The Grateful Dead's rich back catalogue is impressive. As if anyone needs to alert you to this fact. But impressive as it is, it needs to be presented in as equally an impressive manner or the mystique of their music loses an edge. Not a huge edge to be sure because, after all, we’re talking about The Grateful Dead here but to hone back on the quality of their music is to keep the coconut out of german chocolate cake. That ain’t gonna do.

So Rhino has set about the task of redoing the Dead’s back catalogue in a remastered form, repackaging the set to bring back a sixties feel. They’ve also utilized High Definition Compatible Digital or HDCD to enhance the sound. As Rhino would put it, ‘Remastered in Rhino-Phonic Authentic Stereo’. Throw in some session specific outtakes and live cuts and out jumps a package. The question is – did they succeed?

For this review, I’ve listened to American Beauty and Aoxomoxoa. There are numerous others in this series. I’m sure that what applies here works for those discs as well from a project standpoint. Earlier, I’ve presented a review of a classic (aren’t they all?) live set, Europe ’72 from Rhino so this additional review will serve to address the quality and the success of the project.

American Beauty is the definitive Grateful Dead release. With songs like “Truckin”, “Brokedown Palace”, and “Attics of my Life”, it’s hard to find something on this album that you wouldn’t like. Released in 1970, you get an earthy feel to the overall state of what The Dead were trying to accomplish as a recording entity. With a largely acoustic approach to their songs and a move away from a live jam applied to studio music, The Dead were working to redefine themselves, bringing maturity to their years with a combined attempt to translate that to vinyl (hey, the medium of the time – still cool if you ask me).

Many would argue the declaration of placing American Beauty at the revered ‘definitive’ spot. I find it to be a bit confining as well given that much of the early Dead material were definitive; definitive in that everything they attempted, until we get to the Arista years, were new forays into styles.

Aoxomoxoa, the band’s album prior to American Beauty, is a jam extravaganza. And it works so damn well that you’ll be mesmerized from the very first track, “St Stephen”. They are tight and well orchestrated in their connective vibes. And who can avoid the charm of “Dupree’s Diamond Blues”? In fact, who can deny any of the 8 original tracks here. From the psychedelic tinged “Rosemary” and “What’s Become of the Baby” through the stunning “China Cat Sunflower” and into “Cosmic Charlie”, Aoxomoxoa joins the ranks of Grateful Dead classics easily.

From an expanded perspective, both of these discs add unearthed outtakes and live renditions of some songs from the periods the discs were recorded. Nothing shattering but not throwaways either.

It’s very easy to hear the influence of these guys on other bands that followed. Their exacting standards set for jam like studio work can be felt and heard in many subsequent releases by other bands in the 70s. To understate the importance of The Dead in the annals of Rock music is to remove a necessary mechanism from an automobile. The car runs because of the mechanism even though it is but a part. That analogy fits The Grateful Dead.

From a sound standpoint, the quality of the remasters are excellent. You can detect every moment that an instrument is played with clarity. And that’s largely why we’re here, to address the sound. And it’s where you can rest the easiest. Rhino has lovingly purified the recordings.

The packaging is an almost perfect affair. Designed to respectfully replicate the LP styles, the discs are housed in a digipak that feels like an LP. The artwork is faithfully recreated and expanded for these sets. The insert booklet is chock full of information via essay, credits and track listings. There are plenty of colour photos. But my singular gripe is in the gluing of the booklet to the side of the jacket. You cannot handle it separately from the package and you get shorted extra art that could have been used in it's place. I understand their reasoning but it just didn't work for me. I doubt it will work for you. BUT...do not let that small fact convince you the sets are not to be had.

The Expanded and Remastered series of The Grateful Dead are essentials to your library. The combination of LP styled packaging, extended liner notes, exquisite remastering, and Rhino's involvement should have you in line to purchase the entire collection.

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