Anthem Of The Sun (studio album) by Grateful Dead

From Jboy56 09/02/2022 11:51

This is live Dead, hmm one of the jam bands that can make songs so long... hah

From StefanR10 01/08/2021 19:43

Very experimental psychedelic rock

This '68 live-ish LP is one that deals too little and too much, intermittently. There are clever, melodious pieces to be found, but the interruptive noise jams all over render both sides inconvenient (even inaccessible). The Grateful Dead had yet to find their sound.

Deadheads will surely disagree, but late 60's psych seekers could look on to later releases and other 1968 options without shame.

I am going through a kind of psychedelic musical awakening at the moment and this is a very chilled jazzy album in parts, particularly side one. I am not over keen on the use of a kazoo in music but it soon drops out after side two (vinyl) gets moving. I agree with some of the other comments, that there is a disconnectedness but that kind of adds to the overall album appeal to me. I actually prefer this album to American Beauty but it's all personal preference. I am enjoying my psychedelic 'trip' and if you want to experience some other interesting albums try The West Coast Pop Experimental Band (Part one) The Electric Flag, The Deep Six and the Zombies (Oddysey and Oracle). And there's plenty more!

From Boltzmann 04/01/2020 10:44

nobodyisemo should not listen their albums after this one, 'cause personally this is the only album where I can bear their acid rock.

And I found an Aphex Twin sample. Near the end of "That's It For The Other One" in the mess of noise you hear a sound I think I heard before on Aphex Twin's Gwarek2.

From Nobodyisemo 10/22/2017 01:54

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From RoundTheBend 02/27/2016 18:33

I enjoyed it. Not something that would rotate regularly, but still quality jam music.

From swhaze 12/22/2014 18:00

I'm not a big fan of it. It's a bit too trippy and raw for my tastes.

From Jasonconfused 02/04/2013 21:05

It's not a terrible album, but it just doesn't have the quality and production to feel like a complete studio album. At this point I don't think the Grateful Dead knew quite how to do anything other than play live.

The sound on this album is complex, dense and mellow akin to the harmonious experimentalism of Pink Floyd, the instrumentals of Cream and the 'cosmic' improvisation and existentialism of Sun Ra. The band members, inspired by Stockhausen and John Cage and the music tapes for Morton Subotnick, produced one of the all-time acid-rock masterpieces.