Blues For Allah review
Note: A re-mastered version
of Blues For Allah was released on Oct. 26, 2004, with bonus
material that was initially
only available in the box-set, Beyond
Description, The individual CD's are now available. The
re-mastered versions include loads of bonus material. Be sure to get
that one.
My review is on the
original album before the bonus material.
Blues For Allah is
one of ways the Grateful Dead spent their retirement. The album
has some of the more complex song
structures that the Grateful Dead recorded in the studio resulting
in one of their strongest studio efforts. Around half of the
material from Blues For Allah became concert staples, while
the other half were half were only performed a few times in
1975.
The tracks from Blues
For Allah that were performance rotations all sound fantastic in
studio format too. The
albums opener, "Help On The Way" > "Slipknot"
> "Franklin's Tower" is bouncy bright and uplifting,
and the rocking "The Music Never Stops" has a punch to it; the horns add a nice touch. While
"Crazy Fingers" reggae beat and infectious melody give
that song its charm.
There are three songs from
Blues For Allah that were not part of their concert rotations. Of
them, the title track that is a lengthy 12 minute musical suite, that
song is ok, while the other instrumental pieces are excellent. "King Solomon's
Marbles" takes an electric approach, sort of in the vein of
"Slipknot," while "Sage and Spirit" is an acoustic piece
with a flute accompaniment.
Perhaps the reason Blues
For Allah is so good is that they really put a lot of effort
into it. There are a plethora of tapes of studio outtakes from
these sessions that circulate among traders that offer lots of
interesting listening.
by
Barry Small
Grade A
