Grateful Dead – Aoxomoxoa Warner Bros.-Seven Arts WS 1790 (1969)
Looking back, this album is a big disappointment compared to the great albums Anthem of the Sun before it and Live/Dead after. It’s a shame because this was recorded with arguably the best lineup the band ever had. Every time I listen to this disc a single word comes to mind: overproduced. The Dead seem so enamored with building up layers upon layers of sound in the studio that some of the songs get lost amongst it all. Still, “St. Stephen” is a good song, even if it sounds better recorded live. Perhaps the most effective song here is “Doin’ That Rag”, which to my knowledge never made it into regular rotation in live shows.