American Beauty - Grateful Dead (1970)
Hot take: The Dead would never have become an American institution on the strength of any of their studio records.
Even this record, one of their best-received from their peak era and featuring a bunch of tunes that would be setlist staples for decades, still doesn’t capture the workmanship and inventiveness of the band.
But these songs are not just tracks on an album. They’re the building blocks of a legacy, the raw material that the band would use over the years to create something truly unique by playing them adventurously night after night and sharing that experience with people far and wide.
Tracks I Liked
Friend Of The Devil - one of their best
Brokedown Palace - a favorite of mine
Box Of Rain - bassist Phil Lesh was a major creative force in the band, but this is one of his very few songwriting credits.
