Customer Reviews

Deadicated: A Tribute to The Grateful Dead

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The best tracks here are keepers for the ages; but the duds have only withered over time. Originally released in the late 1980s, this tribute album offers the original covers by artists who followed up by keeping the Dead tracks in their performing repertoires. Los Lobos' "Bertha" is a classic. Dwight Yoakam's "Truckin'" stayed in his live shows for years. Lyle Lovett's "Friend of the Devil" likewise. And the all time keeper of this collection must be Burning Spear's "Estimated Prophet," which captures the spirit of the song in a way even the Dead never imagined. I remember hearing an NPR interview with Winston Rodney, Burning Spear's leader and founder, in which he said he'd never heard of the band much less heard the song before. But that learning it, playing it and recording it changed him. He still plays the song to this day. The midlin' tracks on the CD are Hornsby's "Jack Straw", " Dr. John's "Deal", Indigo Girls' "Uncle John's Band", David Lindley ("Casey Jones") and Elvis Costello ("Ship of Fools"). All are good, some reach for great. A few even make it. But the duds ... ouch! ... are Jane's Addiction's murderous misinterpretation of "Ripple", Midnight Oil's bewilderingly clueless "Wharf Rat" (they'd never heard of the Dead and were included by the producers to take full advantage of the band's popularity at that time), Suzanne Vega's whispy-voiced "China Doll", which reaches for tragedy and ends up just plainly annoying, and Cowboy Junkie's meandering "To Lay Me Down."

Back in the days before there were tribute albums for every band you've ever heard of (and some you haven't), there was Deadicated, and it quickly became apparent that it would be a tough act to follow. If you know the Dead, but not the contributing artists, you will surely be compelled to look them up after hearing them here. If you are a fan of one or more already, buy this CD and learn about the underappreciated songwriting talents of Garcia, Hunter, Weir, and Barlow. All we need now is a tour...

You don't have to like the Dead to like this (it may help) but this just has got to be one of the best tributes of the 90's!

Nice selection of songs, nice selection of artists,great performances, funny liner notes and a worthy cause.

Highlight: unique Ripple by Jane's addiction

I discovered this disc listening to Fordham University's city folk station, WFUV, while driving down a country road in New Jersey. The Indigo Girls came on playing their cover of "Uncle John's Band." It is an outstanding performance of my favorite Dead song by artists I love. Hearing this selection spurred me to hunt down "Deadicated." It is probably one of the most consistently enjoyable musical purchases I made all year.

Outstanding artists all, great renditions of Dead classics, and to top it all off you are making a contribution to worthwhile causes. Order two and gift a friend - it's that good!

as you'll read from the rest of the reviews, this is either the BEST Dead tribute album ever, or the worst... but nobody even bothered to mention, that, in addition to the Dead's message, this CD also benefits Rainforest Action Network and Cultural Survival, two non-profits working to protect the world's remaining old growth forests and their inhabitants. something all of us should be doing in our everyday lives... in fact, this album empowers every single soul to be their own catalyst for change. so i'm not really rating this CD on its musical content, but rather on its social relevance. this album was intended to educate as well as entertain. it's delicious AND nutritious. ENRAGE ENLIGHTEN INSPIRE

This CD hits its highest point with the first tune, Los Lobos' cover of "Bertha," which they actually perform from time to time in their own shows. From there, it's a gradual slide up and down. Some of the covers are great while some (Indigo Girls' cover of Uncle John's Band) are just plain dull. You can click on all but one of these tunes and hear a snippet and judge for yourself. I had the good luck to find a used copy of this and I ended up just burning a CDR and selling the original CD. If you like the Dead, there is SO much out there to choose from. So why go with imitations? Stick with the real thing. As compilations go, this is so-so, but it's certainly MUCH better than the "picking on the Dead" CDs and the two reggae CDs covering the Dead, all of which should be avoided at all cost. Deadicated is OK. Not great, not bad, just OK. So, if mediocrity's your bag, go for it!

I am a deadhead, but hated this cd. The only good thing about it was that there are lyrics to the songs. Some of the artists that are on this cd are not deadheads & only did a rendition because they wanted to get press.

I do not recommend anyone buy this for any reason. Get the real stuff.

Deadicated is a fun, exciting collection of Dead covers by artists who appreciate the great songs Garcia, Hunter, Weir, and Barlowe routinely cranked out. The highlights are many - Los Lobos and Jane's Addiction are great, Suzanne Vega's China Doll is eerily poignant, and Lyle Lovett lays down a great Friend of the Devil. When the album was released, Jerry was still alive and the band still touring. Now that Jerry and the band are no more, this album serves as a sad reminder of what a great loss Jerry's death continues to be.

I owned this CD several years ago, but lost it over the course of time and shifting relationships. I heard the original Dead version of "Ripple" on the radio and decided I had to find this CD again. I'm so glad I did! Jane's Addiction does an awesome cover of "Ripple"--I believe better than the original. Lyle Lovett's redition of "Friend of the Devil" is a gem,, as are both of Suzanne Vega's contributions, "Cassidy" and "China Doll". Dead fan or not, this is a great addition to any music collection.

This is one of my favorite CDs. I love the Dead, and I can tell these bands love them, too. Boy, does it sound good. 'Bertha' equals the original. 'Ripple' is phenomenal. Woah.