Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
C'mon folks, lighten up!, June 1, 2006
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!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Tragically Overlooked GRATEFUL DEAD Classic , August 5, 2007
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....
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7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great remaster! Of course, Rhino does it again..., July 31, 2006
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.
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