Day of the Dead – Various Artists – Album Review

For those questioning what this is, the obvious answer is an album of Grateful Dead covers benefiting the Red Hot Organization. This is the 20th album of original music produced by Red Hot to further its mission. All profits will help the fight against AIDS/ HIV, which pretty much means you can’t download this one if you want to be able to sleep at night. I guess you could if you made a generous donation on the side, but otherwise you’ll probably just have to buy it!

The first and most obvious thing about this album is that, it’s huge! It’s a sprawling monster of an album, stretching to 59 tracks and nearly six hours of music. I have an unwritten rule that the average album should be 40 minutes long. I grumble when they are 38 minutes and start giving out at anything less. By that reckoning, this is 9 albums! There are even some monster songs on the album with Daniel Rossen, Christopher Bear and friends clocking in at nearly 17 minutes.

The album was curated by Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National and they feature throughout the album in various forms. This album introduces a lot of super groups, with Phosphorescent and Jenny Lewis; Perfume Genius and Sharon Van Etten; and Daniel Rossen, Christopher Bear and The National along with various other unions and new bed fellows. It’s a bit of a free for all of the indie scene, more like a key party for alternative music! As long as they practice safe sex, I guess.

Will Oldham  –  “I have worked with a few people whose minds are brilliant and complicated, musically. There’s something about the Dead that allows these big-brained pickers to just chill the fuck out and feel good about it”

Still, the question remains, is it any good? Well, there’s definitely something for everyone. I doubt there’s an indie music fan that couldn’t find a bunch of their favourite bands on this one. There’s also a fair chance you’ll hear a few bands you’ve been meaning to check out. There’s also Bruce Hornsby! It’s definitely not all of uniform quality, but there’s some absolute gems in there that you won’t find anywhere else. Perfume Genius and Sharon Van Etten perform “To Lay Me Down”, a piano ballad with Mike Hadreas on vocals and Sharon haunting the background. Courtney Barnett makes New Speedway Boogie very much her own, with her brand of distracted vocals and muted guitars. Angel Olsen turns Attics of My Life into a choral piece, with a collection of voices and harmonies along with brushed drums. Bill Callahan finds an Easy Wind, with this simple strummed guitar track. Daniel Rossen, Christopher Bear and The National play Terrapin Station, with the arrangement sounding quite reminiscent of Grizzly Bear and Rossen taking vocal duties in an epic track that is probably the centre piece of the album. This is as clear a view of the state of the Indie nation as you’re likely to get, a snapshot of a moment in time. An anthology of bands and performers that are worthy of your attention.

Find out more about the album here

Track List –

1. The War on Drugs – Touch of Grey
2. Phosphorescent, Jenny Lewis & Friends – Sugaree
3. Jim James & Friends – Candyman
4. Moses Sumney, Jenny Lewis & Friends – Cassidy
5. Bruce Hornsby and DeYarmond Edison – Black Muddy River
6. Ed Droste, Binki Shapiro & Friends – Loser
7. The National – Peggy-O
8. Kurt Vile and the Violators (featuring J Mascis) – Box of Rain
9. Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy & Friends – Rubin and Cherise
10. Perfume Genius, Sharon Van Etten & Friends – To Lay Me Down
11. Courtney Barnett – New Speedway Boogie
12. Mumford & Sons – Friend of the Devil
13. Lucius – Uncle John’s Band
14. The Lone Bellow & Friends – Me and My Uncle
15. Lee Ranaldo, Lisa Hannigan & Friends – Mountains of the Moon
16. Anohni and yMusic – Black Peter
17. Bryce Dessner – Garcia Counterpoint
18. Daniel Rossen, Christopher Bear and The National (featuring Josh Kaufman, Conrad Doucette, So Percussion and Brooklyn Youth Chorus) – Terrapin Station (Suite)
19. Angel Olsen – Attics of My Life
20. Wilco with Bob Weir – St Stephen (live)
21. Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy – If I Had the World to Give
22. Phosphorescent & Friends – Standing on the Moon
23. Charles Bradley and Menahan Street Band – Cumberland Blues
24. Tallest Man on Earth & Friends – Ship of Fools
25. Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy & Friends – Bird Song
26. The National – Morning Dew
27. Marijuana Deathsquads – Truckin’
28. Cass McCombs, Joe Russo & Friends – Dark Star
29. Nightfall of Diamonds – Nightfall of Diamonds
30. Tim Hecker – Transitive Refraction Axis for John Oswald
31. Lucinda Williams & Friends – Going Down The Road Feelin’ Bad
32. Tunde Adebimpe, Lee Ranaldo & Friends – Playing in the Band
33. Local Natives – Stella Blue
34. Tal National – Eyes of the World
35. Bela Fleck – Help on the Way
36. Orchestra Baobab – Franklin’s Tower
37. Luluc with Xylouris White – Till the Morning Comes
38. The Walkmen – Ripple
39. Richard Reed Parry with Caroline Shaw and Little Scream (featuring Garth Hudson) – Brokedown Palace
40. Real Estate – Here Comes Sunshine
41. Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Shakedown Street
42. Hiss Golden Messenger – Brown Eyed Women
43. This Is the Kit – Jack-A-Roe
44. Daniel Rossen and Christopher Bear – High Time
45. The Lone Bellow & Friends – Dire Wolf
46. Winston Marshall, Kodiak Blue and Shura – Althea
47. Orchestra Baobab – Clementine Jam
48. Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks – China Cat Sunflower – I Know You Rider
49. Bill Callahan – Easy Wind
50. Ira Kaplan & Friends – Wharf Rat
51. The Rileys – Estimated Prophet
52. Man Forever, So Percussion and Oneida – Drums – Space
53. Fucked Up – Cream Puff War
54. The Flaming Lips – Dark Star
55. s t a r g a z e – What’s Become of the Baby
56. Vijay Iyer – King Solomon’s Marbles
57. Mina Tindle & Friends – Rosemary
58. Sam Amidon – And We Bid You Goodnight
59. The National with Bob Weir – I Know You Rider (live)