Acoustic Dead
Sukumar Ranganathan -
Wednesday, December 17, 2008 12:31 PM
For someone who loves the Grateful Dead's extended (some would say mind-numbing) jams, this writer's first brush with the band came, surprisingly enough, with an acoustic studio album (again, a rarity for the Dead) (corrected 17 December), Reckoning.
Still, there's a certain charm when all-electric groups suddenly go acoustic.
I've listened to acoustic versions of Nirvana, Tesla, a group that proved that acoustic jams were possible, and the Rolling Stones, and loved them all.
I recently listened to an acoustic concert by the dead on the Deadshow podcast.
It dates back to 1980, is the very show that provided material for Reckoning, and it has some amazing songs, including the Dead's tribute to Janis Joplin, Bird Song and hippie anthem Ripple.
I don't sing very well (actually, I don't sing well at all or sing), but I do have fond memories of singing Ripple a-cappella, on stage, at a college fest.
Anyway, you can download the concert here.
Here's the set list : On The Road Again, Jack-A-Roe, Monkey And The Engineer, Bird Song, Dark Hollow, Rosalie McFall
Heaven Help The Fool, China Doll, Oh Babe It Ain't No Lie, Ripple.
As with most music featured on this blog, it's free.
Enjoy.