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The Grateful Dead - Dead Set Audio CD

A fair review of the The Grateful Dead "Dead Set" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all The Grateful Dead reviews here, or go back to the The Grateful Dead tabs.

The Grateful Dead Band: The Grateful Dead
Title: Dead Set
Rating:
Release Date: 2006-04-11
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Samson and Delilah 2: Friend of the Devil 3: New Minglewood Blues 4: Deal 5: Candyman 6: Little Red Rooster 7: Loser 8: Passenger 9: Feel Like A Stranger 10: Franklin's Tower 11: Rhythm Devils 12: Space 13: Fire on the Mountain 14: Greatest Story Ever Told 15: Brokedown Palace 16: Let It Grow (Bonus) 17: Sugaree (Bonus) 18: C.C. Rider (Bonus) 19: Row Jimmy (Bonus) 20: Lazy Lightnin' (Bonus) 21: Supplication (Bonus) 22: High Time (Bonus) 23: Jack Straw (Bonus) 24: Shakedown Street (Bonus) 25: Not Fade Away (Bonus)

ok ok ok
I almost gave this three stars, the only problem with this CD is that it isnt long enough. . . by all means, if you think you like the set list go and buy this up, every song on here is done to perfection, particulary LOSER. . . . . . but these two discs were decided by, I think, 15 nights of shows, and I happen to have a disc three bootleg of these same shows, and its freakin amazing, it just dont make any sense why they would release this and reckoning together and then. . . . . . thats it. . . . . . reckoning, of course, is this discs counter part. . . . . but they should have released AT LEAST a four disc collection for Dead Set, they only played like 400 different songs during these residencies. . . . . . this is a good album but I encourage all who buy it to go and get the bootlegs from these shows of songs that are not on Dead Set OR Reckoning. . . . . The Dead were on FIRE in 1980 and this 2 disc set proves it. . . . . but doesnt prove it enough. . . . . . . they played 15 days at the Warfield in San Fran then 8 days in New York at Radio City with a 2 day gig in New Orleans in-between that. . . . . so you can see what I mean when I say that two discs plus Reckoning is just not enough for us Heads Out here. . . . but a beautiful package and great sound made me happy enough, and the Fire on the Mountain and Loser on here just may be favorites.


Disciplined Dead ...
With all of the live GD options to choose from you will find that everyone has their favorite based on set list, performance date, performance level (individually as well as collectively), production quality, and their own personal state of mind. While initially not one of my favorite live offerings from GD, this remastered with bonus tracks double disc selection is certainly one to own. So, not being someone else's favorite shouldn't be a big factor in considering whether or not this disc (or any other disc for that matter) is for you the reader.

"Dead Set" contains very high quality performances and an outstanding set list from the band back in the fall of 1980. My initial impression upon first listen of the original 2-album vinyl release (way back when) was that the performances were highly disciplined as opposed to being dangerously close to the edge of something special or something tragic. This impression hasn't changed. Nonetheless, there are plenty of creative moments here so I'm sure that this point could be argued to the contrary as well.

Production on this release is balanced and clean. Brent Mydland's presence on keyboards can be heard quite clearly and is very prominent throughout. I especially enjoy his contributions to Candyman and Brokedown Palace which are fabulous renderings of these American Beauty classics. The crowd noise at certain key points of these tracks lets you know that they concur. The "special" version of Friend of the Devil presented here features Brent on organ in support of a very blue Jerry Garcia.

The aforementioned Brokedown Palace closed out the original "Dead Set" release and is among my personal favorites. As the tune ended I couldn't help but feel that there had to be more. After all, it couldn't possibly end there, could it? It did then but it doesn't anymore and that is enough to boost what I would have rated a 4+ stars release up to the full five star max. The bonus tracks on disc two provide a more freewheeling example of the band during this era making the remastered "Dead Set" an even more valuable treasure to own . . .
.


Love it
The rendition of Fire on this album has long been one my favorites. Nice job studio-mixing the live shows. .


dead set lives!!
can't get over how good this one is. wife picked me up some of the grateful dead live albums for valentine's day. the entire disc 2 was unreleased. sound is great, songs are great. lots of the slower, more methodical tunes here. shakedown street (an unreleased track) is incredible, clocking in at over 10 minutes. high time, let it grow and sugaree are also new previously unreleased versions, and they are great. candyman is very nice. loser is an essential. next to europe 72, this one is my favorite live dead. what wasn't essential dead listening now has become so with this expanded set.


Greatness Expanded = More Greatness
With "Loser","Candyman","Fire on the Mountian", "Franklin's Tower" and "Brokedown Palace" it was a kinda "Holy Grail" for Head's. When these two Live Discs were released in 1980, It was indeed a BIG DEAL in Deadland. My Girlfriend hated the Slowed-down: "Friend of the Devil". But, I was hooked on this one right from the get-go.

Now, this Re-Mastered Edition, adds on a Bonus Disc of 10 more Tracks. My 4 Star rating just got Bumped-up to 5 Stars. With, "Sugeree","Shakedown Street", "High Time", "Lazy Lightnin'/Supplication added into an already fine record it makes for "Primal Dead Listening".

I know, lot's of folks prefer the studio records. . . But, for the real Beast we call The Grateful Dead. Dive off the deep end and pick-up this one along with "Europe 72" & "Without A Net", and you'll see what all the Fuss was about.


You can see a complete list of all The Grateful Dead discography, or go back to the The Grateful Dead tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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