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The first law of the Grateful Dead is that the studio albums are not where the action is.
But I just went searching for the Grateful Dead albums that my buddy D might have been playing in his car back in high school. Live tapes hadn’t made it to our neck of the woods yet (clueless high schoolers) in those days.
So, Aoxomoxoa.
A few things shot to mind. The guitar playing on St. Stephen is sublime. Dupree’s is a McCartney knockoff, no? And Rosemary — ah, Rosemary. Haven’t heard that tune since “back in the day.”
Doin’ That Rag — wow, chills of memory and delight from the gorgeous melody. And more McCartney/Beatles influence.
The leads on China Cat, what fluidity from Jerry. Those were the days for liquid leads, weren’t they — Duane Allman, Dickey Betts, Mick Taylor, etc.
Some reading indicates this is considered the Dead’s “experimental” period. As someone who was there listening to music in the early 70s and on, this music doesn’t sound that experimental to me.
Many bands’ entire works tread the ground that Aoxomoxoa treads. Aoxomoxoa is just better than most. I wonder what would have happened if Garcia kept going down that path more consistently?
Also, doesn’t Jerry’s creativity completely dominate this album?
Dust off Aoxomoxoa if you haven’t for a while.
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