THE REVIEW CORNER: The Allman Brothers Band's first four studio recordings

Many of you born after 1970 probably never had this band on your radar, but The Allman Brothers Band is totally worth your time and money to check out -- and their first four studio albums in particular. I'm going outside of Live at the Fillmore East 1971, their classic live album....that, of course, goes without saying.

The cover of The Allman Brothers Band's self-titled debut recording from 1969

Their first four recordings go as follows: The Allman Brothers Band (1969), Idlewild South (1970), Eat a Peach (1972), and Brothers and Sisters (1973). The growth of the band over the span of these recordings is a fascinating study....with the hard blues of the first album to the explorations, instrumentals, and extended jams of each later recording.

While their eponymous debut doesn't carry a long string of hits except for "Whippin Post," there's lots of wonderful bluesy numbers on this album that are substantive, resonating, and feature some fantastic guitar from Duane Allman. Highlights include "Black Hearted Woman," "Trouble No More," and my personal favorite on the album, "Dreams," with some of Duane Allman's more experimental picking -- almost like an early effort at tapping or hammer-ons. "Whippin Post," the album's last number, is the perfect closer and hints at the band finding its true voice....a mere sign of things to come.

With the next three albums, things just keep progressing....the band solidifies its sound through each successive recording. I find the music from this band to have a very soulful and almost wistful edge to their blues explorations....tunes from Idlewild South like "Midnight Rider," the instrumental "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed," and the funk-tinged "Leave My Blues at Home" -- with some killer drumming grooves.

Eat a Peach kicks off with "Ain't Wastin Time No More," and features highlights such as "Les Brers in A Minor" (with an almost Santana-infused approach), "Melissa" and my personal favorite "Blue Sky" while Brothers and Sisters highlights "Wasted Words," "Rambin Man," "Southbound," and the popular instrumental "Jessica."

You can't go wrong with any of these recordings.....but I believe to get a full perspective of them all, and to give yourself the best possible listening experience, you need to listen to them in succession. That's where the development of the band reveals itself.

What's even more amazing -- and not necessarily evident in the recordings (unless you're a student of Duane Allman & Dickey Betts' styles and can differentiate them) -- is that the band suffered not one, but two casualties during the span of these recordings. Duane Allman, their lead guitarist, was killed in a motorcycle accident during the recording sessions to Eat a Peach, and their bass player Berry Oakley during the sessions to Brothers and Sisters -- also killed from head injuries sustained from a motorcycle accident a mere three blocks from the location of Allman's fatal accident. Spooky stuff.

Still, the music speaks for itself. Yes, I'm sure this is technically considered "Southern Rock," however that definition might be stretched....but when I listen to these boys, I just hear some killer blues by one of the all-time great jam bands. I hear more shades of The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, The Grateful Dead, The Band, and Santana before I hear anything "southern."

The CD version to their first four studio albums are available at Amazon for around five bucks apiece, with the exception of Eat a Peach, which is a double album featuring selected live cuts from the Fillmore East recording....you should be able to get outfitted with all four works for under $30.

The ultimate edition of Cash at Folsom Prison appears!

Something very, very special appeared under the tree in the last 24 hours...the Legacy Edition of Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison. It had been on my Amazon list since it came out in October 2008.

This is the ultimate edition of Folsom Prison...it has the complete unadulterated, unedited versions of both shows that he did there when he visited the prison in January 1968 -- so you can hear how it played out that day, as if you're a fly on the wall watching the whole thing.

It also contains a bonus DVD with a fascinating 90-minute documentary on everything surrounding the Folsom Prison concerts and what happened in the aftermath of it.

I'm not usually a fan of these sorts of reissued expanded editions of old recordings, but this appears to be an exception to the rule since it appears to be a comprehensive document of his Folsom Prison shows, and the experience is further amplified with the DVD documentary.

I want to perform due diligence and give the discs a thorough listen, and study the documentary before I go into too much detail...so look for a review on this in the near future.

The BEST and WORST Holiday Albums EVER

There are a ton of holiday albums out there, with more and more coming out every year...everything from the cool and kid-friendly Burl Ives singing "Frosty the Snow Man" to something obscure and horrific, I'm sure.

That being said, I don't seek out many "new" holiday albums, as I tend to cling to childhood memories or old familiar ways.

But I do have a definite favorite that I throw on...and also one that I loathe beyond words.

So then, let's start with the good stuff first.

The award for "The BEST holiday album of all-time" goes to Merry Axemas: A Guitar Christmas, put out in the 1997 by various rock artists.

This album has some great quality tunes on it, and provides a potpourri of variety; from rocking renditions to acoustic layered compositions. It features some classic guitarists from Jeff Beck and Eric Johnson to Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Joe Satriani, and Steve Vai.

It also showcases my favorite Canadian son, Alex Lifeson, in a somber and moving acoustic version of "The Little Drummer Boy" that builds in layers to a beautiful spectrum of acoustic guitars. I remember thinking at the time that the song was as interesting of a choice as the way it was played with delicate sensitivity, and couldn't help but notice how it was chosen and arranged on the heels of Neil Peart losing his daughter Selena in a car accident the summer before. All said, the song showcases Lifeson's acoustic guitar work as good -- if not better -- than any Rush project.

Now, let's let the freak show begin...the award for "The Most Annoying Holiday Music EVER" goes to Manheim Steamroller's Christmas Celebration, which came out in the early 1980s (ya think?) and has since been reissued.

This thing is so ridiculously dated it's embarrassing to write about, let alone throw on in the CD changer. It's a bloodbath of synthesizer cheese, to say the least.

I believe the 80s revival of elevator music can be traced back to the release of this album, because all the elevator music lovers went running in screams of horror back to their favorite section after hearing this abonimation of Christmas music.

In particular, "Deck the Halls," the one that was popular on the radio (and still can be heard, unfortunately) is especially annoying. I believe the last time I heard it, cheese bled from my ears...literally.

To add to the annoyance, I have a family member who loves the stuff. Relishes in it. Friggin' bathes in it...so I just tolerate it and enjoy the "fest o' cheddar."

Happy holiday shopping, everyone!

The Top 10 All-time List of Rock Concept Projects

With Porcupine Tree's latest concept album offering The Incident, the idea came to mind about the strongest and most influential concept albums of all-time...and I like lists...and I don't list things that often, so if I do I:

1. Had better be interested in the subject matter (check), and
2. Had better know something about the subject matter (check too, although I can always learn more).

That being said, I'm hoping I have something to contribute here, and that it might start some discussion.

Here's the list, in countdown format.

#10. ~ Fear of a Blank Planet by Porcupine Tree (2007).

Totally effective in its subject matter, PT originator and songwriting mastermind Steven Wilson grabs the listener by the throat and doesn't let go.

The project tackles a societal issue that has risen into the forefront in recent years, but flies under the radar in many respects -- very serious matters effecting every household in America with children, and the Western World for that matter -- to what extent we medicate our children.

Wilson's take on the subject weave to and fro throughout a bleak urban landscape, creating the imagery of doped up child-zombies walking around with nothing to do, no hope, and no future. After having it on for awhile, if you really listen to the lyrics, the story will put you into the mind of a doped up child and you'll forget who you're listening to.

The whole project is amazing...from the thematically shocking in-your-face opening of the title track, to the beautiful melancholia of "My Ashes," to the winding journey of "Anithetize," every song holds up on its own, yet they all weave together perfectly. "Sentimental" is the strongest track on the album, and while the guitar work might echo something from David Gilmour on The Wall for many, it doesn't lack originality. The album's closer, "Sleep Together," gives the whole experience of Fear of a Blank Planet the necessary dramatic finish.

If you're a parent or guardian dealing with medicating your child during critical years of development (and we're talking about more than aspirin), this piece of art will probably conjure up more questions than answers...but sometimes answering those hard questions can lead to a better result. I believe that's part of what Wilson's up to here...a wake-up call.

In retrospect -- after listening to this project repeatedly over the last two years -- Wilson's story and themes on this album end up suggesting a symptom of a much larger and serious issue, which should immediately come to mind for those of us who have read books such as The Geography of Nowhere by James Howard Kunstler. However, Wilson and Porcupine Tree hint at that too, as the album's title suggests.

While they're not mainstream or very well known, this band and Wilson's focused artistic vision -- with the exception of probably Radiohead -- are pushing the rock format in new directions in the early part of this century while reprocessing and giving a refreshing twist to musical ideas originally spawned by the likes of Pink Floyd (soundscapes), Rush (tight jamming), Kraftwerk (innovative synth layers), and the 2nd wave of the 60s British invasion.

It's really too bad they're not more popular and commercially successful, as they're catalog is full of unique and amazing gems...and despite being limited in scope, they actually LOSE money when they tour...plus Wilson has hinted at wrapping things up soon to focus on other projects such as Blackfield and No-Man, and wants to get into more of the production end. It would be very, very sad and a tremendous loss to music to see these guys go away.

#9. ~ "Cygnus X-1" and "Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres" from A Farewell to Kings (1977) and Hemispheres (1978) by Rush.

Okay...I know this looks strange, try to follow the logic here. After their 1976 magnum opus 2112 (see #6 on this list), Rush decided to do what I don't believe any other band has managed to pull off: a concept piece that spans two successive albums.

Hence, the mention of two albums...it's more about the Cygnus suite than anything else, and if you were to listen to the two albums in succession on your MP3 (in a most exquisite Rush marathon of 20+ albums, like I do sometimes - not kidding), you'll notice they're linked since Kings ends with "Cygnus Part 1" and Hemispheres starts with "Part 2" (um, excuse me, that would be "BOOK II")

...and who in the hell refers to an 18 minute album side as a "book?" If nothing else, Rush gets on the list with this project for creativity and placing a totally interesting and original spin on how to tinker with the album format.

It's also worth mentioning that they would later do a "Fear Trilogy" over the span of three successive albums from 1981-84 -- in reverse order.


#8. ~ Quadrophenia by The Who.

Arguably the band's last great effort, then the creative juices suddenly seemed to stop flowing, as a listen to this album's follow-up Who By Numbers might reveal.

Another interesting take on British society, this project bleeds more gritty reality and less in the way of bubbly fiction, opposed to Tommy. It's commentary on what many Americans like myself interpret as a bizarre landscape of 1950s James Dean-ish street gang fighting is both obscure and fascinating all at once, which I believe adds to its appeal...probably due in part to a lack of understanding of Brit streetgang history in the 20th Century.

The Mods and Rockers are having it out on the English coastline! Say that again? Uh, I guess you had to be there.

Sonically, this album is also really strong in its mixing and studio wizardry...that sound of a crashing ocean at the beginning, with the solo trumpet and rainfall. The hints of tunes to come...then the band explodes into an all-out jam. Fucking awesome stuff.

In terms of playing, the band's in top form and Daltry's voice has never sounded edgier or better. Another high point about this album to note, in addition to the strong storyline; Entwistle's bass acrobatics are a total brainmelter. He's all over place in this recording. Easily his stongest Who album in terms of showcasing his talents on mastering the bass...which he did in his classic pose near Moon's drumkit with an expressionless face while his hands moved everywhere liked a blurred Bugs Bunny cartoon.

It's too bad we never had the chance to experience Townsend's Lifehouse project in its full entirety (rejected by the rest of the band, and what eventually became 1971's Who's Next); based on what that project manifested into, for all we know it very well could have been the best concept piece ever by The Who, putting Quadrophenia and Tommy to bed (hardy har har, pun intended). The indicators are there in the form of "Baba O'Rielly," "Bargain," "Behind Blue Eyes," and "Won't Get Fooled Again." I guess we'll never really know.

#7. ~ Operation: Mindcrime by Queensryche (1988).

The most ambitious concept effort of the 1980s by any rock band, during a time when it was anything but cool to put one out. At this time hair metal was the deal, with a never-ending assault of 3-4 minute cheeseball singles to go with it. The 70s during this time were being dissed, and up to this point concept pieces were relegated to only a mere handful of classic bands. By the late 80s, it all seemed like a bygone era, and not the cool thing to do anymore.

This album by Queensryche is what made it "okay" for bands to dive back into the concept project, as it was essentially the first successful project since The Wall from Pink Floyd (see #5 on this list) in 1979...if there were other concept projects put out in that 10 year period, I can't think of any -- and either they weren't successful, or taken seriously.

Not only did Queensryche reopen a door to a room that appeared to have been forbidden and locked shut, they packaged it in the form of an edgy, raw, and downright shocking political manifesto.

Coming out of the heels of the Reagan Era and it's trickle down policies, this project embraces much of the frustration felt by the mid to left politicos as the 80s approached its end.

#6. ~ 2112 by Rush (1976)

I once read somewhere that this album had a big influence on Marilyn Manson, and that it scared him to death. It scared Marilyn Manson.

He must have been talking about it from a conceptual standpoint. Drummer Neil Peart takes the readings of the controversial Ayn Rand, from books such as The Fountainhead and Anthem (from which the band's record label is named)...subject matter which has been interpreted and accused of touching on fascism, among other things. Moreover, an odd author like Rand isn't typically the sort of influence you hear rock bands citing.

However with Rand's influence on Rush, you need to look deeper. What Peart, and ultimately the rest of the band adopt from Rand's writings lean more towards her artistic manifesto.

It's that element that ultimately gives shape to the story in the title track of "2112;" a sci-fi tale about a futuristic society where individualism has been decimated in the complete interest of "the average" -- that is, until the character in the song discovers an old guitar hidden behind a waterfall, and...well, you know...all hell breaks loose with "the priests." Yep, priests are involved.

I hate it when that happens. Seriously now.

It's also Rand's artistic manifesto that gives shape to the bands drive to succeed on their own terms, as they have discussed in numerous interviews over the years.

2112 was the band's mid-70s breakthrough, and at the time they recorded it, EVERYTHING was on the line...their record deal hung in the balance due to the lack of commercial success from their previous work, Caress of Steel. Very few believed they would find success; even folks close to the band doubted it and suggested they fall back on the conventional ways of rock. Ironically, it was the artistic approach to Caress, their development as songwriters on it (notably with the piece "The Fountain of Lamneth"), and it's LACK of success that actually set up their success for 2112. Despite the commercial failure, they hadn't failed as artists.

The band collectively understanding the difference between those two factors was essential to how they approached this project.

So now what do they do? They say f**k it. If we're going to go down, we're going down with the guns ablaze. Against pressure from their label, they write a 20+ minute piece with seven movements and place it as the first track of the album (side 1 at the time of vinyl issues).

It proves successful...and the band never looked back. The body of work Rush has put out since, and their insistence to tour off every single album to present it -- an effort now spanning nearly 40 years -- speaks for itself...and another project of new material is due out in 2010.

On 2112, you can hear them playing on it with a furious edge. If the band sounds like they're playing pissed off, it's because they are. Don't screw with these well-mannered Canadian gents, you'll unleash the beast.

In my opinion, 2112 isn't just an album, it's a way of life...for the band, and for it's dedicated fan base. 2112 is a lifestyle and a creed. It's about having a backbone in the face of adversity, sticking up for yourself or what you believe in, and not compromising your principles -- in much the way the band was feeling at the time they recorded this. It's about putting your fist in the air and telling THE MAN where to stick it! (Something I personally enjoy doing on a repeated basis in a variety of ways, both creative and stupid.)

If you're ever angry after a tough day at the office, put this on and F'N CRANK IT!!! You'll feel much better.

*Special note: the live version of "2112" on the live album Different Stages is also amazing and worth checking out...and it's the only time the band ever performed it live in its entirety...this time in 1996-97.

#5. ~ The Wall by Pink Floyd (1979)

The last classic work by this band, but unfortunately it's also the project that tore the Waters-era Floyd apart -- and as a result deprived a whole generation of Pink Floyd fans of seeing a Waters-era Floyd perform live -- until a select few saw the band come together for one magical night in 2005 (see my post about this event).

The Wall is an undisputed masterpiece on several levels...while of course there's the MOVIE of The Wall, the LIVE PERFORMANCE of The Wall (probably the most interesting component -- and least known), and now PLAYS of The Wall performed around the world (mainly in schools, with Waters' exclusive permission, of course), this of course is speaking to the original ALBUM of the same work.

The album, a sonic tour de force, spans nearly every identifiable form of music and seems to throw every conceivable piece of ear candy at the listeners. There's some great tunes on this project that turned into staple Floyd classics that can be heard on the radio today; notably "Another Brick in the Wall Part 2," "Comfortably Numb," and "Run Like Hell." While every track is memorable and has a role in the larger work of the album, other highlights include the beauty of the under-your-skin emotive "Mother," the horror of WWII German buzz bombs and innocence lost in "Goodbye Blue Sky," the freefalling horndog-on-the-town element of "Young Lust," the hopeless sorrow of "Hey You," arguably Waters' best-ever singing performance (if not his most interesting in terms of dynamic effect) in "Nobody Home," and the originality of the scary/humorous/poking-at-authority's ass of "The Trial." I think the kitchen sink is somewhere in there too.

However, look closer at those song titles...what sort of mood do they convey?

What they suggest are merely the tip of a massive iceberg of a downer...and that's actually intended as a compliment rather than a diss...but a compliment with a HUGE warning label.

This project lends itself to that classic Floyd motif -- in a most in-your-face manner, unlike the graceful and interpretable Dark Side of the Moon (see the end of this listing). With all its incredible sonic attributes, textured features, and hooks, The Wall won't leave you smiling and feeling positive...frankly, it will probably leave you depressed and confused -- if not wondering "how you can have any pudding if you don't eat your meat."

...but, as I suggest in other parts of this post, that's the beauty of a true and raw artistic statement. It makes you feel something, good or bad...but isn't that part of what's involved with living a meaningful life anyway?

I'd say that's part of what Roger Waters was thinking when he wrote this. Not all of this project is autobiographical -- as there's some Syd Barrett and other reflections on the world of rock stardom thrown in -- however I think it's obvious that the guy obviously had some things to work through, notably the fact that he lost his father in WW2.

I'd imagine part of his therapy was to put it out there. It manifested in this project, and on its successor, The Final Cut. The Wall (notably the movie), along with other fantastically inventive and outside-the-box projects, morphs into the area where Pink Floyd is heavily misunderstood as a druggie band...and barring Syd Barrett's issues with LSD in late 60s, they're NOT a druggie band. The Wall is about Waters baring his soul to the world, and I admire the man for his bravery. I wish other musicians could be as real and creative at expression as he is.

The faint of heart or those damaged by horrible childhood experiences should be warned...The Wall will either be your therapy or drive you insane...but either way, you're probably doing yourself a favor and can find help -- for the sake of you and everyone around you. All being said, The Wall commands a close and meaningful study. There's nothing else like it out there.

#4. ~ Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles (1967)

The seed for the concept album was planted here...and while Sgt. Pepper isn't whole-heartedly a concept album, many of the ideas that led to projects by other bands down the road would point back to this.

This CD just recently got better, being released this year in its remastered version! You can also get it as part of a comprehensive Beatles box set.

Of course, there's no denying the opening track, which is reprised at the end with "A Day in the Life," one of the all-time greatest rock tunes ever.

An interesting back-story to Sgt. Pepper is how the Beatles received their influence from The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds album (didn't make this list - however it might make a Top 20 list). It goes to show how our most inspiring and influential musicians, and artists in general, definitely don't live in a vacuum.

#3. ~ Tales from Topographic Oceans by Yes (1973)

First thing, I'll admit that I'm more of a Trevor Rabin-era Yes fan (i.e. projects such as 90125, Big Generator, and Talk), and have had a tough time absorbing the more obscure portions of their earlier catalog from the 70s. However, that doesn't make me lose any less respect for their art.

Still, this is rock at its proggiest, in a fashion that might make the boldest listener's head explode...or if you're not on drugs, it might drive you to use them...or to throw the next mini-moog synthesizer you see ceremoniously off the top of a skyscraper just to prove a point.

Seriously...I've had enough conversations with hardcore Yes fans to know the significance of this album, Tales from Topographic Oceans, which stands out in a long line of Yes concept projects. This is the concept album not just taken to a whole new level, but into the realm of otherworldly. While the spiritual level of the album, and Jon Anderson's shtick, is in a motif that I personally don't quite grasp, that doesn't make it any less effective and meaningful. It commands our respect and praise.

There's deep, deep stuff going on here. Hardcore Yes fans "get it" the way I "get it" with 2112 by Rush...so, in the interest of all due respect to Yes fans, I will defer to one of them.

An Amazon reviewer writes:

"Tales" is a deeply philosophical album that is not for the meditative faint of heart. While much music is created to be toe-tapping and easy to sing to, "Tales" is in that genre usually called progressive rock, in a sub-genre that requires intense analysis to understand. The result is an album that is inaccessible and incomprehensible to a casual listener. In order to understand this music you must read the lyrics and listen, and listen, and then listen some more. Even then you might fail to gain a glimmer of Yes' intent.

"Tales from Topographic Oceans" would have to qualify as one of the most if not the most deeply complicated rock music ever created. Again, if you are a casual listener the complexity of the music can be frustrating or boring. However, if you consider that classical music is often complex, and to be understood requires extended focused listening, it should be of little surprise that Yes took that complexity for its own in the development of this music, creating a symphony in four movements.

Whoa! Enough said, I already have a headache and I haven't even put the thing on yet. Seriously, I look forward to sitting down with this project one day, when I have the time and patience to give it the required due diligence to explore it further.

I gave it the high ranking because of its artistic boldness and depth unlike any other concept album, and how it serves the diehard Yes fan in spades...and while I've given it a few listens and walked away wondering and not totally getting it, that's MY issue. I can still appreciate the boldness of the statement and the uncompromising artistry.

#2. ~ Tommy by The Who (1969)

The ranking is high because of the originality...Tommy is THE original rock opera.

With this project, The Who gave birth to the first bona-fide concept piece.

Tommy is structured as the perfect double album, with an interesting story line...and like The Wall, it formed into a movie, live performance, and has made it to the stage -- and in the case of the latter, I had the opportunity to see one of those live stage performances -- and loved it.

I highly recommend seeing any rock album performed as a play, it gives the original work a wonderfully fresh twist.

#1. ~ The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd (1973).

Hands down, IMO, it's the best rock album of all time, and therefore also the best concept album. Pure bliss and perfection; both compositional, sonically, and in the band's playing. The album cover evokes the feel and vibe of the album in its power, mystery, and simplicity.

Less is more.

See? Just when you read that, didn't the idea of that just mushroom out into lots of things? Sure it did. Shut up.

Dark Side of the Moon is a graceful, timeless, and perfect ride wrapped in the power and mystery of the whole Floyd thing. If the definition of the "power of music" was in the dictionary, this album cover would be next to it.

I see this album as a bold statement about modern life. It has a mellow vibe, offers variety, and unlike The Wall is more accessible and interpretive. However some are generally turned off by the often dark motif of Pink Floyd, and this project has it's share through Water's songwriting...but isn't that the beauty of art? Sometimes sad or dark music revealing the pain of real life can be healing -- and can be the most beautiful. It rejuvenates our soul.

Any idiot can write songs about sex, drugs, and rock and roll. This is the rock format at its deepest and most artistic. Even if you don't really like anything about Pink Floyd, this is the exception to that rule...and while it's Floyd, it's really not...there's Divine Intervention at work here. This album has the power to resonate with you forever and change your outlook on life.

Simply put, nothing touches it...nothing. I can't say that anything else in the rock genre even comes close -- Dark Side is in a higher league on its own. 'Nuff said...again, less is more.

If you don't know, just listen to the damn thing! Seriously, if you haven't heard it before, then find a killer stereo system and set aside some time...light a candle and turn down the lights...it's a moment you'll never forget.

If you're not a rock person -- and could only own one rock project in your lifetime -- this is it.

So that's a wrap!

As a final note here...it's about time that I post something meaningful up here...sorry for how I've been putting off posting something decent on this site for awhile.

I believe this blog space is more meaningful when I put something together that involves a deeper level of thought, and that requires some time and insight...so when time is short with other things, the beefier postings can fall off. Blame it on life stuff I guess.

I realize there are only 10 works mentioned here, with no honorable mentions to boot either...so I apologize if something glaring and obvious was left off! Part of it could be due to bands I'm not a big fan of -- the Genesis and ELP camps come to mind, for example...and there's lots of new stuff out there I might not be aware of. So please chime in and leave a comment on who should be added, as I'd consider expanding this to a Top 20 or Top 25 list...but you need to bring forth a compelling reason!

THE REVIEW CORNER -- Rush: Counterparts (1993, Atlantic)

I'm way overdue for a review of a Rush CD...so here we go.

When I think of Rush in the 90s, I keep coming back to Counterparts. I find it to be their best work of that decade by a long shot...and there's several reasons why, which I'll get to in a minute.

I want to talk more about what influenced Rush to make Counterparts the way they did, rather than breaking down the songs on it.

Yes, I will touch on the tunes, but only briefly...go here to Amazon to read music reviews there if you want in-depth reviews of each song.

To fully understand the creation of Counterparts, it's helpful to know how the band built up to this project, and the world of music that was around them at the time. It lends weight to this fantastic album in the band's massive cannon.

When I refer to "90s Rush," four of the band's Atlantic era studio albums come to mind: Presto (1989), Roll the Bones (1991), Counterparts (1993) and Test for Echo (1996)...and, of course, those four studio albums were capped off by the band's 4th live album, Different Stages (1998), for which this blog is named. That ended the 4th (and last) cycle in which the band would follow four studio albums with a live project.

Even though Presto technically came out in November of 1989 (the day I turned 21, actually...and a happy birthday it was...I was ecstatic, actually...woohoo!), it's still very much a work of the early 90s and the first baby of the band's gradual return to an edgier sound (and the band toured on it in 1990, so songs from it evolved onstage that year).

While the 80s produced some incredible work from the band and served as a period where the band advanced its songwriting ~ rather than concentrating on chops, like it did in the 70s ~ the decade involved an unconscionable Omaha Beach caliber attack of synthesizers. While much of it added substance to the music, much of it is very dated...actually, it was dated even back then, LOL.

Presto marked the band's slow (and sometimes painful) return to guitar-driven rock. After all, you have one of the most dynamic and talented rock guitarists, instrumental songwriters, and live performers of all time in the band, Alex Lifeson...uh, it might be a good idea to unleash him a little more. It's widely agreed in Rush circles that the crunch of Alex's guitar was stifled by the 80s synth period...it doesn't take much listening to Presto's two studio predecessors, Power Windows and Hold Your Fire, to figure that out.

While 1991's Roll the Bones built on the new pattern of edgier guitar work started by Presto, it meandered a bit; featured a modest comeback with instrumental work, and even experimented with a little rap...but the band would soon get a BIG push in the direction of edgier music. After inspiring and mentoring countless younger bands, a music scene ~ and a new bass player on the scene ~ would inspire Rush and the band's evolution.

The advent of grunge and the Seattle Sound in 1991-92 would lay the groundwork for Counterparts. It was merely weeks after the release of Roll the Bones that Nevermind, Nirvana's classic, hit the airwaves. By 1992 the grunge scene was literally evolving week to week, and sky-rocketing with bands like Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, and Nirvana at the helm while Rush was on tour that year. Edgier alternative bands such as Smashing Pumpkins and Green Day, which essentially provided an advanced version of punk rock, were also tearing up the scene.

While this new music revolution out of Seattle caught the eye of Geddy, Alex and Neil ~ giving them ideas for the material in their next project ~ it's their opening band in 1991-92 that would prove to have equal if not more significant influence on several levels.

The opening band on the Roll the Bones tour, Primus, was out of the Bay Area and featured singer /bass player Les Claypool. While Primus was known for its silly onstage antics, goofy song themes, and album names like Sailing the Seas of Cheese and Pork Soda helped to loosen up the members of Rush on tour, it was Claypool's bass acrobatics that would inspire Geddy Lee (already a member of the bass hall of fame years before that time, if there's such a thing).

The thick trunk of Primus' sound is Claypool's dynamic bass work, which can only be described as a brainmelter. He experiments with many different methods on the instument, notably chord work, which by 1991 wasn't very widely utilized or known in the rock world. While Geddy had noodled around with bass chords and voiced them live onstage (see "By-Tor and the Snow Dog" on the Exit...Stage Left DVD), he hadn't explored them to the level of Claypool's experimentation.

Claypool's influence revolutionized Geddy Lee's approach to the bass. He was now attacking the instrument with more fervor, and getting more into bass chord voicings. Further study of the styles used by both bass players will reveal Claypool's "herky jerky" approach, while Ged tends to exhibit a smoother style that floats like a knife through butter ~ even when he advances his methodology to the bass like he did in 1991-92.

While Ged's bass work represents only one of several dynamic compononts in Rush, it can be argued that it was the driving force behind the edgier approach to the Counterparts sessions when they began. Recalling reading in music magazines at the time, Alex also came into the sessions with grunge CDs such as Dirt by Alice in Chains in his CD player; so he was ready for a more aggresive approach too.

The Counterparts sessions began like most other Rush projects, with Ged & Al jamming about on guitar and bass. This set them on track with songs such as "Stick it Out," "Animate" (the project's high-on-speed, opening assault), and "Cut to the Chase." Legend has it that Lifeson "banned" synthesizers from entering the studio, which caused some heated disagreements between he and Lee, and even some hot tempers, if recollections from my research at the time are accurate...but never fear, the band isn't breaking up, these guys are lifelong pals...so eventually they found some compromise, which I'll get to in a minute.

So the sessions continued in the manner they usually do with Rush, which the band had down like clockwork since this was their 15th studio project. Al & Ged jammed, wrote and experimented, Ged did some arranging while Al probably took a nap, drummer /lyricist Neil Peart soon came in with his contributions, everyone collaborated in polishing off the songwriting, then the album was recorded...and before long we had a CD that clocked in 11 tracks and about an hour's worth of music. Yep, that's how it happened in one short paragraph.

While the crown jewels of Counterparts are widely regarded to be "Animate" and "Nobody's Hero," the CD also contains some hidden gems; some of the most experimental music Rush put out between 1982's Signals and 2007's Snakes & Arrows.

Four "lost gems" come to mind from Counterparts, which are "Between Sun & Moon," "Alien Shore," "Double Agent," and "Leave that Thing Alone."

"Between Sun & Moon" finds Alex tweaking his sound to echo something one might expect from the likes of Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits. It also features interesting voicings from Geddy's singing, which seem to replace what would have been keyboards/synthesizers on an earlier project. It seems the band had found a way to keep everyone happy as the band continued on a track toward a less synth-driven, edgier rock sound.

"Alien Shore," from a lyrical standpoint, is arguably be the most sophisticated love song ever written. It also highlights the bass playing advancements of Ged, featuring one of the greatest bass solos in the history of recorded music. The solo does an excellent job of bringing out the influences and enhanced chops that Ged perfected prior to the Counterparts sessions...and when one considers that he's singing while doing it, it comes off as even more impressive.

"Double Agent" is the most interesting and experimental track on Counterparts, and to the delight of fans was performed live on the tour in 1993-94. In a successful attempt to articulate a dream sequence, Ged speaks poetry intermittent with singing lines to capture the essence of a mystical state of mind.

"Leave that Thing Alone" is the dark horse of Counterparts, and winds its way from soaring guitar motifs to almost amusing passages that sound like something out of a spy movie (I don't know if that's what the band intended, but that's how many fans interpreted it). "Leave That Thing Alone" is one of a handful of instrumentals in the band's catalog, and was on par with old instrumental classics "La Villa Strangiato" from Hemispheres (1978) and "YYZ" from Moving Pictures (1981) before "The Main Monkey Business," "Hope," and "Malignant Narcissism" appeared on Snakes & Arrows (2007) in a most shocking 1-2-3 punch.

Unique within the many studio works of Rush, this project thematically approached the issue of love and human relationships...so you get a few "love songs," if you will (Rush style, of course) on Counterparts. Just be warned, this is a little different from the love song styles of Sinatra, Perry Como, and Celine Dion.

Initally one wouldn't think "love song" themes wouldn't jive with Rush's sound, but the formula produces surprising and often very satisfying results on the second half of the disc in tunes such as "Alien Shore," "The Speed of Love," and "Cold Fire".

The project's closer, "Everyday Glory," boasts some Peart's most passionate and inspiring lyric writing to date, and he's almost prophetic...remember this was 1993:

"If the future's looking dark,
we're the ones who have to shine.
If there's no one in control,
we're the ones who draw the line.
Though we know we live in trying times,
we're the ones who have to try.
Though we know that time has wings,
we're the ones who have to fly."


So, that's it...that's Counterparts for you...definitely worth your time and money if you're not familiar with it. It's the stongest effort by Rush from the 1990s, and unleashes great songwriting with top-notch chops from the beginning to the very last track.

THE REVIEW CORNER -- The Refreshments: Fizzy Fuzzy Big & Buzzy (1996 issue, Polygram)

There are some albums out there that pass under the radar amongst the general population, but serve as hidden gems to epitomize a certain time and place.

Fizzy Fuzzy Big & Buzzy by The Refreshments - one of a handful of bands that came out of Tempe, Arizona in the late 80s and 1990s - defined what a Tempe bar band sounded like in that time period, and define the culture and landscapes of Arizona...and the life of an Arizonan passing across the border to a town such as Rocky Point, Mexico.

This is a bit of a rambly and scattered post, so bear with...hopefully it should give off a feel much like the album in question...scattered and wistful tequila brains.

Lots of memories lie in the Sonoran Desert and the highways between Tempe, Tucson and Rocky Point...like when all of ASU and UofA would head down there for the Labor Day weekend to let loose.

So then I guess it only makes sense to set a tone and paint the picture by the lyrics from one of the album's premier tracks, "Mexico":
Well the good guys and the bad guys,
they never work past noon around here.
They sit side by side in the cantina,
talk to senoritas,
and drink more beer.

You get the idea...

This album also screams Tucson on Y2K...it was first introduced to me by a friend who came to visit me from Phoenix after I'd first moved there at the end of 1995 for a job. The band took hold, and I saw them live later that year at what was called the courtyard in front of the America West building (now defunct airline) in Tempe, in the heart of several bars whose names I've long forgotten.

I'd throw on the disc occasionally for a couple years thereafter, but it really reared its head back on New Year's Eve 2000...for some reason it was the fitting selection for that time...and my good friend Mr. Mop was introduced to the band on that night as well.

The open desert sky and 90s college lifestyle of Arizona, through a drunken tequila-tinged long-range looking glass, are all over this album. It opens with the rager "Blue Collar Suicide," seemingly a love/hate bitch session about a girlfriend.

Another highlight is "Mekong," with some of the album's most classic lines:
Barkeep
We need to go around again
One for me and what's his name
My new best friend
Deal me in and I'll pick my cards up off the floor
I'll see a lucky coin
And raise a pack of lies

Smile to the girl at the door
Another 4 dollar whore
But don't look her in the eyes
She'll break your heart
We came all the way
From Tempe today
Still Bangkok's pissin' rain and we're going blind again
And I haven't seen my girl in fifteen thousand miles

Well is it true
It's always happy hour here
And if it is I'd like to stay a while
Well as cliche as it may sound
I'd like to raise another round
And if your bottle's empty
Help yourself to mine
Thank you for your time
And here's to life

Much of the album seems to psychologically moan and ache into the absurd...almost boasting, in a strange way, an overblown wistful element.

It might seem far-fetched, but it actually echoes the fate of many who pass through the transient desertscape of Arizona, and speaks to the ever elusive Rosetta Stone that resolves each person's trials and tribulations lying somewhere in the timeline of the enigmatic and beautiful Sonoran Desert.

I know. I lived it...the good, the bad, and the ugly.

...so, to that effect, there's also the life-gone-into-the-trash tune "Interstate":
Well you should have known better
Dead thoughts and lost horizons
And to take it further
It don't get any better
Well out here on the border
Ain't nobody asking questions
No I don't need a miracle
But I could use a push in the right direction

Handgun and a bottle of Boone's
and a "69" Ford
and a new pair of shoes
Left from Boise Idaho '95
When they crossed the state line
They were just in time to fall
Asleep at the wheel

Last fact of the matter
Never was no facts involved
And to take it further
It never really matters
Well out here on the border
Ants drag bones across the hot dry ground
and over there at the trailer park
They got a million souls at the lost and found

While it may seem a bit like a eulogy of a soul now camped out in the desolate corner of the junkyard on a hot Phoenix day pushing 120 degrees, the poetry and imagery of this band was never stronger in any of its work...I would imagine...not that I really know what I'm talking about here.

Oddly enough, I've never actually heard another album by The Refreshments, and I'm not convinced that I ever need to. The statement that is this lost 90s classic, Fizzy Fuzzy Big & Buzzy, says everything to me that I need to know from this corner of the tequila bar, just over the Arizona border in that little Mexican town known as Rocky Point.

Here's more of an official report on The Refreshments:

While the Gin Blossoms were Tempe, AZ's most recognizable band in the post-grunge era, the Refreshments were perhaps the town's hometown favorite. Their brand of alternative pop/rock owed much to the band's Southwestern environs, whose influence increased with their sophomore effort The Bottle & Fresh Horses (and later came to fruition with the spin-off Americana outfit Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers).

Oddly enough, the very elements that endeared the Refreshments to their Arizona audiences -- the quartet's localized sound, mariachi-styled detours, and Tempe-centric lyrics -- prevented their music from finding true national appeal apart from the modern rock hit "Banditos." The fledgling Mercury Records sacked the group after their second album failed to provide a follow-up hit to "Banditos," and the Refreshments called it quits the following year (Mercury would also fold in 1998, having been absorbed into the Island Def Jam Music Group). Nevertheless, the Refreshments' legacy lives on in the Southwest, where the aforementioned Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers have since emerged as one of the area's biggest draws.
The Refreshments' roots date back to 1993, when Arizona State grads Roger Clyne (vocals, guitar), Brian David Blush (guitar), and Arthur "Buddy" Edwards (bass) first convened for a night of drinking and card-playing. A musical partnership formed and was soon completed by P.H. Naffah (drummer), whose association with Clyne would later extend into the Peacemakers. The band issued a self-released full-length debut, Wheelie, in 1994, with an EP titled Lo, Our Much Praised Yet Not Altogether Satisfactory Lady following shortly thereafter.

Both releases proved to be incredibly popular locally, with the original 2,000 pressings of Wheelie selling out quickly. Mercury Records took note and signed the band in 1995, later issuing their major-label debut, Fizzy Fuzzy Big & Buzzy, in 1996. Propelled by the hit single "Banditos," whose irreverent lyrics spun the tale of a Mexican crime caper, the album enjoyed moderate success. The Refreshments' good luck continued into 1997, when an instrumental composition (which the band had previously performed during soundchecks) was chosen as the iconic TV theme song for King of the Hill.

The band's mature follow-up, The Bottle & Fresh Horses, was also released in 1997, but it failed to gain much traction outside of local Arizona radio. The Refreshments subsequently lost their contract with Mercury, and the group disbanded in 1998. Buddy Edwards refashioned himself as a fiction writer, and Blush found work as a guitarist for several local bands. Clyne and Naffah would continue to explore the intersection of traditional Southwestern music and rock & roll with Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers, an Arizona supergroup whose lineup has featured members of the Gin Blossoms, Dead Hot Workshop, and Gloritone. ~ Andrew Leahey, All Music Guide

THE REVIEW CORNER -- Grateful Dead: Fillmore West 1969 (The Complete Recordings - 10 CD boxed set)

This is one of those boxed sets that's the rarest of finds. It's probably the most coveted collectible out there in the Dead camp.

Since I can't consider myself a big Dead fan (and therefore certainly not a Deadhead, nor even close), the bulk of this review is to be handed over to someone much more qualified than myself to give the review this release deserves.

I can, however, say that I've seen the Dead live. I caught the band in their last year, in 1994, as Jerry Garcia died one year later. I saw the subculture of the Deadheads, and all the shtick that goes along with it, in its total glory. What an experience it was.

I own about a dozen Dead recordings, the majority of them live, however I haven't completely dove into their catalog. I had plenty of exposure to them in college, as lots of guys I know were really into them; but at the time it was more of the hip thing to do, and I wasn't really into "being hip" with my music - let alone with anything - as I've always preferred the more unpredictable route. So recognizing this pseudo-hippie Deadhead trend amongst my peers back in the day, I decided that I would approach the Dead on my own terms at a later time.

As a musical connoisseur, I keep evolving into new and different things all the time. That being said; with time I see myself getting deeper into the Dead, and perhaps they'll end up as one of my favorite bands in the long run as I discover more and more. I'm actually quite surprised I haven't gone through a bona-fide "Dead phase," in true and deep earnest.

I know enough about the Grateful Dead to understand there's a treasure trove of material to be discovered from this iconic band. Some great discoveries lie ahead, including noodling through the recording highlighted in this review; which by all accounts appears to be the Taj Mahal of all Dead recordings.

Grateful Dead
The Complete Recordings Fillmore West 1969
Grateful Dead Prod 10-CD
Rhino 3-CD
2005

When the Grateful Dead originally released their live album Europe 72, it was issued in a three-lp set on vinyl for dual reasons. One was to accommodate the breadth of one of their concerts, the other to fulfill their contractual obligations with Warner Bros in one fell swoop and allow the group to go independent of the corporate record biz.
Had the Dead not been in such dire financial straits at the time of the 1969 release of Live /Dead, it too might have been expanded beyond its double LP size for musical reasons alone. Regardless, the title quickly became and remains one of the definitive live releases in rock as well as wearing extremely well in the face of the multitude of Grateful Dead archival concert pieces released in the thirty-year plus interim.
Now, however, two sets of cds from the same Fillmore West 1969 appearances effectively render Live /Dead obsolete. Most of the three-disc compilation (culled from the 10-cd package) appeared on that earlier album, but if you listen to the entire two sets as now constituted, the flow of the show contains nary a wasted note or beat. Reading long-time Dead publicist and historian Dennis McNally's liner notes, it's not surprising to learn how carefully the band was choreographing this string of concerts on their home turf.
Perhaps not quite the laissez faire hippies of the stereotype, the Dead wanted the optimum conditions for these shows, having spent months preparing and rehearsing the material, original (�Cosmic Charlie, "Mountains of the Moon") and traditional ("Morning Dew, We Bid You Goodnight," the two of which bookend this collection). In addition, through its sound man Owsley Stanley, the group had become ultra-conscious of sound quality for their live music and with a sixteen-track recorder (one of the first available) at their disposal, the stars seemed to be aligned in their favor.
Archivist David Lemieux and engineer Jeffrey Norman have the luxury of hindsight plus the resources of the entire run to create. in the Rhino package, what is arguably the definitive Grateful Dead concert recording. As the band, including two drummers plus Tom Constanten on keyboards, moves from the rootsy likes of "Good Morning Little School Girl," sung, of course, by the inimitable Pigpen, and the reworked folk tune "Dupree's Diamond Blues," into the deeper space of "Dark Star,"� "St Stephen"� and "The Eleven” (those three tunes orchestrated as a massive suite), the sequencing appears utterly logical and complete.
What distinguishes Fillmore West, however, and differentiates it profoundly from Live/ Dead, is the performance included on the third cd of the compilation. While such deliberate deconstruction of their music, including "That's it for the Other One"� "�Alligator" and "Caution Do Not Stop on Tracks"� may leave some listeners cold (even Deadheads who prefer the tighter structure of songs the likes of which the band was just beginning to write at this point), it is nevertheless fascinating to follow the probing for new themes: the expeditions most often led by Garcia, bassist Phil Lesh is never far behind and often in the foreground, but drummers Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart, even apart from their own drum interlude, offer ideas all around. The Dead's interaction here is not altogether unlike a ballet.
The experience of hearing this is akin to sitting on the floor of the stage in the middle of the band as they played. The HCDC remastering offers so much clarity and dynamic depth that, for instance, not only are all of Lesh’s bass notes audible, but also contain an almost tactile clarity. The same is true of the drums and percussion of Kreutzmann and Hart, the lightest touch of which come through with proportionate presence.
Grateful Dead aficionados as well as dilettantes have equal odds for epiphany working their way through all the sets from this entire four-night run at the fabled rock venue. The band’s grasp of dynamics isn’t applied just to the jams, as demonstrated by the flow of 2/27’s “Good Morning Little Schoolgirl�: their performance here suggests the band learned much about dynamics playing the blues following Pigpen’s lead, as Jerry Garcia’s howling lead guitar drops out in the blink of any eye to allow the whispering reentry of the vocal and the equally soft sound of the harp.
“Doin’ that Rag� is one of the guitarist’s earliest songwriting collaborations with Robert Hunter, whose philosophy of positivism, as it evolved over the years, is noteworthy even at this stage. The Dead find the tune equally useful as a warm-up exercise on the first night and the precursor of a cool-down toward the end of the first sets on 2/28 and 3/1. In later years, any number of songs served the same purpose, but while the Dead’s repertoire was perhaps never so constricted as these nights at the Fillmore, their improvisational approach expanded in proportion to the shrinking of the number of selections.
The aforementioned suite of songs including “Dark Star,” â€�St. Stephen” and “The Elevenâ€� is a listening experience in itself: the swirl of sound in the former tune is the sonic equivalent of what light shows of the time were attempting to portray visually. and it’s a small but profound pleasure to hear the seamless segue of the middle tune, with its wash of gong, without the abrupt edit as contained on Live/Dead.
But this box set does further justice to the Dead’s eye for detail as it exhibits how their other compositions set up this triad of well-known material. The ominous undertow of “Dupree’s Diamond Blues� is deepened by the eerie organ tones of Constanten, especially as it alternates with the comparatively lighter texture of acoustic guitar on “Mountains of the Moon,� the imagery of which carries its own foreboding rooted in the name of this band:�…hi-ho the carrion crow…�

“Fillmore West 1969 offers tremendous insight into the evolution of a great band and the art of musical improvisation in general.”

While the ten-disc collection is not assembled in book form like the three-disc distillation, its formatting in separate digi-paks for each evening lends itself to inspection of the consecutive night’s set lists. And how differently the Grateful Dead approach each night! The second evening’s first set, in contrast to the previous show, finds the Dead as a dance band pure and simple, with Pigpen upfront throughout, clearly hearkening back to the group’s earliest days in 1965 and 1966. This choice may then, in turn, explain why the band alters its entry into “The Other One,’ and, by extension, into the suite: the Grateful Dead glide as if in free fall as the flavor Garcia’s guitar is nothing but the blues, while its structure is nothing like it whatsoever.
A member of the San Francisco band for a comparatively brief period of time, keyboardist Constanten’s contribution is most notable for the way his organ bubbles under the action of the two guitarists, the fluid played off against the staccato. But his keyboards also bring out the Elizabethan sounds in songs such as the bridge of “St. Stephen� where Kreutzmann and Hart actually have their best moments as a team, navigating the turbulence just before the music morphs in “The Eleven’ on 2/28.
There is definite progression apparent on Fillmore West 1969 The Complete Recordings from one night to the next. The band becomes increasingly comfortable as the run goes on, allowing themselves to stretch out in ways it couldn’t or wouldn’t the first night. It’s worth pondering how much early equipment issues affected the group mindset, but a few bum notes and all, this is generally magnificent stuff, the likes of which shakes the ass and the intellect equally roundly. The Grateful Dead charge to a close on a wave of feedback, “We Bid You Goodnight� marred by a hum that detracts form the quietude of lullaby it’s supposed to present (and does on the final night of March 2nd).
The first of March find the Grateful Dead radiating an authority and confidence that states they know they’re on the right track. Validating Dennis McNally’s perception of this show as the pinnacle of the Fillmore run, the band proceeds with equal amounts purpose and focus, all captured on just two compact discs, suggesting comparative brevity can translate into breadth. After an earthy start that suggests the group is primed for adventure, the Dead display a surety of touch through “Starâ€�/”Stephen”/â€�Eleven,â€� the hours Jerry Garcia spent practicing banjo in the bluegrass mode manifesting themselves in the various progressions and transitions contained here, his eloquence matched phrase for phrase by Phil Lesh.
The plethora of photos contained in the booklet accompanying Fillmore West includes some stage shots from other performances in 1969, but the most notable of all are those that picture Lesh and Garcia juxtaposed on stage, rhythm guitarist Bob Weir not in between them literally (or figuratively as happened later on during the Dead’s career). Especially on the final night, the interplay between the two musicians’ takes on a heightened intensity the likes of which is rare in the Dead history, if only because the bassist is as prominent a figure in the sound as the lead guitarist. In hindsight, this dynamic presages Lesh’s modern day preeminence as the standard-bearer of the kind of exploratory musicianship epitomized by the Dead at their best throughout their career and captured on this set.
The California rock-icons-to-be are absolutely ebullient on the final night, which no doubt accounts for an even more fearless approach that generates generous stretching out at the beginning and the end of the set. With no worries about equipment and by this time bearing an instinctive familiarity with the material, the group radiates a ‘mission accomplished’ air that in and of itself retools their accomplishments as they envisioned them when this all started thee nights before. With due affection, the group sucker punches the audience with “Doin’ That Rag,� before embarking on an expedition into space via “The Other One,� that leads all in attendance even further afield via a drum interlude and a free-form improvisation the likes of which appeared only once before (and oddly enough, very rarely throughout the Grateful Dead’s history).
As much as the group was in the moment as they played during their stay at the Fillmore, they were also anticipating the future. Garcia’s sweet upper-register runs foreshadow his short-lived love affair with the pedal steel that began later in 1969. The guitarist repeatedly quotes the main melodic motif of “Goin’ Down the Road Feelin’ Bad� in the latter stages of the set on disc three, a precursor of what came to be one of Grateful Dead’s greatest show-closers and crowd-pleasers as their career evolved.
McNally alludes to Miles Davis’ Plugged Nickel and John Coltrane’s Vanguard sets in discussing Fillmore West The Complete Recordings and it’s not an inaccurate comparison.The good ol’ Grateful Dead may not hold much attraction for jazz purists, and it’s evenarguable if this grand release will tempt anyone other than completists (though its limited 10,000 piece run sold out months before it was shipped).
But as with Phish’s Island Tour and various Allman Brothers’ concert recordings (archive and recent vintage), to delve into these recordings is to avail yourself ofsome potentially great insight into the art of musical improvisation. Generally speaking, and specifically in reference to the Dead @ Fillmore West 1969 , casting aside the red herrings of preconception may be the biggest favor truly open- minded listeners can offer themselves.
Visit Grateful Dead on the web

Tracks:10 Disc set
Disc One 2/27/69 1 Good Morning Little Schoolgirl 2 Doin' That Rag 3 That’s It for The Other One - Cryptical Envelopment -The Other One -Cryptical Envelopment Disc Two 1 Dupree's Diamond Blues 2 Mountains Of The Moon 3 Dark Star > 4 St. Stephen > 5 The Eleven > 6 Turn On Your Lovelight 7 Cosmic Charlie
Disc Three 2/28/69 1 Morning Dew 2 Good Morning Little Schoolgirl 3 Don’ That rag 4 I’m A King Bee 5 Turn on Your Lovelight
Disc Four 1 That’s It for The Other One - Cryptical Envelopment -The Other One -Cryptical Envelopment 2 Dark Star > 3 St. Stephen > 4 The Eleven > 5 Death Don’t Have No Mercy
Disc Five 1 Alligator> 2 Drums> 3 Jam > 4 Caution (Do Not Stop On Tracks) > 5 Feedback > 6 We Bid You Goodnight
Disc Six 3/1/69 1 That's It For The Other One -Cryptical Envelopment -The Other One -Cryptical Envelopment 2 New Potato Caboose > 3 Doin’ That Rag > 4 Cosmic Charlie >
Disc Seven 1 Dupree’s Diamond Blues 2 Mountains of the Moon 3 Dark Star > 4 St. Stephen > 5 The Eleven > 6 Turn On Your Lovelight 7 Hey Jude
Disc Eight 3/2/69 1 Dark Star > 2 St. Stephen > 3 The Eleven > 4 Turn On Your Lovelight
Disc Nine 1 Doin’ that Rag 2 That's It For The Other One> - Cryptical Envelopment > -The Other One> - Cryptical Envelopment 3 Death Don’t Have No Mercy 4 Morning Dew
Disc Ten 1 Alligator> 2 Drums> 3 Jam > 4 Caution (Do Not Stop On Tracks) > 5 Feedback > 6 We Bid You Goodnight

Tracks:3 Disc set
Track listing
Disc One 1 Morning Dew 2 Good Morning Little Schoolgirl 3 Doin' That Rag 4 I'm A King Bee 5 Cosmic Charlie 6 Turn On Your Lovelight
Disc Two 1 Dupree's Diamond Blues 2 Mountains Of The Moon ) 3 Dark Star > 4 St. Stephen > 5 The Eleven > 6 Death Don't Have No Mercy
Disc Three 1 That's It For The Other One Cryptical Envelopment The Other One Cryptical Envelopment 2 Alligator > 3 Drums > 4 Jam > 5 Caution (Do Not Stop On Tracks) > 6 Feedback > 7 We Bid You Goodnight
Personnel:[ Tom Constanten: Organ; Jerry Garcia: Lead Guitar, Vocals; Mickey Hart: Drums; Bill Kreutzmann: Drums; Phil Lesh: Electric Bass, Vocals Ron “Pigpen” McKernan: Vocals, Harmonica, Percussion, Organ; Bob Weir: Rhythm Guitar, Vocals

by Doug Collette, from allaboutjazz.com