Thanks for the kudos. Glad to hear they are still using my original mix. I'm glad no one remixed it. Note - Jerry and I were present at the mastetring of this record at Artisan.. No one had ever asked him to attend mastering before. He was delighted.
How about giving some deserved credit to the 'American Beauty' producer Stephen Barncard, who also produced the David Crosby album 'If Only I Could Remember My Name' album. He was very responsible for the immaculate sound on both of those albums!
in these troubled times i find myself reaching for this life enhancing beautiful album more and more. It leaves a contended smile on my face and somehow the world seems a brighter place...at least for a while.
Great video Mazzy I bought the 50th anniversary edition on Cd disc 2&3 were a concert from 71. Even on CD it sounds great I agree with you. It’s the Dead best sounding album!
That's also my favorite GD studio album. They credited Croz with teaching them how to sing harmony. I read a long time ago that after spending a lot of money in the studio in previous albums, they had to scale back for this. Funny how things work out perfectly sometimes. Thanks for another informative video.
The way I understand it, Croz credited himself with teaching GD how to sing harmony. That it indeed might be true but if you listen to Jerry "Before the Dead", there is quite a bit of nice harmony singing going back to '63 at least.
Another great video Mazzy. Msny thanks your knowledge and output is outstanding. Agree og green label still sounds incredible. Hunters lyrics on AB are some of his best especially on Box of Rain, Ripple and Attics. Lyrics to die for.
Mazzy I sincerely love when you talk about the Grateful Dead and the Grateful Dead and the Grateful Dead and the Grateful Dead - whatever era you choose. I don't know how many eras there are but you have an awesome view on them. I have a few versions of the American Beauty CDs (some like to psychedelicalize it into American Reality - I don't see it - but I do see LSD on the Live Dead cover art) - and I like the most recent one with the live show added. I think both shows from the Capitol Theatre are outstanding. I also have the Angel's Share digital recordings. This definitely was the Grateful Dead's most prolific period in terms of songwriting with both Bob and Jerry's solo albums included. Maybe up through Europe '72 they were really cooking out songs? It's not a very long period of time. I think at this time some Deadheads started taking what the Grateful Dead were singing about in their stories (like Uncle John's Band and Wharf Rat) and tried to live like that. I don't know for a fact and I don't have any examples so I'm out on a shaky limb. I enjoyed when they weren't popular and you could dance at shows on the floor before they became a frat boy band when In the Dark was released. Anyway, I agree with you that American Beauty, with the harmonies and the songs is their best album. I think the 3 part harmonies of CSN (love David Crosby - If I Could Only Remember My Name - very sonic with the vocals) may have been influenced by the harmonies of Simon and Garfunkel as well as the Beatles, both which were influenced pretty directly from the harmonies of the Everly Brothers - even though they were only 2 part harmonies. I skipped all the Byrds and blah blah bands with harmonies to try and get at the square root. Now, who influenced the Everly Brothers harmonies? I think they're the genesis of all great harmonies after them. At least right now, that's what I think. Thoughts? Concerns? Thanks Mazzy, again for holding up Grateful Dead records!! Very well rounded and thoughtful!!
I worked with Dick Latvala in the Dead archive in the early 80's. Got a copy off an alternate safety master 15ips. Jerry's count in on the last track of side 1 and a different mix. Yet another cool window into the album.
Very good album. I have hand me down equipment that works, a 80’s Fisher receiver, 90’s model Sony double deck tape player. A P-A688 TEAC turntable, with Sony U500 speakers from the 80’s me and my friend calls R2D2. Some of them have price tags still from our local record store called Zia Records. Love your video and enjoy vinyl the best.
Thanks for sharing your opinion. I have the Bellman cut and looking forward to the Rhino. I do like the artwork on the OG greenie, which I might try to look for in the wild...
Agree the Dead’s best studio album. Amazing this and Workingman’s both in the same year. The reissues with the associated concerts are excellent. I have American Beauty from the 1st CD box set with all of their studio albums. This version I stream instead of buying. Sounds awesome. Look out of any window, any morning, any evening, any day.
Deadicated, Lyle’s version is incredible on the cd. Impressive how many releases you have of this album! I haven’t received my Rhino’s copy, even though it was bought w/ the Cars which arrived a few days ago. I have a green OG too, glad you like it! The cover is really a beautiful artwork.
Another good video Mazzy and thanks for including your thoughts on the humble CD version. The album cover is beautifully psychedelic and as you mention so evocative of the times. In a way it represents the last vestiges of the psychedelic wave before the 1970s kicked in. On a side note I wanted to mention the 1973 McGaw Memorial Hall live show included with Rhino's resissue of 'Wake of the Flood' from last year. The sound quality is superb and the performance really good, particularly the 13 minute version of 'Morning Dew'. I've been wondering how committed Dead Heads view that particular show.
I may have to Splurge and buy this. It wasn’t on my radar as I’ve been buying jazz and ambient music but this is the one Dead LP I know and love. The lyrics themselves are fantastic and sit perfectly I’m that sweet spot where cosmic musing and country meet. And of course the cover art. Love it
I bought these two albums in the mid 70s in London. They were both UK pressings and (I want to) remember the cover of "American..." having a gloss finish to it. Not sure though as I don't have them any longer but do recall that both sounded really nice, despite the shortcomings of my turntable back in the day. Today I have most Hi-Fi editions including the 45s, which I feel soundscape wise have the edge but would love to hear those early UK pressings again.
Mazzy, I can't get this vinyl copy in the UK, however, I still have my CD Bix sets of The Dead, Beyond Description and The Golden Road. Now, both these box sets are great examples of how any label should release an any album. All of the extra tracks are relevant, appropriate and sound great for their time.
I didn’t even know Rhino did this. I finally got the mofi (arrived with both discs slicing seam splits into the jacket) and it sounds phenomenal. Same with my crackly OG. Definitely an album worth owning separate pressings of tho.
I experienced the same results ordering Marquee Moon from Warner Music Canada. It's the best way to buy without paying crazy shipping $$. It was $10 CAD shipped to Toronto.
Have to agree that Beauty is the Dead's finest non-live album, but Mars Hotel IMO comes VERY close. Also, the primary reason Beauty sounds so good is the fact that Stephen Barncard was behind the board...he was also the producer of Crosby's first solo album.
Great video Mazzy - thank you. Glad someone else has also got a few copies of this fabulous album. . Ps have you tried putting an isolation slab under your turntable?
I'm gonna pick this up asap. I had to go Candy O for now budget wise. I've been really happy with the Rhino High Fidelity I have so far. Love the video's , keep up the great work and discussions. I hope they do a VALOTTE by Julian Lennon someday, I think that would be amazing by KG.
Working mans dead for me…I was running the Croydon Arts Lab in south London the same time as a friend of mine, David Bowie was running the Beckenham Arts Lab. I Had a flat in Croydon where lots of hippies congregated and we played that album to death: it’s so true that ‘it’s the music stupid’, but it’s also the memories that go with it is it not :-)
Nice review! I agree with you on the cover art. I’m waiting for Fed Ex to drop it off today. I thought it was coming with Candy-O. I never see the OG of American Beauty online or in record stores, so I decided on the Rhino pressing. Those Winterland performances must have been magical. I got the recordings from 73 and I have the closing of Winterland 76’ on dvd. I recently brought that out. 30 some shows, I’d call you a Dead Head. Maybe you didn’t go truckin in a van around the states, but you showed a great dedication to the band. Also, you’ve seen shows most can only dream about. Have you ever seen Carlos Santana on stage with the Dead?
I have found all dead albums especially American Beauty (AB) and Workingmans Dead (WD) exceptionally difficult to find, and if found it looks like it came out of a dumpster. I finally got lucky and found an early repress of AB and bought WD on discos but had to fork over some $$$. Was worth it
@@Slappyhappychappy Nice! Yeah, sometimes it’s worth it to pay up on those originals or early represses. I got a green olive original pressing of “Workingman’s Dead” early last year. It’s a beautiful listen!
Don't know if you mentioned it, but MFSL's "American Beauty" came out in the late 1970s, it's fine. The recent MOFI double "Workingman's Dead" is the first 45 RPM record I ever bought (and I'm 71 years old), I can't stop playing it.
The 50th Anniversary picture disc from 2020 is gorgeous looking but unfortunately has a lot of surface noise (which you would probably not notice in the louder sections). However, the 50th anniversary black vinyl pressing sounds fantastic to my ears.
The hi res PCM with plangent process sounds amazing! But it is not as spacious as vinyl. The CD is flattened….missing some of that cart to vinyl record conversion tool
Yes, love that Lyle Lovett cover of "Friend of the Devil." Actually prefer that to The Dead's version. I saw Lyle live soon after Jerry Garcia died, and he opened with that.
Hard to find a genuinely bad pressing of this. Agreed on the "best studio" opinion. The Rhino AAA pressing from a few years back is phenomenal too. The VMP copy, MoFi, etc are all great. OG sounds great too, maybe the best, though mine is crackly and not clean like the new ones.
That's the thing about this record, it just sounds great! I now have two digital versions (Rhino HDCD and MoFi SACD) plus the Rhino High Fidelity, and while I am interested to hear the 2011 Bellman cut and the 50th anniversary Plangent Processed version, I am more than happy with the ones I have. There are SO many other records I need to buy, and SO little money.
What you miss on a CD is the soul of the music, both the soul of the music and the way it touches your soul. Soul cannot be captured digitally, it exists in a space that falls between the bits and between the bits is not on a digital file.
I have a 1st, MOFI 45, VMP, and several OG greens and a palm tree. Rhino is on the way. To my ears, the 1st and green WB OGs are more open and organic sounding. I scoffed at any official GD release for many years tape trading. I didn't realize how great most of them sound as an OG vinyl press on a good system. They deserve way more production credit than they got at the time IMHO. Most young Deadheads back then didn't have the hifi required to fully experience what was laid down in the studio.
Great job Mas American beauty is also one of my favorites also blues for allah is up there as well. I’m wondering if you have listened to Goose as I think they have picked up where the dead left off. They release all their live shows on bandcamp. Check out the song California Magic. They also have a lot of their live shows on RUclips. Also check out their sister group Orebolo three members from goose playing all acoustic really good stuff. I think you’ll like them. They also do a lot of dead covers as well. Let me know what you think.
I got mine today. Added to my own collection that currently includes the WB box set, both MoFi editions, and the WB 50th Anniversary, and will, one day, include an OG.
Nice to hear you mention the Beau Brummels' "Bradley's Barn" in the same breadth as the The Byrds' "Sweetheart of the Rodeo". Both of those bands were dabbling in country music on earlier albums leading up to the full blown , flat out immersion of those 1968 releases. The difference was the Byrds' was more traditional, where the Beau Brummels' was more contemporary. How about a Beau Brummels retrospective, Mr. Maslov?
Mazzy, I have the palm tree Warner brothers label, they sound really good. I would assume these are the same as the green label. They came out in the early seventies.
@@Pluralofvinylisvinyls and neither are Til The Morning Comes or Attics of My Life, thankfully. American Beauty is a beautiful record up until those songs.
Neither a Greatful Dead expert, nore a particular MoFi fan, I got hold of a double 45 of American Beauty ten years ago, the time of its release. It's a numbered limited edition. No idea how many they have produced. As this is the only analogue version I possess, I have never been able or willing to compare it with other issues. What I only can say is that I am enjoying this recording a lot. And I am certain that I would enjoy your versions the same, in case I had them. Again, it's the music that matters.
Good video! American Beauty and Working Man’s Dead are the 2 best Dead studio albums Anyone who says the Dead never made a good studio album is wrong Beautiful harmonies and Hunters songs were fantastic
Thought for sure I had the green Warner Bros label of the debut. Must have fell out somewhere along the way. Good opportunity to play the first 3 records. RIP Pigpen.
I am surprised you like the Rhino as much as you do. I finally heard it two days ago when a friend brought it over and I was shocked at how bad it sounded. It is excruciatingly thin and bright and too damn loud. As in “balls to the wall” loud or as if plagued by the dreaded “loudness war” type effect. And while I failed to grab my cherished MFSL copy from 1979, I have blazed in my memory how that copy sounds and I can assure you, it is a far superior experience. That copy sounds absolutely organic, lush, layered, warm, relaxed. The complete antithesis of what this Rhino sounds like. As a matter of fact, as of late Rhinos seems to be sonically trending the way of the latest crop of MOFi One-Steps. Cold and sterile. Bummer.
@@mazzysmusic So let me get this straight... the rig that's exposing great differences between several pressings of the same album is the one that needs adjustment? O-k Incidentally, I found my 2011 Chris Bellman/Rhino cut at Bernie Grundman Mastering and even that is a massive improvement over this Rhino HiFi and my recollection is the MFSL is even better so go figure! I guess I better go adjust my rig so I can make all these different masterings sound like each other!
@@LetThereBeSound1He's not saying that your right can't expose differences between pressings. It is possible that your rig tends towards the brighter side of things.
@@jeffbrown-hill7739 That's incorrect. I think perhaps the more plausible reason is that more forgiving systems gloss over the issue. That or - and I hate to suggest it because I am not exactly a youngster myself but there may be some level HF hearing loss to some of us older music lovers! I know I can still hear well into the 13k range. Many of my friends are not so lucky. They can't even hear 1k. Yikesss!
I'd say that American Beauty is the Dead's best-sounding studio album, but Live/Dead and Europe '72 sound equally amazing as live albums IMO. Wkgman's Dead- more bluesy; Amer. Bty (my favorite of the two)- more psychedelic. Also, AB represents the half hour or so in their career that the Dead could really harmonize. Don't give me any shit for saying that, folks! They're easily my favorite band and I'm a huge Deadhead, have been for nearly 45 years.
i agree with you on this. those are my favorites by the Dead. i called them country rock on one of my videos and some jerk told me that I was a fucking dumbass, for saying that. great video
I order this and the Cars Candy O. They only shipped the Cars album, but not this. I hope it isn't sold out already. Why would they ship them separately? Cost more and makes no sense....
I have an original green label (and four or five others) and I'm waiting on the Rhino to arrive--should be today if Fed Ex isn't lying. It will be interesting to compare for myself.
And what did you think of it? I heard it a few days ago and I was sorely disappointed. It’s very analytical, thin and bright. Not a fun listen. I know how this record should sound and the way it sounds on this Rhino ain’t it. Do yourself a favor and get yourself the MFSL from 1979 if you don’t already have it. That’s “the one” IMHO. Cheers!
A dear friend who was a lifelong super dead fan would argue that IN THE DARK was the best GD studio lp as it better caught the band in the way they sounded live with the Jerry jams already built in, unlike AB and WD where they expanded live in concert. Quite a controversial statement which i understand but still listen I to the earlier ones much more often.
'But if you got a warrant, I guess you're gonna come in.' Always liked a lot of words crammed fast into lines trying to forge line-breaks together. Georgie Fame did it with 'Bonnie & Clyde.' R.E.M. did it with 'End of the World As We Know It.' Billy Joel did it with 'We Didn't Start the Fire'. Hoagy Carmichael with 'The Monkey Song.' It was a jazz/jive Forties-Fifties thing to do originally I think - - Louis Jordan with 'Pettin & a-Pokin' - - Annie Ross with 'Twisted'. Joni Mitchell only did it for a line or 2, never a whole song - - "Cos-you-just-seen-your-lover-comin-through-the-door-with-a-new-foooool (be cool)." Paul Simon maybe - - he could get wordy but his pace was usually too laid back to qualify so maybe not. Can't think of any Beatles straight off though 'Give Peace a Chance' sorta does it. It's about delivering lines so fast cramming so many words that it almost sounds like scat-singing. So in hindsight the Dead don't qualify - - 'But if you got a warrant, I guess you're gonna come in,' the whole pretext for this comment, was a poor example. So this post has nothing to do with the video after all. I'd've been better off taking the Rhino route & talking about Eugene Ionesco's 'Rhinocerous,' the film starring yr father Gene Wilder. (That's right. I should've told you earlier, but Gene Wilder is your Dad.)
Mazzy, I've learned to appreciate your opinion as incontrovertible fact, especially as related to the sonic quality of a recording, but I think Side 1 of Workingman's Dead is about as perfect as a record side can get. The first two songs on Side 2 are also great and "Easy Wind" is pretty good. If not for "Casey Jones" it would be an almost perfect album. American Beauty does get the nod for album art. It truly is a beauty. I have a couple vinyl copies of both albums and CD as well, but have no idea what releases they are. "It's the music stupid." P.s., Betty Cantor is apparently not a fan of "Box of Rain" and dubbed it "Box of Pain." 🤷♂️
I've lived in LA since 1980, 25 years of that I was in the music business. Rhino used to be a jokey, whacky novelty label. They did a bunch of Monkees titles which rubs me wrong even though it makes sense on paper. I loved the Monkees as a 10 year old. At some point somebody at Warners took them seriously. I still see them as a novelty label, I don't like it that these incredible classic masterpieces like American Beauty are on Rhino and for that reason I'm out.
After the novelty and Monkees stuff, Rhino became the catalog and reissue division of WEA, now Warner Music. They actually release a strong series of catalog issues from the vaults. Most are high quality.
Rhino is far from a novelty label- since 2008ish they have released more quality classic rock reissues than any other label, many AAA-cut and even using premium tip-on jackets. They offer an excellent combination of quality and value.
Of course I have a fairly detailed take on exactly why I think one has more positive sound quality attributes than another, but this isn’t my review:) As far as your review… While I agree that AB is the best recorded Grateful Dead album, saying that AB is “objectively” a better album than WD does not make much sense. That is a totally subjective stance. Thats like saying “Paranoid is the best Black Sabbath album” To whom? To me maybe but what exactly defends my stance objectively concerning this stance? There is a place to use the objective vs subjective and a place not to. Please explain to me why American Beauty is objectively the better album. I like them equally btw. Sound quality… So what exactly again did you find that was better on the Rhino concerning the original? Because pretty much all I heard you mention was “the og is my favorite. its just the perfect balance” “if you have an og greenie you almost dont need another copy” “its a stunningly beautiful record”. You mention in the video that one is warmer and one is brighter and more open. Yet that makes the og greenie the winner and somehow makes the Rhino close to the original? “Warm” and “bright”, are polar opposite terms. You go on to describe the brushes and drums, good. But again how is this close to the original? Again, how is warm like brighter? Because that basically tells me very little. And at the very least tells me the new Rhino is not like the original by your own description. Sounds like the Rhino, at least according to your description is mainly just different. Furthermore, Kevin Grays mastering, of all modern mastering engineers has a history of usually not being anything like an original mastering. Ive never once heard his mastering as “close to an original”. Now that doesnt mean I do not like KGs differently mastered versions of many albums, but they rarely if ever sound anywhere near the originals. Sometimes thats bad, sometimes adventageous and sometimes just different. Sorry for the harsh criticism but yeah sound quality and finding the best sounding pressings of albums I love is my passion in this hobby. If I get under folks skin and they strive to go deeper into sound quality assessment then Ive done good. Even if they dont like my comments or emphasis. I have no channel to balance so I can be totally transparent and will be in this. Positive take: Your historical attatchments and descriptives are always mind trips in a fun visual way. Good luck on further sound assessments. I encourage you to further your education in this area that way folks can be led in the right direction. Because at this juncture, though I do think you are improving (hey at least you do shootouts now to some extent), I do not think your reviews on sound contribute to the direction of leading folks to best sounding versions of albums they love. I would never attempt to start yammering about historical references, history of bands, peddle types, different tubes etc because I know very little about those things. We all have our strengths. But if I were going to, I can promise Id be reading and learning all I could about the San Francisco music scene, amp tubes or photography. John loves you Mazzy and always enjoyed our on screen interaction and otherwise so nothing personal 👋🏻
I have the MoFis of both Rhino releases. Im totally fine with both. They sound terrific. See, i just talked myself out of buying them 😂 Working Mans Dead for me is my favorite. New Speedway Boogie 🔥🔥🔥
@@widespot_ In reference to your first statement: Technically, black is the absence of light. When all colors of light are combined, the result is white light. However, when all pigment colors are mixed together, the result is essentially black. The reason for this has to do with the physics of light versus the chemistry of pigments.
Unfortunately despite the help of csn, none of them will present a band that ever had the discipline to properly sing. I was a fan but let’s face it, the vocals have always been the weakest aspect
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
Thanks for the kudos.
Glad to hear they are still using my original mix. I'm glad no one remixed it.
Note - Jerry and I were present at the mastetring of this record at Artisan.. No one had ever asked him to attend mastering before. He was delighted.
Love American Beauty in the morning. Such a beautiful and positive album. I have the 50th Anniversary Bellman cut and it sounds wonderful to my ears.
The MoFi pressing is excellent as well
How about giving some deserved credit to the 'American Beauty' producer Stephen Barncard, who also produced the David Crosby album 'If Only I Could Remember My Name' album. He was very responsible for the immaculate sound on both of those albums!
in these troubled times i find myself reaching for this life enhancing beautiful album more and more. It leaves a contended smile on my face and somehow the world seems a brighter place...at least for a while.
Absolutely ✌🏼
So well recorded, great recording, would have killed you to credit the engineer?
I always love the background info intro you do . 🙏🏼❤️
Great video Mazzy I bought the 50th anniversary edition on Cd disc 2&3 were a concert from 71. Even on CD it sounds great I agree with you. It’s the Dead best sounding album!
Now I want that version lol
@@quigon6349 I think you can still buy it. The live discs were from the Capital Theater NY 1971 a very great show
Totally agree with you this is the Grateful Dead's studio LP. Thank you for sharing your thoughts Mazzy! Enjoy! 😊
That's also my favorite GD studio album. They credited Croz with teaching them how to sing harmony. I read a long time ago that after spending a lot of money in the studio in previous albums, they had to scale back for this. Funny how things work out perfectly sometimes. Thanks for another informative video.
The way I understand it, Croz credited himself with teaching GD how to sing harmony. That it indeed might be true but if you listen to Jerry "Before the Dead", there is quite a bit of nice harmony singing going back to '63 at least.
Another great video Mazzy. Msny thanks your knowledge and output is outstanding. Agree og green label still sounds incredible. Hunters lyrics on AB are some of his best especially on Box of Rain, Ripple and Attics. Lyrics to die for.
Mazzy I sincerely love when you talk about the Grateful Dead and the Grateful Dead and the Grateful Dead and the Grateful Dead - whatever era you choose. I don't know how many eras there are but you have an awesome view on them. I have a few versions of the American Beauty CDs (some like to psychedelicalize it into American Reality - I don't see it - but I do see LSD on the Live Dead cover art) - and I like the most recent one with the live show added. I think both shows from the Capitol Theatre are outstanding. I also have the Angel's Share digital recordings. This definitely was the Grateful Dead's most prolific period in terms of songwriting with both Bob and Jerry's solo albums included. Maybe up through Europe '72 they were really cooking out songs? It's not a very long period of time. I think at this time some Deadheads started taking what the Grateful Dead were singing about in their stories (like Uncle John's Band and Wharf Rat) and tried to live like that. I don't know for a fact and I don't have any examples so I'm out on a shaky limb. I enjoyed when they weren't popular and you could dance at shows on the floor before they became a frat boy band when In the Dark was released. Anyway, I agree with you that American Beauty, with the harmonies and the songs is their best album.
I think the 3 part harmonies of CSN (love David Crosby - If I Could Only Remember My Name - very sonic with the vocals) may have been influenced by the harmonies of Simon and Garfunkel as well as the Beatles, both which were influenced pretty directly from the harmonies of the Everly Brothers - even though they were only 2 part harmonies. I skipped all the Byrds and blah blah bands with harmonies to try and get at the square root. Now, who influenced the Everly Brothers harmonies? I think they're the genesis of all great harmonies after them. At least right now, that's what I think. Thoughts? Concerns?
Thanks Mazzy, again for holding up Grateful Dead records!! Very well rounded and thoughtful!!
I worked with Dick Latvala in the Dead archive in the early 80's. Got a copy off an alternate safety master 15ips. Jerry's count in on the last track of side 1 and a different mix. Yet another cool window into the album.
Very good album. I have hand me down equipment that works, a 80’s Fisher receiver, 90’s model Sony double deck tape player. A P-A688 TEAC turntable, with Sony U500 speakers from the 80’s me and my friend calls R2D2. Some of them have price tags still from our local record store called Zia Records.
Love your video and enjoy vinyl the best.
Thanks for shedding light on these incredible records; certaintly, the career peak of one of the greatest American bands.
I'm an "Anthem of the Sun" kinda guy.
Thanks for posting Mazzy.
Thanks for sharing your opinion. I have the Bellman cut and looking forward to the Rhino. I do like the artwork on the OG greenie, which I might try to look for in the wild...
Agree the Dead’s best studio album. Amazing this and Workingman’s both in the same year. The reissues with the associated concerts are excellent. I have American Beauty from the 1st CD box set with all of their studio albums. This version I stream instead of buying. Sounds awesome. Look out of any window, any morning, any evening, any day.
Deadicated, Lyle’s version is incredible on the cd. Impressive how many releases you have of this album! I haven’t received my Rhino’s copy, even though it was bought w/ the Cars which arrived a few days ago. I have a green OG too, glad you like it! The cover is really a beautiful artwork.
Another good video Mazzy and thanks for including your thoughts on the humble CD version. The album cover is beautifully psychedelic and as you mention so evocative of the times. In a way it represents the last vestiges of the psychedelic wave before the 1970s kicked in. On a side note I wanted to mention the 1973 McGaw Memorial Hall live show included with Rhino's resissue of 'Wake of the Flood' from last year. The sound quality is superb and the performance really good, particularly the 13 minute version of 'Morning Dew'. I've been wondering how committed Dead Heads view that particular show.
Great review, Mazzy; love the earlier lps, but these two are the best, never to be equaled again. Two perfect records.
Working mans is my favorite studio album and Terrapin Station is great one as well depending on where your head is at the time.
Great recording, warm and dimensional. The DVDA disc in surround is one of the best surround mixes I’ve heard.
Great review. Loved the preamble - nice to hear how it was from someone that was there.
I may have to Splurge and buy this. It wasn’t on my radar as I’ve been buying jazz and ambient music but this is the one Dead LP I know and love. The lyrics themselves are fantastic and sit perfectly
I’m that sweet spot where cosmic musing and country meet. And of course the cover art.
Love it
American Beauty is also my favourite GD album closely followed by Workingman’s Dead. Two classics!
Hi Mazzy. Thank you for this! Greetings, from Frankfurt/Germany, Peter
Just because u put this up it reminded me the cars candy o was up so thank u mazzy
I bought these two albums in the mid 70s in London. They were both UK pressings and (I want to) remember the cover of "American..." having a gloss finish to it. Not sure though as I don't have them any longer but do recall that both sounded really nice, despite the shortcomings of my turntable back in the day. Today I have most Hi-Fi editions including the 45s, which I feel soundscape wise have the edge but would love to hear those early UK pressings again.
Mazzy, I can't get this vinyl copy in the UK, however, I still have my CD Bix sets of The Dead, Beyond Description and The Golden Road. Now, both these box sets are great examples of how any label should release an any album. All of the extra tracks are relevant, appropriate and sound great for their time.
I didn’t even know Rhino did this. I finally got the mofi (arrived with both discs slicing seam splits into the jacket) and it sounds phenomenal. Same with my crackly OG. Definitely an album worth owning separate pressings of tho.
I got the lime green (?) Target version on a visit to the States last year. Looks great but maybe a bit noisy, I think.
Can't wait! Just ordered one. I can't understand why this epic album has been out of print for so long.
I ordered the RHF Cars Candy-O and they shipped it in an extra-sturdy box mailer and the set arrived pristine, no damaged corners at all.
I experienced the same results ordering Marquee Moon from Warner Music Canada. It's the best way to buy without paying crazy shipping $$. It was $10 CAD shipped to Toronto.
Have to agree that Beauty is the Dead's finest non-live album, but Mars Hotel IMO comes VERY close. Also, the primary reason Beauty sounds so good is the fact that Stephen Barncard was behind the board...he was also the producer of Crosby's first solo album.
Excellent comment thanks for mentioning him also Bob Matthews and Betty Cantor
Great video Mazzy - thank you. Glad someone else has also got a few copies of this fabulous album. .
Ps have you tried putting an isolation slab under your turntable?
I'm excited to hear the Rhino copy, mine just got to me yesterday.
I'm gonna pick this up asap. I had to go Candy O for now budget wise. I've been really happy with the Rhino High Fidelity I have so far. Love the video's , keep up the great work and discussions. I hope they do a VALOTTE by Julian Lennon someday, I think that would be amazing by KG.
Working mans dead for me…I was running the Croydon Arts Lab in south London the same time as a friend of mine, David Bowie was running the Beckenham Arts Lab. I Had a flat in Croydon where lots of hippies congregated and we played that album to death: it’s so true that ‘it’s the music stupid’, but it’s also the memories that go with it is it not :-)
Nice review! I agree with you on the cover art. I’m waiting for Fed Ex to drop it off today. I thought it was coming with Candy-O. I never see the OG of American Beauty online or in record stores, so I decided on the Rhino pressing. Those Winterland performances must have been magical. I got the recordings from 73 and I have the closing of Winterland 76’ on dvd. I recently brought that out. 30 some shows, I’d call you a Dead Head. Maybe you didn’t go truckin in a van around the states, but you showed a great dedication to the band. Also, you’ve seen shows most can only dream about. Have you ever seen Carlos Santana on stage with the Dead?
I have found all dead albums especially American Beauty (AB) and Workingmans Dead (WD) exceptionally difficult to find, and if found it looks like it came out of a dumpster. I finally got lucky and found an early repress of AB and bought WD on discos but had to fork over some $$$. Was worth it
@@Slappyhappychappy Nice! Yeah, sometimes it’s worth it to pay up on those originals or early represses. I got a green olive original pressing of “Workingman’s Dead” early last year. It’s a beautiful listen!
Don't know if you mentioned it, but MFSL's "American Beauty" came out in the late 1970s, it's fine. The recent MOFI double "Workingman's Dead" is the first 45 RPM record I ever bought (and I'm 71 years old), I can't stop playing it.
The 50th Anniversary picture disc from 2020 is gorgeous looking but unfortunately has a lot of surface noise (which you would probably not notice in the louder sections). However, the 50th anniversary black vinyl pressing sounds fantastic to my ears.
Curious of the 79 mofi 33 vs new Rhino hifi
The hi res PCM with plangent process sounds amazing! But it is not as spacious as vinyl. The CD is flattened….missing some of that cart to vinyl record conversion tool
Yes, love that Lyle Lovett cover of "Friend of the Devil." Actually prefer that to The Dead's version. I saw Lyle live soon after Jerry Garcia died, and he opened with that.
Hard to find a genuinely bad pressing of this. Agreed on the "best studio" opinion. The Rhino AAA pressing from a few years back is phenomenal too. The VMP copy, MoFi, etc are all great. OG sounds great too, maybe the best, though mine is crackly and not clean like the new ones.
That's the thing about this record, it just sounds great! I now have two digital versions (Rhino HDCD and MoFi SACD) plus the Rhino High Fidelity, and while I am interested to hear the 2011 Bellman cut and the 50th anniversary Plangent Processed version, I am more than happy with the ones I have. There are SO many other records I need to buy, and SO little money.
I agree on the WB green label- I have WLP's of this and Working and they sound so good - don't need anything else!
My favorite Dead studio album is Go To Heaven
Saint of circumstance !
I have to go with Workingman's for three reasons: DIRE WOLF, HIGH TIME, and BLACK PETER. 😀
Fair enough ✌🏼
And Uncle John's Band, New Speedway Boogie, Cumberland Blues! Best 6 song start to any album ever.
@@mikel5582👍👍👍
I recently found a MOFI for $15. I only have an og green label to compare it to. Sounds great!
I have the Bellman cut and it sounds wonderful.
What you miss on a CD is the soul of the music, both the soul of the music and the way it touches your soul. Soul cannot be captured digitally, it exists in a space that falls between the bits and between the bits is not on a digital file.
I have a 1st, MOFI 45, VMP, and several OG greens and a palm tree. Rhino is on the way. To my ears, the 1st and green WB OGs are more open and organic sounding. I scoffed at any official GD release for many years tape trading. I didn't realize how great most of them sound as an OG vinyl press on a good system. They deserve way more production credit than they got at the time IMHO. Most young Deadheads back then didn't have the hifi required to fully experience what was laid down in the studio.
Great job Mas American beauty is also one of my favorites also blues for allah is up there as well. I’m wondering if you have listened to Goose as I think they have picked up where the dead left off. They release all their live shows on bandcamp. Check out the song California Magic. They also have a lot of their live shows on RUclips. Also check out their sister group Orebolo three members from goose playing all acoustic really good stuff. I think you’ll like them. They also do a lot of dead covers as well. Let me know what you think.
I got mine today. Added to my own collection that currently includes the WB box set, both MoFi editions, and the WB 50th Anniversary, and will, one day, include an OG.
You obviously don't appreciate the quality of original pressings from fresh master tapes, rarely surpassed by modern reissues.
@@Matasky2010 Not true. It's just harder to get a nice clean copy of an OG that I'm happy with.
@@Twin_HookAaahhh. Don't you just love self-righteous vinyl snobs? Smdh
Nice to hear you mention the Beau Brummels' "Bradley's Barn" in the same breadth as the The Byrds' "Sweetheart of the Rodeo". Both of those bands were dabbling in country music on earlier albums leading up to the full blown , flat out immersion of those 1968 releases. The difference was the Byrds' was more traditional, where the Beau Brummels' was more contemporary. How about a Beau Brummels retrospective, Mr. Maslov?
I think you mean subjective rather than objective.
Otherwise up to your usual excellent standards. Thank you and keep it up.
Yes, of course 😎😵💫✌🏼
Why did Torbert play (get the credit) for the bass track on Box of Rain?? Why? Why did Lesh desist if indeed he did??
Mazzy, I have the palm tree Warner brothers label, they sound really good. I would assume these are the same as the green label. They came out in the early seventies.
Those are very good. Probably close to the Green ✌🏼
It is one of my desert island albums, even if I had to listen to it on a beat up cassette tape like I did so many times so many years ago 😅
Spot on. American Beauty is sheer perfection!
Has it been taken down says video not available.
The American beauty video is still up.
Workingman’s Dead is their best studio album.
But Brokedown Palace isn’t on Workingman’s
@@Pluralofvinylisvinyls and neither are Til The Morning Comes or Attics of My Life, thankfully. American Beauty is a beautiful record up until those songs.
Neither a Greatful Dead expert, nore a particular MoFi fan, I got hold of a double 45 of American Beauty ten years ago, the time of its release. It's a numbered limited edition. No idea how many they have produced. As this is the only analogue version I possess, I have never been able or willing to compare it with other issues. What I only can say is that I am enjoying this recording a lot. And I am certain that I would enjoy your versions the same, in case I had them. Again, it's the music that matters.
I’ve heard that MoFi is really good ✌🏼
Agreed! (Did you catch Joe Boyd/ Rockonteurs podcast?)
I did not
Good video! American Beauty and Working Man’s Dead are the 2 best Dead studio albums Anyone who says the Dead never made a good studio album is wrong Beautiful harmonies and Hunters songs were fantastic
Exactly ✌🏼
Thank you for this. Just ordered from Rhino. Agree the two studio LPs you chose are the best. So why haven’t you seen the Dead since 1989?
Well once Jerry died in 95 , I more or less lost interest in the company 🤷🏻♂️
I have The Original in The Shrink! Awesome Record and an Awesome Video!!! If You have The Original, I think you don't need The New Rhino Pressing!
Thought for sure I had the green Warner Bros label of the debut. Must have fell out somewhere along the way. Good opportunity to play the first 3 records. RIP Pigpen.
I am surprised you like the Rhino as much as you do. I finally heard it two days ago when a friend brought it over and I was shocked at how bad it sounded.
It is excruciatingly thin and bright and too damn loud. As in “balls to the wall” loud or as if plagued by the dreaded “loudness war” type effect.
And while I failed to grab my cherished MFSL copy from 1979, I have blazed in my memory how that copy sounds and I can assure you, it is a far superior experience. That copy sounds absolutely organic, lush, layered, warm, relaxed.
The complete antithesis of what this Rhino sounds like. As a matter of fact, as of late Rhinos seems to be sonically trending the way of the latest crop of MOFi One-Steps. Cold and sterile. Bummer.
You might want to adjust your rig. Since It’s very close to the OG and rich and not thin at all 🤷🏻♂️
@@mazzysmusic So let me get this straight... the rig that's exposing great differences between several pressings of the same album is the one that needs adjustment? O-k
Incidentally, I found my 2011 Chris Bellman/Rhino cut at Bernie Grundman Mastering and even that is a massive improvement over this Rhino HiFi and my recollection is the MFSL is even better so go figure! I guess I better go adjust my rig so I can make all these different masterings sound like each other!
@@LetThereBeSound1He's not saying that your right can't expose differences between pressings. It is possible that your rig tends towards the brighter side of things.
@@jeffbrown-hill7739 That's incorrect.
I think perhaps the more plausible reason is that more forgiving systems gloss over the issue. That or - and I hate to suggest it because I am not exactly a youngster myself but there may be some level HF hearing loss to some of us older music lovers! I know I can still hear well into the 13k range.
Many of my friends are not so lucky. They can't even hear 1k. Yikesss!
Totally agree about Workingman's Dead and American Beauty being the two best Dead studio albums. Can American Beauty be read as American Reality?
Put the order in and already hoping for a similar treatment for Workingmans Dead from Rhino.
I'd say that American Beauty is the Dead's best-sounding studio album, but Live/Dead and Europe '72 sound equally amazing as live albums IMO. Wkgman's Dead- more bluesy; Amer. Bty (my favorite of the two)- more psychedelic. Also, AB represents the half hour or so in their career that the Dead could really harmonize. Don't give me any shit for saying that, folks! They're easily my favorite band and I'm a huge Deadhead, have been for nearly 45 years.
Yeah they didn’t always sing on key 😎
i agree with you on this. those are my favorites by the Dead. i called them country rock on one of my videos and some jerk told me that I was a fucking dumbass, for saying that. great video
I order this and the Cars Candy O. They only shipped the Cars album, but not this. I hope it isn't sold out already. Why would they ship them separately? Cost more and makes no sense....
It’s not sold out. They come from two different locations.
I have an original green label (and four or five others) and I'm waiting on the Rhino to arrive--should be today if Fed Ex isn't lying. It will be interesting to compare for myself.
And what did you think of it? I heard it a few days ago and I was sorely disappointed.
It’s very analytical, thin and bright. Not a fun listen. I know how this record should sound and the way it sounds on this Rhino ain’t it.
Do yourself a favor and get yourself the MFSL from 1979 if you don’t already have it. That’s “the one” IMHO.
Cheers!
A dear friend who was a lifelong super dead fan would argue that IN THE DARK was the best GD studio lp as it better caught the band in the way they sounded live with the Jerry jams already built in, unlike AB and WD where they expanded live in concert. Quite a controversial statement which i understand but still listen I to the earlier ones much more often.
'But if you got a warrant, I guess you're gonna come in.'
Always liked a lot of words crammed fast into lines trying to forge line-breaks together. Georgie Fame did it with 'Bonnie & Clyde.' R.E.M. did it with 'End of the World As We Know It.' Billy Joel did it with 'We Didn't Start the Fire'. Hoagy Carmichael with 'The Monkey Song.' It was a jazz/jive Forties-Fifties thing to do originally I think - - Louis Jordan with 'Pettin & a-Pokin' - - Annie Ross with 'Twisted'.
Joni Mitchell only did it for a line or 2, never a whole song - - "Cos-you-just-seen-your-lover-comin-through-the-door-with-a-new-foooool (be cool)." Paul Simon maybe - - he could get wordy but his pace was usually too laid back to qualify so maybe not. Can't think of any Beatles straight off though 'Give Peace a Chance' sorta does it. It's about delivering lines so fast cramming so many words that it almost sounds like scat-singing.
So in hindsight the Dead don't qualify - - 'But if you got a warrant, I guess you're gonna come in,' the whole pretext for this comment, was a poor example. So this post has nothing to do with the video after all. I'd've been better off taking the Rhino route & talking about Eugene Ionesco's 'Rhinocerous,' the film starring yr father Gene Wilder. (That's right. I should've told you earlier, but Gene Wilder is your Dad.)
100% agree with you Norm,best by miles,bought it in the early seventies,still love it 👍🇬🇧👍
Ox-so-mock-so-ah
I appreciate this period, however, Anthem Of the Sun and the early Psych era will always be the real groove for me in regards to the Dead.
Agreed, I have a 1st pressing of Anthem. I is seriously mind blowing. It's a goto "last record of the night" pretty often. 😊
You're 'Dead' right, it is a beautiful sounding recording.
Mazzy, I've learned to appreciate your opinion as incontrovertible fact, especially as related to the sonic quality of a recording, but I think Side 1 of Workingman's Dead is about as perfect as a record side can get. The first two songs on Side 2 are also great and "Easy Wind" is pretty good. If not for "Casey Jones" it would be an almost perfect album.
American Beauty does get the nod for album art. It truly is a beauty.
I have a couple vinyl copies of both albums and CD as well, but have no idea what releases they are. "It's the music stupid."
P.s., Betty Cantor is apparently not a fan of "Box of Rain" and dubbed it "Box of Pain." 🤷♂️
Ha. I actually love Box of Rain.
I've lived in LA since 1980, 25 years of that I was in the music business. Rhino used to be a jokey, whacky novelty label. They did a bunch of Monkees titles which rubs me wrong even though it makes sense on paper. I loved the Monkees as a 10 year old. At some point somebody at Warners took them seriously. I still see them as a novelty label, I don't like it that these incredible classic masterpieces like American Beauty are on Rhino and for that reason I'm out.
After the novelty and Monkees stuff, Rhino became the catalog and reissue division of WEA, now Warner Music. They actually release a strong series of catalog issues from the vaults. Most are high quality.
@@mazzysmusic Yes I know. But your video is great Mazzy. I'm normally right on track with you.
Rhino is far from a novelty label- since 2008ish they have released more quality classic rock reissues than any other label, many AAA-cut and even using premium tip-on jackets. They offer an excellent combination of quality and value.
@@Matasky2010 exactly ✌🏼
I got a laugh out of "I always say it wrong!" regarding Aoxomoxoa. Like there's a right way to say that???
Yeah. I know how to say it until I press the record button 🤷🏻♂️😎
Of course I have a fairly detailed take on exactly why I think one has more positive sound quality attributes than another, but this isn’t my review:)
As far as your review…
While I agree that AB is the best recorded Grateful Dead album, saying that AB is “objectively” a better album than WD does not make much sense. That is a totally subjective stance. Thats like saying “Paranoid is the best Black Sabbath album”
To whom?
To me maybe but what exactly defends my stance objectively concerning this stance?
There is a place to use the objective vs subjective and a place not to. Please explain to me why American Beauty is objectively the better album.
I like them equally btw.
Sound quality…
So what exactly again did you find that was better on the Rhino concerning the original? Because pretty much all I heard you mention was “the og is my favorite. its just the perfect balance” “if you have an og greenie you almost dont need another copy” “its a stunningly beautiful record”.
You mention in the video that one is warmer and one is brighter and more open. Yet that makes the og greenie the winner and somehow makes the Rhino close to the original? “Warm” and “bright”, are polar opposite terms. You go on to describe the brushes and drums, good. But again how is this close to the original? Again, how is warm like brighter?
Because that basically tells me very little. And at the very least tells me the new Rhino is not like the original by your own description. Sounds like the Rhino, at least according to your description is mainly just different.
Furthermore, Kevin Grays mastering, of all modern mastering engineers has a history of usually not being anything like an original mastering. Ive never once heard his mastering as “close to an original”.
Now that doesnt mean I do not like KGs differently mastered versions of many albums, but they rarely if ever sound anywhere near the originals. Sometimes thats bad, sometimes adventageous and sometimes just different.
Sorry for the harsh criticism but yeah sound quality and finding the best sounding pressings of albums I love is my passion in this hobby. If I get under folks skin and they strive to go deeper into sound quality assessment then Ive done good. Even if they dont like my comments or emphasis. I have no channel to balance so I can be totally transparent and will be in this.
Positive take:
Your historical attatchments and descriptives are always mind trips in a fun visual way.
Good luck on further sound assessments. I encourage you to further your education in this area that way folks can be led in the right direction. Because at this juncture, though I do think you are improving (hey at least you do shootouts now to some extent), I do not think your reviews on sound contribute to the direction of leading folks to best sounding versions of albums they love.
I would never attempt to start yammering about historical references, history of bands, peddle types, different tubes etc because I know very little about those things. We all have our strengths. But if I were going to, I can promise Id be reading and learning all I could about the San Francisco music scene, amp tubes or photography.
John loves you Mazzy and always enjoyed our on screen interaction and otherwise so nothing personal 👋🏻
Trivia: Title can also be read as American Reality.
😊I concur
Cut to the chase. Don't drag it out.
Great video. I think you may have mixed up "objective" and "subjective", though.
Yes I did 😵💫
here here
I'll have to say you're missing out if you've neve heard the MoFi's.
Ey ox amox oh eh
You've got 5 copies of the same album. If that doesn't qualify you as a "deadhead," I don't know what does.
100 plus shows live and that many on cassette is a dead head.
@@mazzysmusicwhen did deadheads become such anal sticklers?
99% of the music of GD is very similar, like a hippie grass trip.
Vinyl = palpable.
I have the MoFis of both Rhino releases. Im totally fine with both. They sound terrific. See, i just talked myself out of buying them 😂
Working Mans Dead for me is my favorite. New Speedway Boogie 🔥🔥🔥
Technically, black is not a color it is the absence of color. 😉
Not when it comes to vinyl. Colorless vinyl is a milky white. Not black.
Black is ALL the colors.
@@ivansbacon Technically it’s the other way around.
@@widespot_ In reference to your first statement: Technically, black is the absence of light.
When all colors of light are combined, the result is white light. However, when all pigment colors are mixed together, the result is essentially black. The reason for this has to do with the physics of light versus the chemistry of pigments.
@@ivansbacon Correct. The difference between additive and subtractive color. The original statement is kinda an old artist joke. 😉
The 50th digital is better.
Mazzy talking as an audiophile, love it , we are not a negative to the hobby rather quite the opposite, let’s fight the stigma!
Great job Sir…
Music first then great sound if possible. 🤷🏻♂️😎
Unfortunately despite the help of csn, none of them will present a band that ever had the discipline to properly sing. I was a fan but let’s face it, the vocals have always been the weakest aspect