Grateful Dead - Terrapin Station

Very Dated Music!

I like track 1 & 4, "Estimated Prophet and Samson & Delilah", but that's about it. 2/6= a very generous 3***Stars. October 25, 2008

Dead Turtle Station

For those tie-dyed in the wool Greatful Dead-Heads, this is a must have recording for their library. Fine work performed by Jerry Garcia, et al. Terrapin Station Suite is worth it all, with added touches provided by Keith Olsen (recording engineer); also contains a rousing rendition of "Dancing in the Streets" and Donna Godchaux takes center stage in "Samson and Delilah" and "Sunrise" (which she wrote). Additional studio outtakes are an added bonus, as is the live take of "Dancing", which completes the trip. 2 joints up.
August 3, 2008

The Passenger

"Terrapin Station" took the Grateful Dead down a new set of tracks. It was the Golden Spike that sent them onto a progressive, surreal intercontinental railroad. "Terrapin Station" is a mesmerizing mix of music. The Grateful Dead was being,as usual, highly experimental... and the results were phenomenal.

The opening song "Estimated Prophet" is a joyous,sunshine ode to California,"standing on the burning shore." It's hymnlike. There are references to the prophet Elijah and his fiery chariot. "Passenger" a catchy ditty, with unusual riffs. Interestingly,"The Passenger" is the title for the still-unreleased Iggy Pop biopic (sorry,it's not about Phil Lesh) "Sunrise" has beautiful singing from Donna Godchaux. It's a hymn honoring a roadie who passed away; the final drumming is from a Native American chief. The Terrapin Station Suite is impressive. It's a nearly 20 minute sonic journey. "Counting stars by candlelight/the spiral light of Venus" turns it into a cosmic hymn on par with the Beatles' "Across the Universe." It was fitting that parts of Terrapin Station were recorded at Abbey Road in London. It's still a powerful,inspirational song.

The remastered edition has some beautiful extras. There are the enigmatic songs "Ascent" and "Equinox." "Catfish John" is creole-spiced Americana. "Dancin' in the Streets" gets some long jamming from Jerry Garcia. Finally,there's a studio outtake of "Fire on the Mountain",one of the Dead's most inspiring tracks.

"Terrapin Station" carries you away! It's the Dead's magical mystery tour. July 16, 2008

First Class (!)

Ok, it's hold my hands up time. I've had an absolute field day on these reviews pages at the expense of the Dead (and others!) in general, and `hippy types' in particular. I've penned reams about faded loons, floral shirts, 10 minute mellotron solo's, and, my particular favourite, the enjoyably ubiquitous centre-parting.
I suppose it's my inadequate way of coming to terms with the fact that I've been immersed in an art form that's completely alien to me. I've sneered, scoffed and chortled my way round some strange, intoxicating music, which I've usually grudgingly acknowledged, while at the same time, sarcastically pointing out every fallibility I can find. In short, I've stretched a point to breaking, with no other justification than narky inexperience.
Well that ends here.
My latest stop is `Terrapin Station' and it's MAGNIFICENT on every level. It's a devastating mix of funk, rock and reggae, from the steely opening chords of `Estimated Prophet' to the jumping climax of the 16 minute `Terrapin Station pt1', we're on a winner in a big way. There's lyrical and melodic strength that's joyous and delightful, there's serious cohesion, (my favourite rock term) clarity, and huge swathes of justified confidence. Justified because The Dead are on some kind of creative summit here-and don't they know it. The swagger is unmistakable. Each exquisitely crafted hook, each spray of feisty brass, every huge orchestral sweep is definite indication of a group on fire.
Despite the dodgy labeling, this is almost pure pop. It has a funny kind of sisterhood with Captain Sensible's album `Revolution Now', in that it's surface sheen and pomp is (incredibly!) just the bait that draws you in, ultimately to discover the width and depth of what lies beneath. A clear sign of inner richness.
The scope and aspiration of `Terrapin Station' is breathtaking and immense. It has subtleties and intricacies that other lesser, workmanlike musics can only dream of - and it's sustained. It applies pressure in the first 5 seconds and never let's up, relentless, whirling rock music which is appealing well beyond a delirious few listens, and has a resonance and resolve which is unshakeable.
As with all truly great music, it's profoundly influential, good and bad. The obvious offspring are the likes of Chic and the stomping Brothers Johnson. Unfortunately the lineage ends somewhere around those mortifying uglies, Level 42, but it does illustrate that even the most hopeless cruds can't be ALL bad, if they're trying to emulate `Terrapin Station'.
A truer album you won't hear. It's full, across the board solid. Alert, soulful and downright FUN. I'm not even gonna whine about the awful (again!) cover art, (I can still smell nappies when I think of `Blues for Allah") because, for once, the ludicrous details which I normally cheekily celebrate, are unimportant. And I've even jettisoned a slew of train jokes in favour of breathless positivism, such is the chill-inducing, magical beauty of `Terrapin Station'.
I'm glad I'm alive.

April 29, 2008

Terrapin Station is Definitive Dead.

At the risk of sparking a Deadhead Debate, I consider Terrapin Station to be among the Dead's three best studio albums (the other two being American Beauty and Blues for Allah). (Yes, I agree this album is more over-produced and over-polished than most of the band's other work, and yes I agree Workingman's Dead is a great album.) Terrapin Station (1977) is the the Grateful Dead's ninth studio album, and is Definitive Dead--essential to any serious rock collection. It is a fusion of rock, funk, blues, reggae, country, and improvisational jam. Dare I say the album was a departure from the Dead's previous work in that it even has a few progressive rock influences (Yes and Genesis were popular bands at the time). The album features Garcia and Weir on vocals and guitars, Lesh on bass and vocals, Keith Godchaux on vocals and keyboards, Donna Jean Godchaux on vocals, and Kreutzmann and Hart on percussion. The album also features the Martyn Ford Orchestra and the English Choral on the title track. I first experienced this album on vinyl. Most of the songs on this album were concert favorites. The remastered CD is worth the upgrade from vinyl, featuring the following setlist:

1. Estimated Prophet
2. Dancin' In The Streets
3. Passenger
4. Samson & Delilah
5. Sunrise
6. Terrapin Station Part 1: Lady With A Fan/Terrapin Station/Terrapin/Terrapin Transit/At A Siding/Terrapin Flyer/Refrain

7. Peggy-O (instrumental studio outtake, on November 2, 1976)
8. The Ascent (instrumental studio outtake, on November 2, 1976)
9. Catfish John (studio outtake, Fall 1976)
10. Equinox (instrumental studio outtake, on February 17, 1977)
11. Fire On The Mountain (instrumental studio outtake, February 1977)
12. Dancin' In The Streets (live on May 8, 1977)

G. Merritt April 18, 2008

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