Track List 

1977

Terrapin Station review

Note: A re-mastered version of Terrapin Station 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. 

Terrapin Station is either wonderful pop melodies or The Grateful Dead selling out. I think it's somewhere in between. The opener, "Estimated Prophet" is strong with a nice Weir delivery, but without a following "Eyes of the World," it just doesn't pack as much punch. The rare Lesh tune, "Passenger," is rocking, and is a nice highlight. "Dancing In The Streets," however, is awful, as were most renditions of it at this time; it was done much better in the 1970 carnation of the band. "Sunrise," a Donna Godchaux composition, is not necessarily bad, it just doesn't go anywhere. The album is obviously famous for the title track, and while it's very good, it's a tad boring, during Terrapin Transit and At a Siding, so I'm glad they didn't perform this part in concert. It would have been interesting to hear it without the orchestras, as the Terrapin Flyer drum duel would be much more interesting. So Terrapin Station isn't the worst the Grateful Dead could do, in fact "Terrapin Station" and "Estimated Prophet" are classics, it just doesn't have the bite of their live performances, for some live treats try Dick's Pick Volume 29 and Dick's Pick Volume 18.  by Zach Smith
Grade - C +