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26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Terrapin Station, December 8, 2003
I remember browsing through the records at the local library back in 1978 -- I was all of eight years old -- and I came across this album. I was so taken by the dancing turtles on the cover that I begged my dad to let me take it home and give it a listen. He saw that it was by the Grateful Dead and told me that it probably wasn't my style of music. He eventually gave in, but made sure I realized how delicate records were and to be very, very careful with it during the week I had it out. I couldn't wait to hear the music the turtles were dancing to, so I put it on my little portable turntable (with Mom's help) and gave it a listen. Quite honestly, I wasn't all that impressed with the first side. Chalk one up for Dad on this one. I turned the record over to side two and heard the song that has come to define everything I've come to love about the Grateful Dead, "Terrapin Station." There was just something about this long, beautifully orchestrated song that captivated me. I didn't care about the rest of the album -- this was great! Fast forward eleven years -- this was the first CD I decided to buy to start my CD collection. I still fondly recalled "Terrapin Station" after all those years and it's become a staple in my collection. I've even come to appreciate the rest of the songs on the album, especially the great "Estimated Prophet" and "Passenger." It's not everybody's idea of the ideal Grateful Dead album; many folks feel it was too over orchestrated. I guess that's what I like most about it -- I think the orchestration, especially on the title piece, is excellent. It really makes for a great listening experience, whether that's in the car, working in the garage, or whatever, it's great music for any occasion.
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20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The last album to capture the essence of the Dead experience, January 10, 2000
I had already been introduced to The Grateful Dead a few years before this release, so I knew what made them tick. When "Terrapin" came out, I was anxiously awaiting. It came out at my most musically impressionable age (16) and didn't disappoint. The Dead's albums seemed to be produced better with each release and "Terrapin" peaked in that category at that time. Don't be deceived by the fact there's only a handful of songs. The title track is a marathon performance that epitomizes the Dead experience. Arguably, more than any other Dead tune the song "Terrapin Station" shows the many sides of the Dead that garnered their cult following. The song is full of sounds and, yes, visions that only the Dead could produce. No other band can get those sounds from the same instruments. And Garcia's voice and guitar are at their melodic best, both with the classic silkiness that made it impossible to sit while listening - be it under a brightly lit moon on the lawn seats of your favorite outdoor concert venue, or in your home next to your stereo. For a special treat pop the headphones on for a musical experience that is why headphones were made in the first place. Most testimonials to this album seem to acknowledge only the tunes that garnered radio play, and that's not entirely fair. "Estimated Prophet" and "Passenger" are such tunes and are deserved of such praise, but that's shortchanging this CD. There's a nice version of "Dancing in the Streets" that were it not already written would have been written by the Dead - it's what this band in concert is all about. "Samson and Delilah", featuring Bob Weir's vocals, is another concert staple (of course which Dead tunes weren't?) but doesn't reap the praise that Garcia sung tunes do from the more casual Dead fans. Perhaps they're too wordy for those who like to zone out and get lost in the Dead Dimension. But in this case those words are vital to a nice story - plus Garcia's guitar sizzles on cue. And the Godchauxs - Keith and Donna have never been completely embraced by Dead purists in spite of their contributions to this CD and their next CD, "Shakedown Street". While "Sunrise" doesn't typify the Dead many grew up with, it nevertheless is a strong performance by Donna and rounds off a nice offering by the Dead - perhaps their last completely satisfying CD recorded. "Shakedown Street" would also be a great recording, but not as strong. And subsequent CDs too would see the Dead tailing off in a different direction - which is not to say entirely untrue to their roots. But let's face it. The era that breed the Dead would no longer be there for them to derive the same sounds and themes that gave us their early CDs. So future CDs would just have a little more difficulty in concocting the formula that created the mood of those recordings. For that reason alone this album is a must for anyone wanting to know what made this band so great. Those who say this CD isn't a great album by comparing it to their earlier recordings miss the point. Each Dead CD had something different to offer and can only be judged with that in mind. Given that, this is truly a 5 star performance.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Conceptually Brilliant, December 6, 2004
Asa a trained musician myself, I find Terrapin Station one of teh Grateful Dead's most intriguing albums. The opening track, Estimated Prophet, employing as it does a reggae-styled compound 7/4 meter, is miraculously rhythmic. Generally, 7/4 music does not have the capacity to sound so dance-able. The double-meaning of this track's title reflects the witty quality of its lyrics. The closing track, the six-song suite "Terrapin Station" is also brilliant. The poetic lyrics by Robert Hunter combine some elements of great litereary storytelling ("Lady With a Fan") with more poetic, image-creating diction ("Terrapin Station"). The music of the opening song, "Lady With a Fan" by Jerry Garcia, demonstrates some of the more extreme syncopations possible within a 4/4 framework. The music of "Terrapin" is quite brilliant, combining as it does the pulsating, simple 4/4 melody, with the brief transitions (9/4) all of which are intriguingly orchestrated. "Terrapin Flyer" is also a rhythmic experiment, vascillating between the high-flying music in 3/4 and the much heavier, deeper 7/4 music. Garcia's guitar solo in this song is jaw-dropping, and the orchestration continues to be of interest. Highly recommended, unless you're one of those deadheads who hates the refined "studio" quality of this album.
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