Grateful Dead
Dick's Picks Volume 7
Alexandria
Palace, London England
September 1974
Review by Barry
Small © December 27, 2001
Dick's
Picks Volume Seven is a compilation from the September 1974 shows played at the Alexandria
Theatre in London. This release gets more than it's share on negative
comments. I wonder if they are listening to the same compact discs as me.
The only logical conclusion is the complaints and negative criticisms is
that so much good music of this run was left off. Personally, I prefer to
enjoy what is released rather than obsess with what is missing from it.
The
first of the three discs covers standard first set material for 1974. None of
the song versions are weak and the following are top notch: "Black Throated
Wind," "Beat It On Down The Line," and "Tennessee Jed."
Especially noteworthy is the "Mississippi Half Step" which is one of
my favorite versions; it doesn't rock as hard as the one from Dick's Picks
Volume 15, Englishtown, instead it takes a more gentle tone.
I
like to think of the two remaining discs as little pockets of greatness that are
perfect for occasions when your seeking a great 20 minutes of music, not a whole
show. To me those times are frequent.
Disc
2 has three pockets of nuggets. The "Weather Report Suite" >
"Stella Blue" is solid. It is followed by three standard first
set songs, all terrifically played, and make a perfect choice for a
fifteen-minute drive. It concludes with a "Truckin'" > "Wharf
Rat" that has an instrumental between them so interesting that it was given
it's own name, "Wood Green Jam." Fans of Keith Godchaux will enjoy his
piano contributions in "Wharf Rat."
Disc
3 has two pockets of gems. First off is a "Me and My Uncle" and an
extended "Not Fade Away." Next up is the grand treasure, a spectacular
"Dark Star" that goes in many different directions before flowing into
a unforgettable "Morning Dew."
Dick's
Picks Volume Seven has no real weak moments and it gets plenty of playing time on my cd
player. However, it is the not best from the pre retirement Keith era as there
is heavy competition from that time period for those honors.
A
The songs from this release are from these venues:
September 9, 1974
- Scarlet Begonias
- Mexicali Blues
- Row Jimmy
- Truckin'
- Wood Green Jam
- Wharf Rat
September 10, 1974
- Black Throated Wind
- Mississippi Half Step
- Weather Report Suite
- Stella Blue
- Me And My Uncle
- Not Fade Away
- Dark Star
- Spam Jam
- Morning Dew
- U.S. Blues
September 11, 1974
- Beat It On Down The Line
- Tennessee Jed
- Playing In The Band
- Jack Straw
- Brown-Eyed Women
- Big River
Send me your review or comments of this
release.
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