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The Grateful Dead “Anthem of the Sun” (1968, Warner Brothers)

My uncle was a Deadhead and his home was filled with iconic Dead-stickers set up like markers or beacons around the house. The Dead was on his garage stereo while he worked on his truck, played right alongside Hank Williams Sr. I visited often growing up and so their sound just became part of my make-up.

“Anthem of the Sun” really grabbed me in a way that the Dead never had reached me before, once I gave the album even slight attention. Apparently this record combines live and studio material but I could hardly tell during my first listen. Changes happen often but are usually slight and subtle, until they aren’t, anyway… “That’s it for the Other One” is a perfect example of this, a piece that morphs often but in a way that seems so natural that you can tell all players involved had reached a well composed and relaxed state with each other. “New Potato Caboose” is more of a happy, plodding affair, and if you haven’t noticed yet, two drummers have been banging away since about midway through their first track. That pre-dates Gary Glitter and Swans right?

The real jaw-dropping material comes on the flip side though, with tracks “Alligator” and “Caution (Do Not Stop On The Tracks).” Kazoos and organ sounds open up among churning rhythms going down-river. Drummers studying this record better know that they are hearing two men behind the sticks once the tribal sounds come in. Garcia guitar finally breaks through it all and defines itself until Bob Weir and Phil Lesh come in to fill “Alligator” out. And as far as “Caution” goes, it’s feedback and odd drumming unconcerned with the past or future, going nowhere, yet transcending…

Uh, maintain! -Wade

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