Published on Feb 5, 2004
To anyone who has even remotely followed the Grateful Dead over
the years, it is no surprise that they have owed some of their
folky success to the style of Bob Dylan, paying the debt by
offering covers of many of his songs over the years. It even led to
a tour with Dylan in 1987.
But the inclusion of one or two Dylan songs in a typical Dead
show was almost expected, even welcomed.
Postcards Of The Hanging, a compilation of the Dead doing
nothing but Dylan covers compiled over a series of live shows
spanning fifteen-plus years, is beautiful at times, but it smacks
of overkill.
Having heard enough Dead concerts via tape trading and via
Furthur, I could make the argument that Jerry Garcia and company
dipping into the well to perform a Dylan cover during a show was
like entering a comfort zone. It was a respite from the
expectations of fans who were waiting to hear any number of the
Dead’s songs, and allowed them to explore an already-established
artist at their own pace, taking the audience for the ride. It
almost seemed to energize the Dead, allowing them to continue on
with their own catalog.
My problem, then, is that I often felt like I was left hanging
after hearing a song like “Maggie’s Farm” or “Just Like Tom Thumb’s
Blues,” as if I was waiting for the band to kick off a song like
“Mexicali Blues” or “Estimated Prophet” to follow. It’s a bit
off-putting, even when you know what you’re getting into before you
remove the shrink-wrap from the jewel case.
And, yes, maybe it’s nitpicking, but having a disc of only
covers almost feels like the Dead, now gone for eight years, is
being reduced to some form of a lounge act, albeit a damned
talented one. Fact is, the Dylan covers complemented the original
material, and vice-versa. While the original songs can stand on
their own easily, the Dylan numbers feel like they need a bit of
support.
Of course, none of this means a hill of beans to the diehard
Deadheads out there, who no doubt raised the toast of “Latvala!”
when they saw the track selection, many of which make their first
appearances on a Grateful Dead album. Interesting to note, though,
that quite possibly the best performance of the disc is “Man Of
Peace,” which features none other than Dylan himself. And, yes,
there are enough strong tracks on this disc, such as “When I Paint
My Masterpiece,” “Ballad Of A Thin Man” and “Stuck Inside Of Mobile
With The Memphis Blues Again”, to make it worth checking out.
Postcards Of The Hanging is the kind of disc whose
intentions were good — namely, to call attention to the parallels
between the Dead and Dylan over the years. On paper, though, it
turns out to be one that is worth a casual glance, but is really
meant for the completists. Oh — and of all the bands I’d expect to
use the diabolical practice of putting hidden tracks on after
extended silences, I never thought that a Grateful Dead disc would
be among that list. Guys, how could you?