Workingman's Dead 1970 Album

The Grateful Dead

I don't know about the working man, but the Dead's decision to lighten the aural load and put their unique spin on country-rock was a no-brainer. Three wickedly catchy tunes are proof of that ("Uncle John's Band", "Dire Wolf", and "Casey Jones"). But it's not all pure country, either – they are a bit all over the place in typical Dead fashion, sort of sounding like hardcore blues rock at times, and others roughly echoing The Stones' vibe from the same time frame. A couple of these tracks take some getting used to but here – even for the casual interloper – it's worth the time. Reissues add on practically the entire record in live format, as a bonus.