VA - Day of the Dead [2016] (5 x CD's)

 

TRIBUTE TO THE GRATEFUL DEAD

VA - Day of the Dead [2016] (5 x CD's)

Day of the Dead is the 25th compilation release benefiting the Red Hot Organization, an international charity dedicated to raising funds and awareness for HIV and AIDS. Featuring fifty-nine exclusive recordings of covers of Grateful Dead songs by a number of independent artists as a tribute to the band, the compilation was released on May 20, 2016 as five CDs, a limited edition vinyl LP box set, and as a digital download. John Carlin, the founder of the Red Hot Organization, was the executive producer for the album. The members of The National first performed with Bob Weir at his Bay Area studio in 2012 as part of the Headcount benefit The Bridge Session. The group's budding friendship with the Dead cofounder pushed them to record the massive Dead tribute.   It is the second compilation album produced by Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National for Red Hot Organization, following 2009's Dark Was the Night, which has raised over $1.5 million for the organizations fighting AIDS to date. A Day of the Dead live performance took place at the second annual Eaux Claires Festival on August 12–13, 2016. (Wikipedia)

If you're an Indie rock fan tempted by the plethora of artists here and you're looking to dip your toes in the waters of the Dead, you also should find a lot to like here. The Dead's style of music or often referred to as Cosmic Americana and this compilation mostly falls into this category, with side trips into funk (Unknown Mortal Orchestra's take on Shakedown Street), World Music (Orchestra Baobab covering Franklin's Tower and Clementine Jam), R&B (Charles Bradley's doing Cumberland Blues). Regardless, everything fits. The Dead borrowed heavily from a wide range of genres and incorporated them into their inimitable style. 

No matter what angle you approach this compilation from, old Deadhead or Indie rock college kid, the music is consistently great.  It's a pretty fantastic set of Cosmic Americana from a who's who of Indie artists covering THE iconic band that made the genre famous. (Amazon)

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Track lists

CD1

01 War on Drugs Touch of Grey 5:16

02 Phosphorescent, Jenny Lewis Sugaree 4:59

03 Jim James Candyman 5:33

04 Lone Bellow Dire Wolf 3:02

05 Courtney Barnett New Speedway Boogie 5:22

06 Mumford & Sons Friend of the Devil 4:31

07 DeYarmond Edison, Bruce Hornsby Black Muddy River 7:38

08 National Morning Dew 5:35

09 Anohni, yMusic Black Peter 2:25

10 Ed Droste, Binki Shapiro Loser 5:15

11 Perfume Genius, Sharon Van Etten To Lay Me Down 6:20

CD2

01 Kurt Vile, J Mascis Box of Rain 5:30

02 Bonnie 'Prince' Billy Rubin and Cherise 5:46

03 Lone Bellow Me and My Uncle 3:03

04 Moses Sumney, Jenny Lewis Cassidy 3:13

05 Lucius Uncle John's Band 4:26

06 Lisa Hannigan, Lee Ranaldo Mountains of the Moon 3:53

07 Cass McCombs, Joe Russo Dark Star 3:57

08 Various Artists Nightfall of Diamonds 8:27

09 Tim Hecker Transitive Refraction Axis for John Oswald 3:58

10 Tunde Adebimpe, Lee Ranaldo Playing in the Band 9:47

11 Little Scream, Richard Reed Parry, Caroline Shaw, Garth Hudson Brokedown Palace 4:51

CD3

01 National Peggy-O 5:36

02 Bryce Dessner Garcia Counterpoint 7:12

03 Josh Kaufman, Conrad Doucette, Daniel Rossen, Brooklyn Youth Chorus+ Terrapin Station (Suite) 16:49

04 Orchestra Baobab Clementine Jam 5:00

05 Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks China Cat Sunflower, I Know You Rider 11:24

06 This Is the Kit Jack-A-Roe 4:30

07 Bill Callahan Easy Wind 5:38

08 Ira Kaplan Wharf Rat 10:08

09 Lucinda Williams Going Down the Road Feelin' Bad 4:05

10 Sam Amidon And We Bid You Goodnight 2:44

CD4

01 Walkmen Ripple 4:25

02 Marijuana Deathsquads Truckin' 4:55

03 Flaming Lips Dark Star 6:14

04 Local Natives Stella Blue 4:40

05 Unknown Mortal Orchestra Shakedown Street 3:29

06 Orchestra Baobab Franklin's Tower 6:29

07 Tal National Eyes of the World 5:09

08 Béla Fleck Help on the Way 7:39

09 Rileys Estimated Prophet 5:18

10 Stargaze What's Become of the Baby 6:35

11 Vijay Iyer King Solomon's Marbles 4:35

12 Bonnie 'Prince' Billy If I Had the World to Give 2:39

CD5

01 Phosphorescent Standing on the Moon 5:34

02 Tallest Man on Earth Ship of Fools 5:12

03 Bonnie 'Prince' Billy Bird Song 6:09

04 Hiss Golden Messenger Brown-Eyed Women 4:48

05 Real Estate Here Comes Sunshine 6:00

06 Charles Bradley, Menahan Street Band Cumberland Blues 3:17

07 Man Forever, So Percussion, Oneida Drums/Space 4:51

08 Fucked Up Cream Puff War 6:17

09 Mina Tindle Rosemary 2:05

10 Daniel Rossen, Christopher Bear High Time 4:16

11 Xylouris White, Luluc Till the Morning Comes 5:02

12 Kodiak Blue, Shura, Winston Marshall Althea 5:02

13 Angel Olsen Attics of My Life 4:15

14 Wilco, Bob Weir St. Stephen [Live] 6:34

15 National, Bob Weir I Know You Rider [Live] 8:37

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