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I've never listened to Grateful Dead. They have so much stuff I never really new where to jump in. Is this the Dead album I should get?
I'll wade in, only to say that I think it's a fine entry point. It's my favorite "From the Vault" and a gem of a live show. People have their era preferences. This was nearly peak Dead for me. Also one of few bands I'd say listen to live stuff over studio, but it's also a bottomless well. Give it a stream! Europe '72 is amazing as well. And Cornell '77.
 
I'll wade in, only to say that I think it's a fine entry point. It's my favorite "From the Vault" and a gem of a live show. People have their era preferences. This was nearly peak Dead for me. Also one of few bands I'd say listen to live stuff over studio, but it's also a bottomless well. Give it a stream! Europe '72 is amazing as well. And Cornell '77.

Thanks for the proper answer. I will dig into some streaming at the weekend.
 
So....... if Storf took a holiday & handed you the curation keys for May Essentials, what would be the Dead album would you place as AOTM?
I really can't get into the Dead, although I love so many bands that they influenced. So it would probably be one of those. Hiss Golden Messenger is one that I've seen cover the Dead, and it sounds so much better to my ears. There are a bunch of bands that I should enjoy and are right up my alley, but just don't catch me....a couple examples are Drive By Truckers and John Prine (although I am getting the VMP ROTM to try and get through that).
 
I really can't get into the Dead, although I love so many bands that they influenced. So it would probably be one of those. Hiss Golden Messenger is one that I've seen cover the Dead, and it sounds so much better to my ears. There are a bunch of bands that I should enjoy and are right up my alley, but just don't catch me....a couple examples are Drive By Truckers and John Prine (although I am getting the VMP ROTM to try and get through that).

I know what you mean. I must admit I got well into John Prine, but the first album I heard was his last, that was the one that hooked me
 
I really can't get into the Dead, although I love so many bands that they influenced. So it would probably be one of those. Hiss Golden Messenger is one that I've seen cover the Dead, and it sounds so much better to my ears. There are a bunch of bands that I should enjoy and are right up my alley, but just don't catch me....a couple examples are Drive By Truckers and John Prine (although I am getting the VMP ROTM to try and get through that).
I’m the same way with the Dead. On paper, they’re a band that should be right up my alley. But I just can’t get very excited about them.

However, I will say that I think their live performances are SO much better than their studio recordings. I’m actually considering getting this One From the Vault release.
 
So....... if Storf took a holiday & handed you the curation keys for May Essentials, what would be the Dead album would you place as AOTM?
I love the Dead, they are easily my favorite band and the band I own the most physical music of (around 120 shows on CD/vinyl with many more on a hard drive). If you want to go studio, it’s hard to argue against American Beauty or maybe Workingmans. These answers may be cliche, but critics and fans seem to agree on these two, and though I rarely turn to studio dead, it’s what I would likely choose or show people who haven’t listened to the band. But for me, it’s about the live stuff. E72 is a good starting point for a lot of people, but it’s not wholly authentic live dead since there was a fair amount of studio tinkering. That being said, the morning dew is transcendent and it’s the album I’ve used the most to get people into the Dead. I have a friend who didn’t get much from that, but I showed him Cornell 77 and that got him hooked. Check out different eras—dicks pick 8 is a favorite of mine and shows off some great acoustic and electric stuff—and see what clicks (or doesn’t). It’s a tough answer to give because a ‘91 show at the Garden with Bruce Hornsby in tow sure sounds different than a ‘69 Pigpen rave up at the Forum. I personally love the ‘73-4 era where they were getting real jazzy, but I think one from the vault is a fantastic show that is both accessible and shows off what makes the band so special.
 
So....... if Storf took a holiday & handed you the curation keys for May Essentials, what would be the Dead album would you place as AOTM?
2LP or less and assuming the Anthology never happened?

I'd do Skulls and Roses (1971 live album), Wake of the Flood, or Anthem of the Sun

I'd avoid the big/hit releases: WD, AB and In The Dark
 
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