The Grateful Dead studio album reviews  

The Grateful Dead are know for their live performances, though they do have many studio releases.

There are a few Grateful Dead compilations that focus on their studio records including a Rhino release in 2003, The Very Best of the Grateful Dead. 

The Golden Road
On October 16, 2001, Grateful Dead merchandise reissued their Warner Brothers CD's in a twelve disc set entitled The Golden Road. Each of the individual discs has a wealth of bonus material.  The individual discs can be bought separately, or in the box set at a discount.  We have reviews of all ten albums spread across twelve discs. 

Beyond Description
Remastered albums from 1973 - 1989. Release date, October, 26, 2004. It includes two live albums, Reckoning and Dead Set. Initially, the remastered albums are only available in the box. In time, they will be available individually.

featuring Pig Pen
featuring Keith Godchaux
featuring Brent Mydland

The Golden Road live album reissues - these reviews are in the live section. 
Live Dead
Bear's Choice
Skull and Roses
Europe '72

Studio albums featuring Keith Godchaux

Studio albums featuring Brent Mydland

Grateful Dead Studio Compilations

The Grateful Dead have four compilations that focus on their studio records.  A brief summary:

The Very Best of the Grateful Dead - A compilation put out by Rhino records in 2003. It is a pretty good collection for a single disc covering Warner Brothers, Grateful Dead Records, and Arista periods.  

The Arista Years - A good two disc collection that covers their albums with Arista: Terrapin Station, Shakedown Street, Go to Heaven, Reckoning (Acoustic), Dead Set, In the Dark, Without a Net, and  Built to Last. The album primarily focuses on the studio albums, but does include a few live cuts, notably, "Eyes of the World" featuring Branford Marsalis playing with the Dead from their 3/29/89 performance. I would have included "Althea," and "If I had the World to Give." 

The Arista Years could serve as a substitution for some ordinary albums from this time period

What a Long Strange Trip it's Been - A two disc compilation of the Grateful Dead's Warner Brothers years.  Perhaps at the time of the release this album made sense.  I'd avoid this and also the single disc Skeletons From the Closet. These were both released in the LP days and quite short.  The Warner Brothers material has been reissued with stunning results that include essential bonus cuts.  See the individual Warner Brother reviews.