugged me out, imagine the ones in the crowd who took too much! Mind splitting for sure.