Postcards
of the Hanging review
Postcards
of
the Hanging
is a collection Bob Dylan songs performed by the Grateful Dead. Most
of the songs were recorded from the mid to late 1980’s. They did
include one song from June 10, 1973, “It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It
Takes a Train to Cry” with members of the Allman Brothers Band as
guests.
Not surprising, the
majority of the compositions from Postcards
of
the Hanging
are
sung by Bob Weir, though Garcia sings a few, Phil chips in for one,
the whole band helps out in on “Maggie’s Farm,” and Bob Dylan
sings “Man of Peace,” from the summer 1987 Dylan and the Dead
tour rehearsals. It is nice to hear the seldom-played “Ballad of a Thin
Man” and “Stuck Inside of Mobile With Those Memphis Blues
Again.”
Postcards
of
the Hanging is
a solid collection of Bob Dylan covers. It would have been better to
have a second disc with The Jerry Garcia Band performing Dylan
songs. If this one is successful, perhaps that will be Postcards
of
the Hanging
Volume 2. Postcards
of
the Hanging includes a bonus disc that includes two songs: “Queen Jane
Approximately” and “Quinn The Eskimo / The Mighty Quinn” while
supplies last.
If
you collect the Grateful Dead’s live recordings then you will
certainly have versions of some or perhaps all of these songs
already, but these renditions are all superb, and they are all in
one place. by Barry
Small
©
Grade B
Ladder
to the Stars: Garcia Plays Dylan
Both Jerry Garcia Band and the Grateful Dead performing Bob Dylan
songs. More JGB, than GD. Order: Ladder
to the Stars: Garcia Plays Dylan
