American Beauty

I have always said that I don’t like the Grateful Dead and I will continue to say it. But this is a pretty great album so I may not say it as loudly in the future. I will continue to hate all the live jammy stuff, though. And it really bothers me that the song ripple sounded like it was being sung by Jeff Tweedy.

This album is why I was a Deadhead in college. But the more intense Deadheads led me to live tapes and I never got why that was better than American Beauty (or Terrapin Station). Box of Rain has taken on new meaning in my life upon learning its origin story (Phil wrote en route to see his dad who was dying in a nursing home). The best of the Dead is on this album and the cover is as classic as the band.

Listened Before? Yes Album Art: 3 / 5 (not my favorite of the band's artwork, but its fine) Note: Basing my review on the 50th Anniversary Remaster. This is the album that brought the Dead to the masses. The Dead tapped into Americana vibes with a poppier and better produced vibe that previous releases. Album contains some mega hits that got radio play (Sugar Magnolia, Friend of the Devil, Truckin'). I said it in my previous Dead review, but what separates The Dead from so many contemporary jam bands is that they have bomb song writing and created great studio releases. They then take these strong fundamentals and jam endlessly on top in live shows. The only (somewhat) comparable in the modern era is Phish, but even they don't have *great* studio recordings. Always love the hop that the studio version of Friend of the Devil has. They often play it slowed down to a crawl live. Such a fun and singable little ditty. Love the drum work on Sugar Magnolia. Such an great pop rock song -- one of the best summer songs I can think of. Candyman is probably going to be a divisive one. I'm personally into it and it shows The Dead maturing their harmonization from its rougher early stages. This one is a slower blues progression. Brokedown Palace is just a pretty song. The harmonization along with the pool hall keys in the background. I find this one to be so calming. All said, I'm a solid 4.5 / 5 on this one. I love The Dead and I think that American Beauty is one of their better produced albums. It introduces a number of staples to their live catalog (Sugar Magnolia, Box of Rain, Friend of the Devil, Truckin) and shows them coming into form with well-written songs that take advantage of their harmonization. Some of the songs run together a bit towards the middle, and by comparison to Workingman's Dead released in the same year, I always give preference to WD. Added to Library? Yes (already there) Songs Added to Playlists: - Sugar Magnolia (sunny vibes) - Friend of the Devil (sunny vibes) - Attics of My Life (rainy / tired)

Love this album. I would give it 4.5 stars if there was halves

It is always refreshing to listen to jamband studio albums from time to time so every song isn't 18 minutes long. This album is chock full of songs that I knew but didn't know the name of going in: Friend of the Devil, Ripple, Till the Morning Comes This is a great mix of folky and rock that really checks a box for me for enjoyable music. Truckin is such a fun song to sing along to and jam out. Now hand me an ice cold fatty or two.

This is a really good album. I never really gave this band a chance and I’m glad I did. I love their use of harmony.

One great song after another.

First actual listen. Honestly great. I was skeptical, but not overrated at all, like so many reviews here have said. I liked the imperfections. It felt like jamming and singing with pros. The Atmos mix was lovely, too.

7/10. Yeah, this is a good example of the genre, and its a genre I still like okay despite having heard so much of it from this list.

Didn’t listen all the way through, but the Dead are the Dead - beautiful guitar harmonies and vocal harmonies, lyrics that are just in the right spot of cryptic and telling a story. Better in live versions but this is a solid album.

Full disclosure: AB was a mainstay of one’s musical development and a soundtrack (though less so than various bootlegs) of some painful lost years (young man’s blues and sorrows basically). “Box of Rain” seems less powerful than in those days, when it had magical, near mystical import. The shaky and uncertain vocals are the main culprit. Conversely, “FOTD” seems richer than the bouncy singalong ditty a younger one mistook it for. And what was vaguely filler — “Candyman,” and even “Operator” — 30 to 30+ years ago sound better made and more enjoyable and more interesting today. “Sugar Mag” is every bit as great. “Brokedown Palace” mighta been a classic but suffers inordinately from its proximity to “Ripple,” a real high-water mark in terms of quietly inspirational folk-rock tunes and almost certainly the all-time leader in the “song-to-play-at-my-funeral” category. “Attics” and “Truckin, saccharine and stupid respectively, go off the cliff in terms of the excellence of other cuts. One's always hated the latter, which seems to have a disastrous quality-to-exposure ratio. The playing is subtle throughout, the singing rarely rises above the mediocre-but-fine level, all of it here of course paling in comparison to the full live expression, which is/was legendary for a reason, even if considerably overrated in the latter years. One might even prefer Workingmans as the stronger record, cut for cut, and it woulda been fun to see what editors might have made with the pretty damn fun and much (and at least somewhat justifiably) maligned Shakedown Street, one’s fave guilty pleasure in the Dead canon. Very good, if not quite cathartic, to revisit a record that once meant so much and find its treasures and virtues mostly intact, if singing in slightly different tones and vibes to older ears.

Opening on the magnificent “Box of Rain” is what ultimately does it for me with this album. It sets the exact tone needed for experiencing the rest of American Beauty. Beautifully crafted songs with very few minor misses in between.

Never was a dead head but I really enjoyed this album. Liked every song and loved that it ended with a “hit.” Makes me want to give the dead another try

Wow. I had no idea what a true cultural monument the Grateful Dead truly are. This is old school southern rock at it's absolute finest. I definitely would have been a dead head.

Carefree easy-listening polyphonic acoustics, nice!

I’m not a Dead Head by any definition, but man, I really like a lot of songs on this record. Box of Rain, Friend if the Devil, Sugar Magnolia, Truckin’,…

A bit slower then what i remembered. Still good memories of listening to this record.

Ah, the Grateful Dead. Dead Heads will say you have to see them live. Maybe, but I can't stand 20 min songs that you forget what you were playing by the end. Just not my thing, there's no reason for a song to be that long. But that said, I actually really like some of their music. Because the songs start and stop, like, you know, SONGS should. And I like this album. I've listened to it before and I will again.

Even a person who lacks of Grateful Dead understanding knows that American Beauty is one of their most celebrated albums. They were at the top of their game. García had been recognized as one of the key characters of the psychedelic era and the band’s live presentation were once-in-lifetime events for fans. The album itself has a deep charming. With a sweet sound palette, it tells us many stories coming from the hippy lifestyle and free love ethos. Its magic still influences artists to this day. It may not be the most innovative but I need to recognize its importance to the rock genre.

HL: “Ripple”, “Sugar Magnolia”, "Attics of My Life", “Brokedown Palace” 1st Grateful Dead album- was feeling a 3 at first but putting on some tracks a 2nd time bumped it up. Mellow album which was more country than I expected. “Ripple” is a standout , and I put “Sugar Magnolias” on a playlist about beating the winter blues a while back. July 20, 2023

It’s nice and a clsssic, still not crazy for it

I'm not really a Grateful Dead guy, but I respect the hell out of their songwriting and styling. The jam session stuff loses me, so this album was a nice perspective on that opinion. I've viewed them as a singer/songwriter band and not appreciated the moment the music was made and its influence. Good reset on them for me.

Yeah it's easy listening but it's still quite nice

Maaaaaan

The album that made Lyndsay Weir skip a summer academic summit and become a Deadhead. I can't say I blame her.

Some great songs, and I’m particularly fond of “Friend of the Devil”. But this album feels longer than it is. I need to go deeper on their back catalogue, but for now I don’t feel super connected to the Dead’s music

i was a bit disappointed — i’d always heard that this was the dead’s best album, but i’ve preferred others. still solid tho

The Dead are known as a live band, primarily. But I still quite enjoy their studio albums, and this is objectively their "best". While the second half of the album sags a little more, I wouldn't say anything here is bad, per se. "Friend of the Devil" is a great piece of folk rock. "Sugar Magnolia" is a fun little tune, full of joyous harmonies. And "Truckin'" is a great closing track, as the band moves forward on their "long, strange trip". As a semi-reformed stoner, this band and this album will always hold a place in my heart.

I think I like the Dead more than I knew

Contains a lot of the Dead's greatest tracks. Pales in comparison to their live recordings, but their best studio effort is still very good.

New for me. I enjoyed.

Great Grateful dead album.

I haven't listened much to their studio albums, but this one has a lot of good songs.

4.25

Staple Country-Folk-Rock record. One of the best Grateful Dead albums. Very cohesive songs and a nice flow. Classic from the first spin I gave it! Favorite lyrics: - A box of rain will ease the pain. And love will see you through. - Such a long long time to be gone. And a short time to be there. - She comes skimmin' through rays of violet. She can wade in a drop of dew. - Let it be known there is a fountain. That was not made by the hands of men. - All the birds that were singing. Have flown except you alone. Favorite tracks: - Box Of Rain - Friend Of The Devil - Sugar Magnolia - Ripple - Truckin' - Brokedown Palace 8,5 out of 10

I knew little about Grateful Dead. In my head they were an 80s gothic shoot off from heavy metal. So I was pleasantly surprised by this. Lovely writing and harmonies. Quite enjoyed it.

Classic jams! Good vibes

Great album that's incredibly important to several genres.

Never heard the Grateful Dead before. Really enjoyed this album on the first listen. Have listened again today. Best one so far for me in the twenty days I've done this.

I'm not a big fan of Grateful Dead but I've had this album for a few years and it comes out every so often. Some of their best tracks on this album

This album leans fully into folk and Americana and I'm into it. There's a strong Crosby, Stills, and Nash feeling in their vocal harmony that I don't recall hearing much of before this album. Catchy major-key choruses, pleasant lyrics, summer day instrumental vibes in tracks like Sugar Magnolia...can't complain.

The only good Dead album, start to finish. Also the first one I ever heard, recommended to me by an older Deadhead cousin. I listened as a young teen and thought - I get why people do this! Then I went to a Dead concert and thought - no, wait, no I don't get this at all. This album though? This is, like, the best version of the Dead.

It's good. A bit far from my usual fare which made it harder to appreciate. It's probably a 5 but my personal tastes stop it at a 4.

The Grateful Dead are an overrated band, as many reviews on this agree, but this is still a good album. The mix of country, bluegrass, and rock makes this a pleasing listen.

I've listened to a lot of live dead/dead & co albums in the past couple summers, usually when I'm grilling, at the beach, or jamming along to on guitar, but it's crazy how many of those live tracks come straight from this album. This is definitely a classic for a reason. The production is low key, the drums hang back in the mix, the vocals aren't overly dramatic, but it all comes together in a super nice way that's really unique to the dead.

My sister was WAY more into the Dead than I ever was. There's something about them that I felt like... you had to BE THERE, at the show, to get them. Oh, and you had to be stoned, too. Since neither of those things were going to really happen for me, it's hard for me to hear it without thinking "is there something more to this that I'm missing?" But some of their most iconic songs are on this album: "Ripple," "Truckin'" "A Friend of the Devil," "Sugar Magnolia". I have heard the Jane's Addiction cover of "Ripple" so many times I think of that more often than the original. Is that weird? Probably. Listening to the guitar, I think of the Band and how the two seem similar in a number of ways in guitar sound. Not that that's usually bad, but it dos venture into that noodley sound. Definitely the album you want the novice to hear to make them decide if they want to pursue farther. Doubtful I will, but I appreciate them as a group. A 3.6, maybe rounding up to a weak 4.

The Grateful Dead are famous for their live shows and albums but they did put out some good studio albums and this one is certainly their best. I’ve always thought of them more of a folk-rock band in the studio than a psychedelic band expect perhaps on their earliest albums. The psychedelic side of them showed much more on their live recordings with their extended jams. Most of my favorite dead songs are on this album. “Ripples” has a great melody and the addition of David Grisman’s mandolin playing adds a lot to the track. “Friend of the Devil” is another favorite and of course “Sugar Magnolia” and “Trukin” are classics. I don’t listen to the Dead much but when I do hear them I usually want to hear more.

I don't really get the whole Deadhead thing, but I really enjoyed this album. While relatively straightforward, the songwriting is great, excellent musicianship and harmony, and good lyrics. Favorite tracks: Box of Rain (nice opener, sad topic - loved the line "Such a long time to be gone and a short time to be there"), Friend of the Devil, Ripple, Attics of My Life (nice vibe - caught my attention every time I listened to the album), Truckin' (classic, and I find it impossible not to bop while it's playing). Giving it a 4 because it's not blow-me-away great, but I will definitely listen again.

Better than I expected! Fun tunes

Lie down on the floor, put this on through headphones, and close your eyes. Delightful. I don't know why this one hits where others from the era don't, but I won't fight it.

I'm just not a dead head. It's okay though

This is the only studio Grateful Dead album I listen to with any regularity, they are not a band whose music translates well in the studio. But I can’t resist a few of the songs on here in all their studio glory 😂

4.5 great

Had never heard this but heard the lyrical influences for other songs I know

Classic Grateful Dead. They are much better live.

Pretty good, Truckin' the highlight for me

Dad rock with some nice vocal harmonies. Truckin’ is hands down the best track.

grateful dead are easy listening! there's a country charm within american beauty, and i can't help but ease back as i listen. it's folk rock, which is much easier for me to digest than plain folk. their lyrics aren't too complicated, their melodies simple. sometimes their songs blended together as a result, but i can't complain too much. it made for such a lovely listen.

I have been hesitant to listen to the Grateful Dead because of my perception of their fans and my lack of interest in what I had heard, but this was probably the perfect introduction. Drawing on folk influences reeled me in, as folk is my favorite genre. There were songs I didn’t enjoy but they all had qualities which I could enjoy even if I didn’t like the whole song. 7.5/10

I'm grateful I'm not dead so I can listen to the sweet sweet croonings of Jerry Garcia.

Folk music with great harmonies and guitar. Recognizable GD all the way.

Makes me think of the last episode of freaks and geeks. Probably like the songs on workingman's dead a bit more. I have a soft spot for this music that is likely not shared by others in the group....solid album like almost all the songs but not fond of Candyman.

It's easy to listen, and the vibe is cool, I am not transcendanted but I liked it ! Big 3.75 / 5

Wasn't what I was expecting based on the band's name. But I quite enjoyed it.

really liked it - had a bit of a country Byrds vibe to it which I liked a lot

Tough to rate this one. While the songwriting is excellent—one of the great American bands working at a creative peak—the production and recording of these songs is bland. But the Dead were never an album-focused group. These songs, and those from Workingman’s Dead which came out this same year (🤯), were part of a songbook, a template for the band to journey from and back to while on the road. Most notably in their renowned Europe ‘72 tour. As such, these aren’t the best recordings or performances of any of these songs. But, it still stands tall as evidence of the group’s songwriting prowess and their surprising ability to churn out a whole album of great pop-Americana tunes with crossover potential. For newcomers, it’s a great starting point with pleasant bops and lasting songwriting. But it hardly touches on the entirety of the band’s long, strange trip. Highlights for me are the Phil Lesh helmed “Box of Rain,” “Friend of the Devil,” “Ripple,” and “Brokedown Palace.” But boy, there are just an absurd number of classic songs on this album! Sad Fun Fact: my Dad wants “Brokedown Palace” played at his funeral. I imagine he has a different version in mind…

I have to give the Dead credit for sounding completely original and unlike any other band, even if I don’t always love their sound. I’m not a huge fan of Jerry Garcia’s voice and the arrangements sometimes have this washed out, sleepy sound to them that leaves me underwhelmed. But this album has so many classic songs on it I can’t be too hung up on it’s shortcomings. Ripple might be one of the most beautiful melodies ever written by any band, Friend of the Devil is such a fun and catchy tune, and Attics of My Life arrives completely unexpectedly, like a loving hymn. The harmonies on it are transcendent. I go into a happy trance every time I listen to it. 3.8/5

I’m not sure I’ve ever heard anything by Grateful Dead. Are they the band that people were mad about in the 60’s and would follow on tour, making big events of it? I’m interested to hear if it sounds aged or if it can still win over new fans these days. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Truckin’, Till The Morning Comes This was a really enjoyable album. I’d consider it to be a mix of folk and rock music, probably leaning more towards folk. The vocal harmonies work very well, and the instrumentation stays interesting throughout. I didn’t feel like any songs were bad, but some songs were definitely better than others. Overall, I can definitely see the appeal the the Dead, and I didn’t really feel that the music had aged at all. It still sounds current enough to my ears! An easy recommend to rock/folk music fans.

My second favorite Dead album after Workingman's Dead.

Groovy, good vocals harmonies

Good shit

I haven't listened to this band a ton, but when I do they always surprise me. I'm always expecting something more raucous, but there's an intricacy and depth to the music that's very compelling. Feels like there's a world behind the songs, a marker of great art.

I wish I liked Grateful Dead more, they are tight and sound great but the folk psych/rock is a bit boring for me. It's stereotypical but if I smoked a huge bowl I would likely definitely enjoy it more. 3 for enjoyment but 5 for legacy of sorts, so I'll go to 4.

Tough one- brokedown place is a top 5 dead song easy. This album is full of amazing songwriting. Still, I’d put a live version of any of these tunes on before the album cut. Can’t wait to give 5s to Reckoning and Workingman’s Dean, but this one is a 4

Bunch of really great tracks here, including Ripple, which is my favorite Dead song. In fact, as someone who only knew the band kind of tangentially, I think this album has almost all of the songs I was familiar with. Anyway, Ripple, Truckin', Sugar Magnolia, Friend of the Devil, all great.

4/5 Ripple is the best song

baita som

I’ve heard so much but my first listen to this band - just what this project is all about. I was expecting something more muddy, chaotic and psychedelic but this is the sound of The Coral - one of my top bands. Pleasantly surprised- beautiful melodic guitars, easy listening, mellow, harmonies, steel guitar, harmonica, dreamy, good rhythm section, surprisingly uplifting for a stoner band. The reviews for this are outstanding, I’ve never seen a 10 on Pitchfork.

The most striking element is the vocal harmonies. The music is a nice mixture of country, folk and rock making it a very pleasant listen. Most Dead albums feature long jams whereas this is a lot more song based.

4/5. A mostly solid album of nice folk rock songs. Songs on here that are going to be on repeat for me. Some songs I will skip every time. Good ones outweigh the bad.

Clas west coast America hippie vibes. Listen again.

Love this album.

Re listen later didn't finish

It was pretty good.

5th August 2022 Listened in the morning while pottering. Chilled at Jake’s Friday night watching the first game of the season. They’re a band I could definitely get in to more, this album is very well made with gorgeous vocals and exceptional musicianship.

Els discos d'estudi de Grateful Dead sempre han semblat la nina lletja de la seva discografia, exceptuant uns pocs clàssics. Aquest és un d'ells, continuació d'un altre ('Workingman's Dead'). Rivalitzant amb The Band pel títol de la gran banda d'arrels nordamericana, títols com la indispensable 'Truckin'', 'Attics of My Life', 'Sugar Magnolia' o la reivindicació de Bob Weir a 'Box of Rain' van ajudar a fer d'ells la institució en la cultura del país com ja fa temps que se'ls considera

it’s good but i don’t really have anything else to say about it. ive never heard of this album before but i will no doubt listen to it again.

Very good!

Really liked this one actually

I quite enjoyed this one. Hadn’t listened to much grateful dead before. Might listen to some more.

very notable standard. Appreciated the folk sound.

Before today, I have heard of The Grateful Dead but I'm not sure I could name any of their biggest hits. I am excited to listen a "new" band. I love this album and the whole folksy style. Very easy to relax and listen to. I am eager to listen to the rest of their discography.

A really nice album. The whole thing has a very warm and sunny vibe to it. 7/10

I was never a big Dead fan, though when a friend put Friend of the Devil on a mix tape it swayed me to consider that I hadn’t given them a proper chance. Still not entirely my thing, but listening to this now I can see that there is a resonance that transcends its genre and era.

I've never gotten the whole Grateful Dead phenomenon. I've tried, even when I worked at an outdoor goods store where lots of people where into them. Didn't get into either with a roommate with tons of recordings of live shows. But this album is nice and of its time.

Like.

Two of the loveliest songs every written are on this album. Ripple and Brokedown Palace come on the same tracklist as other popular songs Friend of the Devil, Sugar Magnolia and Truckin'. The Grateful Dead are a polarizing band, you either like them or you don't, there is no in between. Their songwriting and musicality are simplistic at best, but don't let a studio recording convince you of their influence and impact without listening to them live. The time to see them live with Jerry at the helm has passed, but their spearheading of a new genre within rock and roll has kept their style of music going since the late 60s. You can't really argue with an impact like that. 4/5.

Vjerojatno njihov najbolji studijski album

Great sound and definitely something I like, but I feel like it was missing something that would really make them as legendary as they are.

Entertaining and very easy listening. Definitely could feel the relaxed, California-vibe. Enjoyable album although it's lacking real stand-out songs

I don’t know nothing about whatever this will be ( hope it’s good)… The album starts off with box if rain I like how the other peoples vocals get placed on here the song really lacks a hook until right at the end but lots of intro tracks don’t have any so it’s fine. Friend of the devil is a good song I like how the verses get faster throughout it’s very folky but very good. Sugar magnolia is a small step down from the first two it’s still a good track but just maybe tone down the “doo do do’s”. Operator is a good song fells like it’s used to bridge the gap a little being the album’s shortest song also there’s some annoying screwing sounds ( probable least favourite.) Candyman is great a nice slow closer to side one, I can’t say for certain but it seems like the song is either about some sorta creep or at least something dodgy going on. Ripple has a good intro also I like the extra guitar works on the chorus to sound… well like a ripple and the outro is cool. Brokedown palace is not the best but its a really nice slower song but specially I like the buildup on this song. Next up is till the morning comes a song that brings back the energy, if I were in the shoes of this group I may have swapped this and brokedown palace. Now the penultimate track attics of my life , the song starts off with quite a cool guitar part then goes into these sorta heavenly vocals.Around 2 mins in the energy builds up ever so slightly which works well. And while the song lacks any hook it’s still my favourite. Finally truckin probably another favourite I may have swapped this and attics of my life but I get that the band would want to put it’s only real single on the album in quite a significant position. Well it’s sure a treat! Some very good songs, fine I would prefer a different running order for side two but it wasn’t an unlistenable order just something I might change on spotify.

I listened to this album and Workingman's Dead on repeat almost exactly a year ago in spring, and I haven't revisited it much beyond that following summer. A lot of people like the live albums of these jam bands, but I really enjoy these two polished works. In a lot of ways they remind me of CSNY. The jangly guitar, those harmonious vocals, and the cheery hippie lyrics. No bad tracks, and there's something I enjoy about each of them. All the tracks have a good length. If you want longer, there are the live albums. There's a lot of classics here. It took some time for me to appreciate the bluegrass "Friend of the Devil," but eventually it all grew on me: the fast pace, Garcia's everchanging vocals, and that twingly guitar solo. "Ripple" is by far my favorite Grateful Dead song. Beautiful melody and songwriting. Inspirational, excellent use of imagery and metaphor, each line hits you one after another. "Truckin" is their biggest pop hit (if you exclude their 80s comeback), and it's an outlier as their bluesiest and most passionate vocals, as well as Weir's rockabilly performance. I especially like that last minute finish. The small things - like the distant country guitar in the background of "Sugar Magnolia", the harmonica in "Operator", the ghastly mood of "Candyman", the grooviness of "Till the Morning Comes" - establish each songs' character, engraving each of them in my mind. When the Grateful Dead performed at my school in 1970, they brought along a student to play piano on this album's recording of "Candyman," my favorite country song on the album, which I find really cool.

Holds some of Grateful Deads best songs.

Never had the motivation to be on the Grateful Dead bandwagon. Nothing really ever appealed to me. Listening today, the music was nice enough and more of the tracks were familiar to me than I expected. Still not driven to become a fan, but I enjoyed the album today.

I've managed to avoid listening to Grateful Dead all this time. Not sure why I was so hesitant but I liked this quite a bit.

The Grateful Dead was one of the groups that came to mind when I signed on to this site. I had never listened to an album from either and thought I should listen to an album from them. And so here is AMERICAN DREAM. The country-folky sound at first surprised me, but after a few seconds I realized that I shouldn’t be surprised. I sat back and loved this album! Really nice music. Great early 70s sound. No complaints here! I knew the song “Truckin’” and when I heard “Box of Rain” it was very familiar. Really enjoyed “Operator” with what I believe to be a guiro as a great addition to the percussion (we had a guiro as a child that I loved playing… but I had to do a little research today to figure out what that thing was called). The spacey “Candyman” was really nice. I enjoyed it all.

There’s no lack of late 60s early 70s folk-rock-americana on this list, but this is a particularly pleasant example. Why do I know Ripple so well? As soon as it started, I was humming along but I’ve not heard this album and apparently it’s not in a film… Maybe it’s just an all time classic but it’s now my favourite song I didn’t know I knew.

Not gonna lie, I know this album reasonably well from my teenage years, so hard to disentangle it from nostalgia for me; but Box of Rain, Friend of the Devil, Sugar Magnolia, Ripple, are all great songs and definitely enjoy the vibes of this.

Interesting, seminal country-rock. Very easy listening.

I actually haven't listened to a lot of Grateful Dead albums, so I didn't know what to expect. This one has several songs I'm familiar with and it has a nice mellow country-rock vibe throughout. I'll probably listen to more albums around this time period because I quite like it, but I'm not interested in becoming a Deadhead anytime soon.

An absolute classic. Not perfect, but have very fond memories of listening to this one in days gone by

Friend of the Devil is a classic and the Mumford and sons cover is sweet also

J'ai décidé d'accorder un quatre à ces gars-là pour leur banane et leur bonne humeur contagieuse. Des personnes extrêmement sympathiques. Passons maintenant au dossier épineux que doit traiter Robert très rapidement, vous avez bien compris de quoi je veux parler. Aujourd'hui, eltrapeze a violé le septième commandement du décalogue de Robert "7. Tu n'écouteras les albums qu'après leur génération, quand bien même tu les connaîtrais déjà." Il s'est rendu coupable d'avoir écouté l'album Heroes de David Bowie, évidemment partie intégrante de la liste des 1001, sans que celui-ci n'ait été généré au préalable. Le dossier est pris très au sérieux par Robert et pourrait observer un dénouement très prochainement, je vous partagerai toutes les informations qui me parviendront dans les jours qui viennent.

Fantastic

Easy listening, country

The Dead are pretty good for being dead.

Good vibes

Dehär va rockin fr

Good album. I have some emotional memories mixed up in a couple of these songs.

A bit on the slow side but a very enjoyable album. It truly felt like listening to "an slice of America" from the late 60s early 70s.

I find Grateful Dead quite an intriguing band that capture my imagination. I have a soft spot for this album which seems to feature in quite a lot of American film/ TV and fits that really well.

I would have told you I didn't know any Grateful Dead songs but I did surprisingly know a few of these, the best of which was Friend of the Devil. I was glad to listen to an album with normal length tracks. The live albums and 25 min of jamming for one song are unbearable. Since this album was pleasant and concise by comparison, it gets an extra star.

Listened Before: N Alright, man! The Dead! Pros: This album was great! Mellow and good harmonies. Wonderful guitars and a very peaceful mood. I will definitely be looking into more Dead later on. Cons: It drags a bit at the end. In particular I found "Attics of My Life" to be a slog to get through. Too sleepy. Maybe I'm not stoned enough. Good thing "Truckin'" comes after to wake me up. Added to Collection: P Songs added to playlist: Friend of the Devil, Truckin'

Hi- Box of Rain Lots of lovely 70's style hard-pan, less swampy swamp rock than CCR, well executed folk-rock. Not bad!

Best boomer music so far! Very relaxed, will definitely come back to this for porch drinkin

Nice one

good stuff! 4/5

much better than I expected, I don't know them so much somehow.

Good music but not my style.

3.5/10 Country Dead is pretty good

Really nice album, beautiful and fun

Really, really good shit. Peak dead and so smooth. I'm a weirdo in liking some of their album stuff better than their live stuff, and this is the dankest.

Ja nakon šećerne magnolije: Mama pusti me, ja sam od sada grateful dead fan 👈😎👈

It all kind of blended together but it was tighter and more enjoyable than I expected.

A very good Americana album. I was surprised how many acoustic guitars on the album. I enjoyed most of the songs, the first and last being hilights 4 🌟

A tale of two albums. I I listened to this album in two different sittings. The first I was in relatively good spirits and it felt like a warm blanket. I was brought back to laying in the grass on a warm spring afternoon, enjoying the final years of being a youth. On the second listen I was a bit crabby and the music reminded me of loathsome prep school trustafarians. I would give this a 3.5 if that were an option. The album drags a bit in the middle section, but also has some stone cold classics.

Folksy, meditative, surprising

Classic Dead sound!

A little upset at liking this more than I thought I would... Guess this is getting older. Maybe it's time to try some live albums... Sigh

Country rock music. Está bien. No me ha encantado muchísimo, pero está bien. Un 4.

Probably a grower

Oh aan zo een album had ik nood!

Nice. like country music with weird lyrics.

Альбом приятно звучит, но ничего кроме этого не запоминается. Помню в текстах что-то про кокаин и какое-то название у песни забавное, но его я уже не помню.

This album is so relaxing, it would be perfect for chilling around a campfire or going for a stroll in the park on a sunny day. Nothing bad on here, but nothing sticks out as a standout on the first listen through. Definitely gonna listen to this again.

Good, classic. Who doesn't like the dead?

Would like to give this a five since it got me listening to more Grateful Dead, but I think a four is most accurate for me… really solid jam album

Had never heard of them, a pleasant discovery nonetheless.

Good listen. Friend of the devil is my highlight.

Smooth!

A great, laid back album. Friend of the Devil is an all time classic song, and the rest of the album is just a good time. Lots of acoustic and very cool harmonies.

Very nice sounding album. A bit too country for me

A mellow, lovely Grateful Dead album. I'm not always a fan of the Grateful Dead, but I can see myself listening to this again! Especially loved Box of Rain and Friend of the Devil.

Nice but not outstanding would listen again

Excellent album from a band that simply has the "jam band" label. This showed their early work and lyrics rather than just instruments

Proper Noel rock. Reminds me of the kind of music he'd stick on when we used to drive to the local swimming pool when I was like 6. I can't put my finger on what it is I really like about this album. I'd rate it somewhere between a 3 and a 4. Been meaning to check out Grateful Dead for a while, after someone recommended it a while back - I'll be listening to this one again

Gefällt mir

I realised today that despite them being extremely well known and famous, I’ve never actually heard a single Grateful Dead song In my life. God knows why, I assume I just thought they were a bit of a shitty ‘yer da’ band but boy was I wrong. This album blew me away. It feels like a perfect blend of Simon & Garfunkel, The Rolling Stones and The Kinks. Such a perfect album to be out biking in the sun on a lovely Swedish spring day. I particularly liked Ripple even though it has the exact same structure as Country Roads and the same lyric scheme as Band Aid. Overall thoroughly surprised and impressed. A well deserved 4/5.

Great album, not listened to gd b4. Impressed

Had some classic tracks on there that I didn’t realize were Grateful Dead songs. Good easy listening album

Really surprised my this. Didn’t realise GD were so folky.

Yeah

4/5

Blindspot filled for sure! I like this for more relaxed driving music.

Con melodía y ritmo. Muy de su época. Gratificante escucharlo

Nice beattles vibes!

Chill rock, quite good

Enjoyed!

Creative and satisfying instrumentation

Pleasant, pleasant, pleasant.

Nice one

Excelente

rootin' tootin'

true classic

This album is packed with GD hits, but they don't really command too much attention. Good in the background. Ripple is probably my all-time favorite GD track.

Great stuff from the Dead in 1970.

Wonderful album. Really nostalgic.

Probably the best Dead album for the non-Head.

Awesome mix of folk americana and jam sesh stuff. Beautiful lyrics in some cases.

I never realized their music was so mellow

country road take me home sounding

4/5

Tyckte om detta. trevligt att lyssna på, goa röster, skönt proddad. Lagom trippy. en fyra!

Över förväntan. Ett trevligt album

I knew this would come up eventually. I feel like I've been held hostage by recordings of live shows for the Grateful Dead so much, I have a soft spot in my heart for them. At the same time, I could go the rest of my life not hearing another. Gorgeous harmonies, and I can enjoy this when I know the songs aren't 20 minutes long for no reason. Favorite tracks: "Ripple", "Box of Rain", "Truckin'"

Very enjoyable rock, certainly could understand why people would think it's better than similar material from the same year. But it's gonna be a while before I can understand the obsession so many fans have with this band.

12/22 Very woodsy, very rural, barefoot, psychedelic music. Standout Tracks: Friend Of The Devil, Sugar Magnolia, Operator, Attics Of My Life, Truckin'

The usual inoffensive meandering soft rock from the Dead

Another folk-rock album, but 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘉𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘺 is not quite the record I expected from a band so closely associated with Haight-Ashbury and the San Francisco psychedelic scene. Instead of sounding trippy or chaotic, it is remarkably earthy: acoustic guitars, country influences, warm harmonies, and an almost pastoral atmosphere. That contrast is probably the most interesting thing about the album for me. The songwriting is consistently solid and the relaxed mood is pleasant, but it rarely becomes especially exciting. I enjoy the atmosphere more than I remember the individual songs. A well-crafted record, just much closer to pastoral Americana than the psychedelic San Francisco I had expected.

This was okay. I liked Friend of the Devil, but one good song doesn't make an album. The rest was middle of the road, pleasant, blandness.

I know this album relatively well. It is good and enjoyable to listen to with a few notable tracks. By far the most approachable Grateful Dead album. Ripple and The Candyman are the standout tracks. It is not quite a 4 so 3.5 stars

some cool country rock but not really my thing

better than i expected

Country rock at its finest or blandest? Who knows! Absolutely nothing that made me feel like I need this in my life for the entire 10 tracks a lot of hillbilly sounding ok middle of the road drugged up stuff. I won’t be listening again after giving it two listens to review. I’ve come To the conclusion it’s just ok. Best track- ‘trucking’ Worst track- ‘sugar magnolia’ 5/10

yeah kinda boring lol 6/10 best song - operator

One for the Deadheads

An alright sound

Has a consistent sound and was overall more enjoyable than what I was expecting. Between a 6 or a 7/10 on a good day

7/31/26. Honestly expected a little more. I respect the Grateful Dead but the songs didn't blow me away, pretty mellow throughout. Ripple is a great track.

I was expecting a psychedelic wig-out but all I got was a pleasant but unexceptional country rock album. Reminded me of a lot of Neil Young’s output, another artist who I can kind of appreciate but not really get the adulation for. Certainly nothing terrible about this, but would it have sounded better if I was dosing and nodding in a darkened room with a lava lamp…?

Did not like. Extra ⭐ for meeting notability guidelines.

Enjoyed this more than I expected.

If there's a band whose visual style least closely matches their sound, it's the Grateful Dead. Their album covers and merchandise are full of skulls, acid colors, and smoky fonts, which the brain automatically perceives as hallmarks of psychedelic sound. This remained the case until 1970, when, after frequent hangouts with Crosby, Stills, and Nash, the band abruptly pivoted to acoustic country rock, releasing two such albums in the space of a year. This is the second of them. And overall, the album sounds good, if somewhat repetitive — twangy acoustic instruments, interspersed with occasional guitar solos and harmonious vocals. This music clearly inspired King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, who sometimes sound exactly the same, only with the guitars plugged into amplifiers. But why crowds of fans followed a band with such a sound on tour across the whole country is completely beyond me.

Low cortisol music The type of music that only works when it’s hot outside (in a good way)

This mild sound isn't bad, but other than Truckin, this fell flat for me.

Сара 3,5 Марко 3

There have been attempts in my life to enjoy the Grateful Dead, this has been the first full-album experience. I still find them too Americana for my liking. It's properly embellished, the lyrics feel thought out. I'd consider hearing this one again with two tabs of acid or some other psychedelic alternative. Otherwise it feels like background music after a Southern farmer's long arduous day. 2.7/5

Being British, I have never listened to a Grateful Dead album before. It’s ok, reasonably good gentle folky country rock, nothing offensive and nothing outstanding. I suspect colossal amounts of mind altering substances would help with the enjoyment but, like I say, I’m British.

Grateful Dead was my first album (Live/Dead), and now again for my 247th. This was always a band I had wanted to learn more about. While my first listen/impression of this album was relatively unremarkable, upon further inspection and second listen through I found I appreciated it, but can’t say I’d revisit again.

I seriously cannot get into them no matter how hard I try

Pretty good! 3.5/5

I could see this making waves when it dropped.

This wasn't nearly as painful as I was expecting, and maybe helped me realize how unfamiliar I am with the Dead outside of the hits. Sounds more like a country album to me, and I kept thinking I was listening to Uncle Tupelo. So I didn't mind it at all, but I won't be revisiting.

Yea good stuff. I get it but isn't really my thing

6/10

More pleasant than I expected!

extremely fine

Some really weird chord progressions into some really basic country music. 3/5

I think they have better songs

Pleasant rock, did not save anything, but do not regret listening to it.

I don’t have any problems with Grateful Dead. But I’m also never interested.

Not a bad record but they will never become a band I will really love.

*The Dead sound better with live performances that can expand each track compared to limited length studio album versions of their songs.

It’s a pleasing album to listen to. Nothing really stood out for me though, just your typical folk influenced rock album from the 70s.

Two great hits. The rest are just fillers.

Best studio album for a band whose entire fandom is built on live jamming. I recognize their fam and importance, but I am not a jam band fan. A couple hits on here, but nothing I would cherish.

Мабуть, загалом цей альбом не зовсім мій за стилістикою. Не можу не визнати, що тут вистачає хороших пісень. Мені найбільше запам'яталася Sugar Magnolia. Але були й бісячі, як Candyman.

Я б сказав що кантрі-американа грейтфул дед це скоріш не моє, ніж моє. Але тут теж є хороші пісні типу наприклад хіта Friend of the Devil. Коротше трійка стабільна.

One of the best Dead albums

This is a recors ive heard before but under i wouldn't say strange circumstances but abnormal for me. This was the record I put on the first time i did acid as a teenager. And I liked it then yet I never came back either. So even having heard this before its almost like it was at another time in another life. So that being said its less captivating than I felt it was back then. I obviously was more moldable and impressionable at that time but in clear mind its just sort of alright. It does things well enough without rocking the boat in any significant way. I get that listening to a two minute album version of a song that live is a half hour is almost not even the same thing. It just feels wrong in a way. Maybe is get behind a live version more. But the songs are just OK. Thats the biggest hurdle. I dont hate any of them. I just only really like the first and last song. Everything else just floats on by. Kinda have to put it in the meh category. I could see the potential for what this band is but I just dont really see it clearly here.

First time listening to the Dead and I must say that they're pretty decent. Though not my absolute favorite of the more psychedelic country rock albums this was still a pleasant listen with quite a few good songs. Fav Songs Box of Rain Friend of the Devil Ripple Is it Top 1001 Worthy (is it essential)? I'd say so, quite a historic band and a pretty inoffensive genre that should be nice for most people looking to experience some classic rock

My first experience with the dead was a good one and I really enjoyed what I experienced some of the songs are a little forgettable but a good chunk like truckin and candy man were really great recordings. The production and style of instrumentation is really good and easy to listen to. A good LP. Fav tracks: box of rain, friend of the devil, candy man, ripple, and truckin

ok but not really my style

They can either be amazing or awful. Somehow they found the middle of that

Fine, expected more. Kinda boring tbh.

Maybe I expected more but just found this a kind of boring listen. Good melodies tho

Very overrated band good jam and musicians but not great. Live its another vibe but on album its just better than ok

It’s not bad.

Was expecting some mad drug fuelled experimental psychedelia and instead got a fairly pedestrian 70s American rock album, to the point I double checked I was listening to the right thing. I think this is part of the issue with feeling like Ive completely missed out on grateful dead - they are either so weird as to put me off against repeated listens and now also sometimes seemingly straightforward to the point of forgettable. It wasn't bad, nice authentic sound, good singing, just don't understand the interest from this.

nuda w chuj ujdzie w tlumie dostyv szybko sie skonczylo tho

Overall pretty solid but honestly a bunch of the songs seem to run together. 3

First time listening to this band, based on everything I’ve heard in pop culture I assumed they were heavier than this. It’s a solid album with some good lyricism but absolutely unexpected for me

I had never actually listened to the Grateful Dead before, and I enjoyed listening to this album more than I expected. None of the songs particularly stood out to me, and I'm not sure I'll come back to it, but it was still a nice listen.

i thought grateful dead were hard rockers... what da hell is this chill dadrock? zzzz

Really a pretty standard country rock album, though a quality one. The opener is a highlight, as is the tighter, catchier "Friend of the Devil." The more upbeat songs, with prominent country instrumentation and good hooks, are the album's strength. As it goes on, it becomes clear it's an album full of pretty conventional tunes, even if those tunes are well-written. There just isn't that much variety or many risks taken. The slow, long "Attic of my Life" is the low point, though the closer brings things back a bit. For all the hoopla over the Dead as a live band, it's hard to find much about this that's all that different from the studio work of similar bands.

I like the country-rock vibe on this. I’d much rather listen to a studio album by the Dead than any live jamming garbage.

I can see why they are a jam band. This isn't unskilful but I listened through it twice and it all disappeared once I was done both times. Good to be on the list.

The sound mixing is better than I expected for some reason. Some nice music, and I wouldn't mind listening to it again, but it just doesn't do anything memorable. It's a trusty warm sound.

Easily the best Dead album I’ve heard. I still find them pretty grating for some reason but this was fine. Ripple is very nice.

3.5 stars

Never listened to a Grateful Dead album despite their status in the music community. With a name like that they sound like an edgy band or at least hard rock. This album sounds more like the Byrds under a Bob Dylan folk rock beat.

This was good. Now I'm craving Cherry Garcia ice cream. 3.0/5.0: Good

Sounds exactly like something George Harrison woulf make

It is a good album, but a song or two in the backhalf really slows this album down and makes it longer than it is. It really shouldn't be that way with 4 classics "Box of Rain", "Friend of the Devil", "Ripple" and "Truckin" 3.5/5

Easy listening

I'm not much of a Deadhead. This album is nice but not much really grabbed me. I feel like that shouldn't happen when I'm as high as I am. This was alright for me. "Candyman" was really the only one that got me interested fully

High 3

My wife loves Greatful Dead, so naturally I really want to like them also. Some of the tracks are great, but most of the others just blur into what feels like 2 hour jam track. Did the next track start? Who knows? Not my choice of band to do drugs too.

Rating : 3/5 Favorite Song: Box of Rain Least Favorite: Candyman

Excellent grooves

All new to me and not at all unpleasant

Not my first time round with this album and I wanted to like it more than I did. Partly because I think Box of Rain is one of the most moving songs written about loss. And partly because the Dead are legendary. Sadly though most of the album doesn't do it for me - maybe because I'm on the other side of the pond. A reluctant 3*

Meh. Never really been a fan of the Dead. This wasn't terrible, but I'm not a big fan of folk music.

Gostei da música Candyman

I think The Grateful Dead is the only band where I'd be totally fine if their only representation on this list is live albums. Their studio work is fine, but it's nothing compared to Live/Dead. This album doesn't do a whole lot past proving that. It's fine enough, but I really can't find anything of note enough to talk about.

This was a wonderful reprieve after listening to a 69 song album yesterday and wanting to kms

Rv

Stripping away the GD mythos, they admittedly ain’t much. They sound like a crusty country bunch, doped to the point of quiet resignation from life. Checking the lyrics, they aren’t quite as poetic as one might expect from their San Francisco art scene rep. Their sound isn’t necessarily trippy by today’s standards, although there are moments, typically triggered by a relaxed concentration, an intention to transmit the acid experience. Some tracks, I feel the depleted energy of someone playing music because they’d set out to be a musician years before they discovered the divine light that consumes all, so here they are, singing a song. Still, Friend of the Devil and Ripple are absolute classics, and there are moments on American Beauty where I really get it. In another life, in another time, under a different upbringing, I can see what it would be like to have been a dead head. In this life though, I enjoy showers. I prefer wine to weed. I’ve heard the bootlegs of their supposed best concerts and I’ve regularly felt meh about them. It just isn’t for me. I’m too grateful living.

I mean this is fine I guess, but I don't get the cult following. This sounds like AI generated rock before AI.

Box of Rain - 3/5 Friend of the Devil -2/5 Sugar Magnolia - 2/5 Operator - 2/5 Candy Man - 3/5 Ripple - 3/5 Brokedown Palace - 4/5 Till the Morning Comes - 3/5 Attics of My Life - 2/5 Truckin' -1/5

Interesting listen, whilst aware of them hadn’t knowingly heard them before

Yeah quite liked it

perfectly pleasant. i wasn't paying the most amount of attention to this but also nothing made me stop and listen on purpose.....for whatever that's worth. but i think it was on me

Hippy

I've never really listened to the Grateful Dead before, and this was not what I was expecting. Put me in mind of the Byrds more than the Doors-style rock I was anticipating. A nice enough listen, but not much stood out to me.

Friend of the Devil Operator Till the Morning Comes Truckin’

Box of Rain Friend of the Devil Ripple Till the Morning Comes

This is fine

Sorry, I didn’t have any acid to take, so I don’t have any strong opinions on this.

ok 60's tumes

I just dont like TGD. 2.9/5

Fun little bit of psychedelic rock with some jams, but not very many memorable songs considering

Classic album, but doesn't really do anything exciting.

Not my style

Tämähän oli oikeasti ihan mieluista kuunneltavaa, toisin kuin tämän haasteen alkumetreillä vastaan tullut livelevy Live/Dead. American Beautylla kuullaan paljon rentoja ja akustisia biisejä, jotka sopivat mukavasti aurinkoiseen aamupäivään. Grateful Dead ei kuitenkaan ole isoimpia suosikkejani oman aikansa legendaarisista rock-yhtyeistä.

Very good album I liked ‘Box of Rain’, ‘Sugar Magnolia’ and ‘Ripple’ in particular. Rated:3.5/5 GEMV (17.04.2026)

Deeply inoffensive

Jamais écouté avant. Beaucoup moins marqué par le psychédélisme que ce à quoi je m'attendais, un album de country/folk-rock efficace et compétent. Rien de renversant, mais ça s'écoute très bien. Top : Brokedown Palace Flop : Attics of My Life

rock folk medio country. me gustó siento que es para un martes o sábado a la mañana que te despertas buena onda pero chill.

grew on me but still pretty average

Ripple is a masterpiece

Probably the only Grateful Dead album Ive heard. Starts strong, but then becomes less interesting than other 60s bands. 3.5 rounded down Heard before? Some Owned: No 65/261 (25%) Will I get: No

To be up-front, I talk a *lot* of shit about The Grateful Dead. It is, admittedly, less about the band than it is about the culture of interacting with the band. Before there was something a little wrong with Phish fans, or Ween fans, or (perhaps to a lesser extent) Primus fans, there was something wrong with Grateful Dead fans. Grateful Dead fandom appears to be a full time job, and part of me wants to check out the club. After all, I like the aesthetic, and abstract, lengthy rock excursions. But another part of me can't bear to see myself become someone who says things like "listen, this really isn't what The Dead are all about, check out Caution (Do Not Stop On Tracks) on Europe '72, Vol. 6, disc 3, and *that* will really change your life". All I'm saying is that Grateful Dead fandom seems like a lot of work, and it may come at the cost of living a life that is completely unrelatable to the out crowd (read: the rest of society). Anyways, the band's live reputation is such that I occasionally forget that they have any studio albums at all. And I have been led to believe that American Beauty is their most successful (if not only successful) studio effort. All of this is to say that while American Beauty is a pretty good album, it doesn't exactly give me insight into why people feel the way they do about The Dead. This is a roots rock album with pretty enjoyable songs, and the odd moment of transcendence. Box Of Rain, Friend Of The Devil, Sugar Magnolia, and Truckin' are among my favorites. And the organic, kind of free way these songs unravel does hint at the band's bread and butter. I ultimately enjoyed American Beauty, but I also don't really get a glimpse into what makes The Dead special here. Although, the list does also have Live/Dead, and I am interested in giving that a try when the time comes.

Flask? Bottle? Gourd? Vial? All seem more practical for holding rain...but I'm not high.

Reminds me of eagles Favorites: candyman, friend of the devil

Ok folk rock but I never really was into the Grateful Dead.

I keep coming back to Grateful Dead to give them another chance. I think it's a talented enough group, with good stories and great vibe. And I just can't connect to them. Ripple

Me gustó, muy chill le doy 3 estrellas porque esta lindo pero no me mató

Very good

5 / 10 - Okayer Country Rock - Holt mich nicht so wirklich ab