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Amazing Stuff

jokamachi | california | 06/13/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've invested in a few of the Grateful Dead's box set live recordings lately, this being the one I have enjoyed the most. The sound is crisp and immediate(exceeding any of the Dick's Picks), Pigpen is in wonderful form (and a delight to hear), the band is as tight as ever, the music as varied, and one gets a sense of the door closing on what was a beautiful chapter in the Dead's history. As the man said himself, there are "moments of blinding brilliance" to be found herein."

Earthbound, raggedy, bluesy -- only Disc 4 really flies

R. Hutchinson | a world ruled by fossil fuels and fossil minds | 01/26/2010

(3 out of 5 stars)

"SKULL & ROSES has been one of my favorite Dead albums from way back -- I must have heard it for the first time in late '73 or so (see my review). So I'd been meaning to pick this one up for some time now, a bigger selection of the April 1971 Fillmore shows that were also featured on SKULL & ROSES (which also includes a number of cuts from other Spring 1971 shows).



Very disappointing. This is probably a good bet if you like Pigpen, but not so good if you like the Dead for their cosmic jams. There is nothing on here like "The Other One" on SKULL & ROSES, the "Dark Star" is not anywhere near as good as a number of others, let alone the classic from the 1969 LIVE/DEAD, the "Not Fade Away/Goin' Down the Road Feeling Bad" is not a patch on the one from SKULL & ROSES. It has its little moments, true, like on the very early "Bird Song," but for the most part I don't find that this set lives up to its reputation at all. Credit to whoever put together SKULL & ROSES, they really extracted the best performances! Actually, if you like Pig, BEAR'S CHOICE, a Fillmore recording from a year earlier in 1970, is a better showcase for his talents, with a better "Hard to Handle" than the one here and the extended "Smokestack Lightning."



The one exception, and what makes this set worth seeking out if you're a true Deadhead, is found on Disc Four. Starting with "Alligator," the Dead finally reach take-off velocity and soar into a drum solo from Bill and then an amazing "Jam," which launches a very intense sequence of "Goin' Down the Road," "Cold, Rain & Snow," with Jerry singing out of his skin, and "Casey Jones." Man, what a blast! So ended the night, but Bill Graham comes out only to be heckled, and Pig and the Dead return for a magnificent encore performance of "In the Midnight Hour." Then they close with the traditional number familiar from LIVE/DEAD, "We Bid You Goodnight."



There are tons of live Dead shows, and this one overall is not among the best.

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