lambchops's Full Review: Skeletons From The Closet (Best Of...) by Grateful...
I can sense the shock and awe in your eyes…Lambchops--a deadhead?
Nothing of course could be further from the truth which is the precise reason I am examining the extremely brief greatest hits collection Skeletons From The Closet: The Best of The Grateful Dead and not say something more fan friendly or less mainstream. First an admission. I’ve already said I am not by any means a fan of The Grateful Dead. What I am however is a fan of rock music of all kinds including the brand of free-wielding, psychedelic, jam band, country-rock that the band perfected beginning in the mid-1960’s until Jerry Garcia died in 1995.
The Grateful Dead has a wide variety of popular songs, but it was not their album sales that made them a popular favorite with legions of loyal fans. Rather, that honor was bestowed upon them as a result of their mind-bending live shows. With each new musical generation, The Dead gained a feverish, new following. At no time was I a part of this group (nor any other that religiously attended the shows of other more contemporary acts like Phish).
But as unqualified as I am to comment about the true, live appeal of the band I am prepared to discuss the eleven-track early retrospective Skeletons From The Closet: The Best of The Grateful Dead originally released in 1974. For those relatively ignorant to the San Francisco band, it is a good primer. But for fans, it is certainly a let-down and has been rated toward the bottom of the catalogue by deadheads. But the album is in reality neither horrible nor wonderful. It is all tolled an average effort that seems to be slapped together.
A sampler of the band’s work from 1967 through 1972, it does contain some of their biggest and most widely-known tracks. Those early years and these songs featured Garcia in the front on guitar and with vocals, Bob Weir with guitars and vocals, drummer Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh on bass and with the occasion vocal, and rounding out the lineup organist Ron "Pigpen" McKernan. The major flaw with Skeletons From The Closet is that it does not flow as one would expect from a jam band. This flaw is of course a function of this kind of compilation, but it doesn’t excuse the lack of cohesion.
The best songs here read like the signs on a well trodden road: Mexicali Blues, Truckin’, Sugar Magnolia and Turn on Your Love Light to name but a few. But there are others that don’t resonate in such a positive way. Casey Jones, Rosemary, and Golden Road all qualify (in my non-deadhead opinion) as lesser selections. I really do want to like all of the songs, but without a particular context it is a haphazard effort.
Of course the tracks I am most comfortable with are those I’ve been acquainted with for the longest time…the ones that I never recall hearing for the first time and still here now and again. Truckin’ is an undeniable classic. It’s a road song, one perfectly suited for a hot trip across the country. Smooth, soothing, and relaxed it works well even on my virginal ears. Sugar Magnolia hits me in a slightly different way. Jangly, hip, upbeat and carefree it is a light selection though one worth hearing. The country-rock elements are also pretty prevalent, and when it comes to that subgenre the band excelled.
Mexicali Blues highlights the band’s tendency to be fun and diverse. Finally, of note is the jammin’ Turn on Your Love Light. It’s once again a bit of a country-rock tune, but I most appreciate the sparse instrumentation and straightforward production. The Grateful Dead knew what they could do well, and they were quick to expound upon those elements. Their music flows freely and nicely here.
But as mentioned, it isn’t all good. But for future deadheads, Skeletons From The Closet isn’t an all bad starting point. It could certainly lead to more thorough and thoughtful exploration into their back catalogue. There are of course a few other, more inclusive greatest hits compilations though nothing as of yet is out there that acts as a career spanning retrospective. Suggestions for albums to check out include above all other things American Beauty (1970). Whether or not The Grateful Dead will be recognized by future generations as innovators or just a product of their generation. Either way it works out, they really aren’t ones to be ignored and should be looked at and admired for the gift they gave to music and for the undeniable influence they had on contemporary acts like the aforementioned Phish in addition to Blues Traveler, Dave Matthews, and even Blind Melon.
Rating: 3/5 stars
Track Listing:
1. Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion)
2. Truckin'
3. Rosemary
4. Sugar Magnolia
5. St. Stephen
6. Uncle John's Band
7. Casey Jones
8. Mexicali Blues
9. Turn on Your Love Light
10. One More Saturday Night [Live]
11. Friend of the Devil
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