Audio CD review:
The Grateful Dead - Go to Heaven

The Grateful Dead - Go to Heaven

Band: The Grateful Dead Title: Go to Heaven Rating: Release Date: 11 April, 2006 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Alabama Getaway 2: Far From Me 3: Althea 4: Feel Like A Stranger 5: Lost Sailor 6: Saint of Circumstance 7: Antwerp's Placebo (Plumber) 8: Easy to Love You 9: Don't Ease Me In 10: Peggy-O (Bonus) (Studio Outtake) 11: What'll You Raise (Studio Outtake) 12: Jack-A-Roe (Studio Outtake) 13: Althea (Live) 14: Lost Sailor (Live) 15: Saint of Circumstance (Live)

Customer Reviews A Tragically Overlooked GRATEFUL DEAD Classic Whatever the cause, THE GRATEFUL DEAD-"Go To Heaven" was destined to remain a black sheep of the DEAD's back catalogue. Maybe it was the cover art, who knows? Or else, maybe the rock world in 1980 just wasn't as receptive(to a new DEAD album) as they were in 1970. It is truly tragic that so many DEAD fans have avoided "Go To Heaven" over the years. In many cases, the album is verbally trashed by people who have never actually heard it! Admittedly, I fell victim to this phenomenon. Due to the constant bad-mouthing of "Go To Heaven" I just assumed that it must really be THAT bad. Well, when I finally HEARD the album I was quite surprised. Actually, I was rather shocked! "Go To Heaven" is a GREAT album!!! Flawless no, but certainly vintage DEAD. Now without a doubt this album will be most enjoyed by fans of the post-1975 albums. The DEAD circa-1980 were quite different from the DEAD of 1970. However, the quality of music produced by the GRATEFUL DEAD did NOT change during this period. "Go To Heaven" is filled with powerful tracks such as the forgotten Hunter/Garcia classic "Althea" and Bob Weir's brilliant "Lost Sailor" and "Saint of Circumstance"(two of Weir's most emotional and mature compostitions). New guy keyboardist Brent Mydland contributes two tracks which despite their commercial appeal are both well written and quite enjoyable. The album opens with the classic "Alabama Getaway" one of the DEAD's most rockin' tunes. Another highlight is Bob Weir's killer "Feel Like A Stranger" which is probably the DEAD's most funk-based tune(next to "Shakedown Street", of course)and sure to get you in the groove. The album ends with a short and uptempo version of "Don't Ease Me In". As added bonuses, the remastered Rhino version of "Go To Heaven" adds studio outtakes of "Peggy-O", "Jack-A-Roe", and a totally AWESOME tune which should have made the album called "What'll You Raise". Furthermore, you get KILLER live versions of "Althea", "Lost Sailor" and "Saint of Circumstance" recorded at Radio City Music Hall in 1980. Add on an excellent booklet with great liner-notes and you have a truly great re-issue of this album with an excellent and much deserved remastering job. So now's your chance to check out an album you may have overlooked or shied away from at the time. Revisit "Go To Heaven" and discover its hidden charm and lost brilliance. . . . . All good deadheads go to Heaven Alabama get away is real good Althea is is good a real good vocal from Garcia. Go to Heaven is a fair cd. Feel like astranger Weirs best on this one sums up how i felt when i saw their show. Antwerp placebo is a good insttramental Dont ease me in is good good harmony enjoyable. Far from you is allright. Alabama get away Althea Antwerp placebo and Dont ease me in are the only songs close to the dead at ther best. The band's least exciting album (for me anyway) How bad was it? It was so bad that the band didn't even bother to record another one for seven years. This is, without a doubt, the worst Grateful Dead album ever. Even the band agreed that this was a turkey after it's release. It's not that the songs are all THAT bad, it's just that on here they go nowhere and take their time getting there. The funny thing here is that the bonus tracks, for the most part, are just as uninspired. Brit producer Gary Lyons should've stuck to producing Foreinger and left the Dead alone. Although, the band shares just as much responsibility for this. . . You can see a complete list of all The Grateful Dead discography, or go back to the The Grateful Dead tabs