Customer Reviews

Go to Heaven (Dig)

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

 

 

I remeber this album as one of the first Dead albums that the production started sounding full and worthy of the dead rythym section in the studio. Alabama Getaway is a perfect blend of commercially slick radio friendly sound while still retaining Jerry and Bob's superior technique and road earned mastery of subtle riffing and rythmic augmentation. Althea is so Deadly it defines the power of artistic hippy musical apptitude. I love this album because it is presentable to the mainstream but retains its freak flag flying high buried deep in the highest production fidelity money can buy. If you don't have a fully developed dead ear for psychadelic sound you can start your journey on track number one of Go to Heaven and work your way back to the first Dead Album. Enjoy the research. My the force be with you.

Ok, granted, nobody's gonna mistake this album for "Workingman's Dead" or "American Beauty". But it isn't a genuinely bad album, either. It appears that I'm the first to review the Rhino re-issue, but judging by some of the reviews of the earlier Arista release you'd think that the Dead had commited some kind of crime against humanity in releasing this album. 'Tain't so! The fact is, if you listen to it for what it is (and what it isn't) and with an open mind, you'll soon realize that there's some pretty good stuff here. Althea, for example, is a great song and would have fit in very nicely on, say, "Mars Hotel". "Lost Sailor" and "Saint Of Circumstance" are both decent cuts as well-- despite some other people's negative views-- and would not be out of place on Weir's "Heaven Help The Fool". And the updated "Don't Ease Me In" is a fun and well-played alternate version. In fact, in my opinion, there's not a truly bad song on this album. A lot of people knock Brent's contributions. Alright, no one will ever confuse him with Robert Hunter. But his songs aren't really bad, either. It seems that some people who smugly consider themselves "experts" on the Dead (the same, presumably, who continually bash "Steal Your Face") have tried to make beating up on this release some kinda national passtime, and it was actually out of print for awhile as a result. That's really too bad. If you TRULY love 'em, you know that ANY Dead is good Dead-- some is perhaps just a little bit "less" good. This album is, in general, "less good" compared to some. But it ain't at all bad, either. And by the way, about the cover art. Doesn't anybody get the joke?

In addition to the remastered album (which sounds very good), there are also several bonus cuts, including alternate, studio versions of "Peggy-O" and "Jack-A-Roe". Overall, a nice package. But you'll never know if you don't climb off'a yer high-horse and give it a chance! It's not their best, to be sure. But it's certainly worth owning!

Well, there's been much criticism for the title and indeed the sleeve photograph, but actually this Dead record can be judged more favourably on the contents. Side two is a little dark, with the exception of "Saint of Circumstance", but side one contains some jewels. "Feel like a stranger" is very strong, "Alabama Getaway" surprising and "Lost sailor" and "Far from me" quite nice. But prince among ordinary citizens is "Althea", which has become one of my favourite Dead songs.

"Go to Heaven" may not be an excellent studio album, but we all know that the Dead were at their best when playing live. You won't go to heaven with this one, but you won't go unrewarded.

Hans Wigman.

I had to jump on here and comment on this, as only one other person had bothered to do so thus far.

Except for the original vinyl pressing, every other copy of this album I've ever heard sounds like CRAP. The original CD release was particularly insulting. Leave it to Rhino to dig out the original master and lovingly transfer it to CD, as usual. This album now has a full-bodied and dynamic sound that it's NEVER had before; you're definitely hearing what the band heard in the studio when they listened to the final master. I can assure you that if you have the appropriate equipment, you'll be floored by the sound.

As far as the album itself, yeah, it's not one of the best things the band has ever done (hence the 4 stars), but it's worth buying just for Lost Sailor, which has been my long-time favorite Dead cut. You can get better Live versions of most of the other cuts on here but the studio version of Lost Sailor is something special. Not to be missed, especially given how great it sounds now.

I am only 15 years old and by no means a die hard grateful dead fan but i own a lot of dead cd's. this one is not their best i will admit but that fact that it is grateful dead it enough to buy it. it beats rap and all that other garbage people listen to. and there are some sweet songs

Everyone has their favourite period of The Dead and I tend to like Mars Hotel and Wake of the Flood best. Go to Heaven does not fall into this era, however, this is a good album and I reccomend it. Musically, it is right up there, perhapse close to the masterpieces of American Beauty, Workingman's Dead and Europe '72. This album has beautiful songs with pleasing chord progressions, well, Lost Sailor and Saint of Circumstance at least. Some of the other tracks are more traditional Garcia Dead sounding. You will like this one if you are a fan of Bob Weir's voice, as I am, and like keyboards as well as guitars.

It's not American Beauty or Workingman's Dead, but this isn't that bad an album. Nowhere as bad as Dylan and the Dead. This gave us Don't Ease Me In, Sailor and Saint, and one of my all-time first set faves, Althea. The album is worth the $ for Althea alone, though some versions on some Dicks Picks kick butt and make this sound a little flat. Still, be kind. Any Deadhead should own this, if only to complete their 500-CD Dead collection...

I compared this CD with my LP I bought in 1980 - still in near-mint condition (cartrdge: Shure M97x, Turntble: technics SL1200 MK2, components @ a similar-level). Verdict: CD beats my vinyl by a noticeable, not great amount (and granted, it's not today's "audiophile" 180g product, but sounds quite good on its own). If you're in this situation and on the fence, get the CD for the sound (I always liked "Don't Ease me In," but since it's the last track on side 2, the fidelity on the LP was not as good as the side's 1st track - on the CD it sounds really nice)and ALSO for the bonus tracks. Three outtakes and 3 live tracks. Since I have no live GD from after '78, this tipped the scale for me. As with the main album, the bonus material is very well recorded and transferred to CD. As someone else said, it definitely not Amer Beauty, but it's probably better than 70% of what else was released in 1980, and better than 90% of what's on the radio today. One more thought: I also thought the Dead were close to finished back then, but Jerry was only 38, which to me now seems oh, so young!

Well, there's been much criticism for the title and indeed the sleeve photograph, but actually this Dead record can be judged more favourably on the contents. Side two is a little dark, with the exception of "Saint of Circumstance", but side one contains some jewels. "Feel like a stranger" is very strong, "Alabama Getaway" surprising and "Lost sailor" and "Far from me" quite nice. But prince among ordinary citizens is "Althea", which has become one of my favourite Dead songs.

"Go to Heaven" may not be an excellent studio album, but we all know that the Dead were at their best when playing live. You won't go to heaven with this one, but you won't go unrewarded.

Hans Wigman.

Maybe it was the cover art, who knows? Or else, maybe the rock world in 1980 just wasn't as receptive(to a new DEAD album) as they were in 1970. Whatever the cause, THE GRATEFUL DEAD-"Go To Heaven" was destined to remain a black sheep of the DEAD's back catalogue. It is truly tragic that so many DEAD fans have avoided "Go To Heaven" over the years. In many cases, the album is verbally trashed by people who have never actually heard it! Admittedly, I fell victim to this phenomenon. Due to the constant bad-mouthing of "Go To Heaven" I just assumed that it must really be THAT bad. Well, when I finally HEARD the album I was quite surprised. Actually, I was rather shocked! "Go To Heaven" is a GREAT album!!! Flawless no, but certainly vintage DEAD. Now without a doubt this album will be most enjoyed by fans of the post-1975 albums. The DEAD circa-1980 were quite different from the DEAD of 1970. However, the quality of music produced by the GRATEFUL DEAD did NOT change during this period. "Go To Heaven" is filled with powerful tracks such as the forgotten Hunter/Garcia classic "Althea" and Bob Weir's brilliant "Lost Sailor" and "Saint of Circumstance"(two of Weir's most emotional and mature compostitions). New guy keyboardist Brent Mydland contributes two tracks which despite their commercial appeal are both well written and quite enjoyable. The album opens with the classic "Alabama Getaway" one of the DEAD's most rockin' tunes. Another highlight is Bob Weir's killer "Feel Like A Stranger" which is probably the DEAD's most funk-based tune(next to "Shakedown Street", of course)and sure to get you in the groove. The album ends with a short and uptempo version of "Don't Ease Me In". As added bonuses, the remastered Rhino version of "Go To Heaven" adds studio outtakes of "Peggy-O", "Jack-A-Roe", and a totally AWESOME tune which should have made the album called "What'll You Raise". Furthermore, you get KILLER live versions of "Althea", "Lost Sailor" and "Saint of Circumstance" recorded at Radio City Music Hall in 1980. Add on an excellent booklet with great liner-notes and you have a truly great re-issue of this album with an excellent and much deserved remastering job. So now's your chance to check out an album you may have overlooked or shied away from at the time. Revisit "Go To Heaven" and discover its hidden charm and lost brilliance....