Customer Reviews

Fallout From the Phil Zone

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This 2-cd set is a sort of GD sampler platter, selected by bassist Phil Lesh from 30 years of live performances. The half-hour "In the Midnight Hour" is hilarious (at one point, Pig tries to get Bobby to dance with a girl in the audience!). There is also a tearfully beautiful version of Dylan's "Visions of Johanna" recorded just a few months before Jerry's death - the way he pours his own pain into the song is simply heartbreaking. There's not a single track that I don't like in this set, and some, such as "Hard to Handle" and "Jack-a-Roe," are my favorite versions in my collection. There's not much continuity in the album - you would never mistake this for a recording of a single concert - but the playing is outstanding throughout.

This eclectic mix of Phil picks has some real gems. The extended Midnight Hour and Hard to Handle give the listener a good feel for Pigpen's strength as the lead vocalist. The Jack-A-Roe is the most unique cut, in my opinion, with a speedy, almost samba-like quality. The Mason's Children is great, and in the Visions of Johannah, Jerry sounds hauntingly sweet.

The only drawback is the continuity--the songs are not in any order according to their age.

The answer is a resounding yes. This compilation contains some rare gems and stuff that never would have never made it out in a full concert. For me, the highlight is 'In The Midnight Hour' (all 31+ minutes of it) where Pigpen just goes full out all the way. This isn't the place to start for Dead newbies nor is it an essential CD but any fan will appreciate these diamonds in the rough.

There are some nice selections on this disk (the first Jack A Roe performed by the Dead), but nothing that is a truly must have, other than the Too Hard To Handle. The track is from an audience mic of a 1971 performance and the sound quality is exceptional. I grew up going to Dead shows in the 80's and was accustomed to the crowd interaction when the crowd had a well versed familiarity with the Dead's material. Here there is this raw excitement you can hear from the crowd's reaction. The way that they respond to Jerry's solo is just like an old fashioned revival - the energy just keeps escalating in the crowd response and Jerry in turn just keeps ratcheting up his playing until the house sounds like it going to come down. Amazing!

This CD is a strange mix of great Dead songs, you can tell each track is really significant to Phil. Great versions of New Speedway Boogie, Viola Lee Blues, Music Never Stopped, and a 30 minute Midnight Hour with Pigpen at the top of his game. However, the highlight of this 2 disc set is by far, HARD TO HANDLE, containing one of the best Jerry solos captured on tape.

This may be the best live Dead CD ever. Anyway, it's my current favorite. I have an old cassette tape of the "Hard to Handle" show but it is so nice having that track in a clean CD version (relatively clean, that is - it's still an audience recording). Too bad they couldn't fit in a couple more tunes from that show - it was a good one.

A record full of Pigpen songs is fine by me. Hard to Handle puts the shiver in my spine. That alone is worth the price of admission.

Phil does a tremendous tribute to Jerry and the rest of the band with this one. Worth many times the asking price. "Visions of Johanna" and "Jack-a-Roe" are of the finest recordings on the planet.

Jerry's cover of Visions of Johanna is brillan

A one-of-kind live album from the Dead that includes performances spanning the band's 30-year history, Fallout From The Phil Zone is a "must have" for even the most casual fan of the Dead. Bass player Phil Lesh assembled his favorite live versions of some great songs that are underrepresented on other Dead albums. The renditions of "Box of Rain" and "Music Never Stopped" are epic.