Grateful Dead Road Trips 4.4 - Complete Philly Spectrum 4/6/82

http://www.dead.net/road-trips/road-trips-vol-4-no-4

A lively and powerful dose of Grateful Dead from one of the band’s all-time favorite venues... the complete Philly Spectrum 4/6/82 concert on a three-disc set! Those Philly fans always expected big things out of the boys when they came to town, so most Spectrum shows have some extra zip to them. Needless to say, the sound is pristine, and mastered to HDCD specs. A colorful booklet with an essay and photos is part of the deal, too.

This item is now available for PRE-ORDER ONLY. Item is estimated to ship August 1, 2011.

This release does not contain a bonus disc.



Tracklist

CD 1:
1. COLD RAIN AND SNOW>
2. PROMISED LAND
3. CANDYMAN
4. C.C. RIDER
5. BROWN-EYED WOMEN
6. MAMA TRIED>
7. MEXICALI BLUES
8. BIG RAILROAD BLUES
9. LOOKS LIKE RAIN
10. JACK-A-ROE
11. IT’S ALL OVER NOW
12. MIGHT AS WELL

CD 2:
1. SHAKEDOWN STREET>
2. LOST SAILOR>
3. SAINT OF CIRCUMSTANCE>
4. TERRAPIN STATION>
5. RHYTHM DEVILS>
6. SPACE

CD 3:
1. TRUCKIN’>
2. THE OTHER ONE>
3. MORNING DEW>
4. SUGAR MAGNOLIA
5. IT’S ALL OVER NOW, BABY BLUE
6. BERTHA
7. PLAYING IN THE BAND>
8. SHIP OF FOOLS>
9. PLAYING IN THE BAND

 

I (meaning my wallet) can`t keep up with all this stuff !!!

 

This is one of the best ROAD TRIPS CDs they've put out thus far. Surprisingly clear and very energetic (for so late in the game) ... Jerry's in top form, which I thought wasn't possible by 1982. Great stuff throughout.

 

Dissenting opinion here. The music's OK, but the sound is ridiculously bad. I think I've posted it elsewhere, but there's a huge mid-bass hump, no low-bass to speak of, and a rolled-off high end that sounds almost as bad as playing back a non-Dolby tape with Dolby on. Not even to mention that (as usual for cassette releases?) it's off-pitch, about 1% flat.

 

I haven't been able to listen yet since I'm still trying to extract the CDs from the sleeve.

 

Don't try it while driving a car.

 

Opinions across the board here. I find the performance terrific and sound quality better than average for a GD release.

 

+1

 

I'm totally happy with this release. The early '80s was severely underrepresented in my Grateful Dead collection. This release fills the void quite nicely. Sound quality is quite enjoyable. This is the Dead on an average and in some areas, above average night. I love it.

 

I am happy with the release, too. Sound and performance.

 

I'm happy too. I like it more than their other 1982 release, that being DP 32 from 8/7/82.

 

The Spectrum is an iconic venue for concerts over the years.

 

I guess only the hardware side is an audiophile board? Seriously, this is WAY sub-par sound quality for a GD release, even cassette master.

Oh well, The Absolute Sound praised the sound quality of Paul Simon's "So Beautiful So What", which is objectively very compressed, so I guess even audiophiles are becoming inured to poor sound quality?

 

My first impression from the first 90 minutes or so, is that this is both a sloppy recording and sloppy example of the band ensemble. Weir's vocals are in poor shape and Garcia's voice creaks when going beyond a limited range, but his effortless guitar saves the day.
Terrapin Station is duller than ever I heard before.
Though the sound and concert appears to get better from Rhythm Devils onwards.
I have just jumped to this Road Trips 4-4, after being immersed in the 1972/73 recordings for a few months. Maybe I have been spoiled by those supremely good recordings of superb concerts.

 

The Shakedown Street from here is one of my favorite versions. Jerry and Brent get into a cool musical call-and-response.

 

Would another of your favorite Shakedowns be from 79-10-31 Uniondale or 78-09-15 Egypt?
There's a lovely recording of a soft Shakedown on 79-07-01 Seattle.