Although Rockin’ The Rhein With The Grateful Dead (2004) is the fourth collection to be derived from their legendary Europe ’72 excursion, these three CDs likewise boast the very first instance that a concert has been issued in its entirety, albeit with a slightly revised playing order, but more about that in a moment. Enthusiasts as well as Deadheads alike laud 1972 as a time of undeniable transition for the group. In terms of personnel changes, Mickey Hart (drums) had departed the previous year. Plus, Ron “Pigpen” McKernan’s (organ/percussion/harmonica/vocals) reoccurring health problems became the impetus for the addition of the husband and wife team, Keith (piano) and Donna Jean (vocals) Godchaux.
The Grateful Dead’s sound was shifting as well, from lengthier psychedelic suites into more acoustic and rural-flavoured melodies. That said, as the three-quarter hour “Dark Star” combo illustrates, they could still convincingly delve into the outer reaches of the rock and roll cosmos. The “Truckin’” opener commences the gig with a strength and conviction that has become the hallmark of this tour. Otherwise, there are notable if not above average renderings of the Bob Weir (guitar/vocals) ballad “Black-Throated Wind,” Jerry Garcia’s (guitar/vocals) “Loser” and the McKernan-led trio of “Chinatown Shuffle,” “Mr. Charlie” and “Next Time You See Me”. The ensemble’s interaction is kicked into overdrive on an exemplary “China Cat Sunflower”, “I Know You Rider” and a relatively succinct “Playing In The Band”. Granted, the latter clocks in at ten minutes, yet merely hints at the epic versions revealed in the months and years to come. “Good Lovin’” stands as a zenith from the first set, as McKernan’s sexually-charged R&B proto-rap intersects the instrumentalists respective expeditions.
The driving “Casey Jones” that follows feeds off of the vibe as the set concludes with an undeniably spirited rendering. Here is where things get interesting, tucked within the liner information is the statement: “Due to the length limitations of the CD format, some very minor adjustments had to be made to the show’s running order, both to keep all of the musical sequences intact and to present you with the complete show, unabridged.” When asked by yours truly to expound on that, producer Jeffrey Norman added, “I realize everyone is used to the CD order because that's the order on the leaked rough mixes, but that's not truly how the sets went down. I found that out when I put on the multi-tracks and listened to the segues between songs, as well as the ‘ … thank you we'll be right back … ’ after [both] ‘Casey Jones’ and ‘Sugar Magnolia’.
If we had kept the original set order, we would have had to break up the long segments. [The approach we chose] seemed a more musically, if not historically, pleasing thing to do.” Hence, there were three sets: the first is presented as it happened, while the second includes “Dark Star” through “Sugar Magnolia” medley and the third consisted of: “He's Gone,” “It Hurts Me Too,” “El Paso,” “Not Fade Away,” “Going Down The Road Feelin’ Bad,” “Not Fade Away” (reprise) and the encore of “One More Saturday Night.” That notation aside, after some preliminary callisthenics, they plunge headlong into the second ever live “He’s Gone”. The primordial reading contains a rough edge and missed cue here and there, but even at this early stage of research and development, the tune is practically fully formed. Their take of Elmore James’ “It Hurts Me Too” is incendiary from Garcia’s woozy slide intro all the way through McKernan’s emphatic lyrical inflections.
The previous music has built up to Rockin’ The Rhein’s spiritual centre, the exploratory combination that links “Dark Star,” “Me & My Uncle,” “Wharf Rat” and “Sugar Magnolia”. The septet transform themselves, drawing upon disparate sonic textures weaving a whole, contiguous and respectively inclusive work. Materializing from the improvisational depths of “Dark Star,” gallops up a full-throttle “Me And My Uncle” that disappears practically as mysteriously as it emerged. The evolution continues as an emotive “Wharf Rat” eases upon a mid-tempo “Sugar Magnolia.” The cut picks up steam during the “Sunshine Daydream” reprise, turning into a real barn burner. The Grateful Dead conclude with a double-barrel cover of Buddy Holly’s “Not Fade Away” sandwiching a sublime “Goin’ Down The Road Feelin’ Bad” in between, for good measure.
Garcia’s crystalline fretwork is a much needed refresher after the previous hour-plus of intensity. The bonus material -- two McKernan workouts from exactly one month later (May 24, 1972) at the Lyceum in London -- are worthy supplements. Especially as “(Turn On Your) Lovelight” marked the final time that Pigpen would be at the helm. Sadly, his health deteriorated to the point that he never toured again, passing away on March 8, 1973.
The CDs are housed in a quad fold digi-pack, accompanied by a nine-panel mini-poster, sporting black and white photos on one side and the cover art on the other. Parties purchasing Rockin’ The Rhein from the Grateful Dead’s own merchandising website can take advantage of a CD premium offering 73 minutes from a series of March 1972 shows at the Academy Of Music in New York City, held just prior to their European excursion.
More information can be found on-line at http://www.gdstore.com/.
Track Listing:
Truckin' / Tennessee Jed / Chinatown Shuffle / Black-Throated Wind / China Cat Sunflower / I Know You Rider / Mr Charlie / Beat It On Down the Line / Loser / Playing In the Band / Next Time You See Me / Me & Bobby McGee / Good Lovin' / Casey Jones / He's Gone / Hurts Me Too / El Paso / (Turn On Your) Lovelight / The Stranger (Two Souls in Communion) / Dark Star / Me & My Uncle / Dark Star / Wharf Rat / Sugar Magnolia / Not Fade Away / Going Down The Road Feelin' Bad (Traditional) / Not Fade Away / One More Saturday Night.
The Grateful Dead:
Jerry Garcia - Guitar / Vocals
Bob Weir - Guitar / Vocals
Donna Jean Godchaux - Vocals
Keith Godchaux - Piano
Bill Kreutzmann - Drums
Phil Lesh - Bass / Vocals
Ron "Pigpen" McKernan - Organ / Harmonica / Percussion / Vocals
