What's Spinning: Season 2, Vol. 16

A change of pace for the Dead

There has been quite the conversation lately about the best studio album by the Grateful Dead. Let's discuss, shall we?

American Beauty is a phenomenonal album. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love it. Though as someone who drifts to the Psychedelic side of the Dead's discography, this album is probably number three for me.

Crazy take? Some might think so but hear me out. This album has many great songs as I absolutely enjoy Ripple, Friend of the Devil, and Box of Rain, but it can't touch the creative guitar work of Jerry Garcia and Bobby Weir.

But time to get off my soapbox and discuss this album for all it's merits. It all started after drummer Mickey Hart's dad had renewed the band's contract with Warner Brothers without their knowledge. Heck, his dad even ran off with the band's money. That was just the tip of the iceberg as the band's normal sound crew was on tour for the Medicine Ball Caravan tour, something the Dead were supposed to be a part of.

This was also the first album where Jerry Garcia would collaborate with mandolin player David Grossman from the recently broken up band, Earth Opera. This partnership would span over 30 years as the two would release albums together many times.

Overall it's a fantastic album. Like, Workingman's Dead, it would feature bluegrass, Americana and country. This was a complete shift from their psychedelic days.

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Grateful Dead - American Beauty

Rhino/Warner Brothers, 2020

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