American Beauty (Audiophile Vinyl)

Mastered from the original master tapes and pressed on 180g LP at RTI, this deluxe set possesses seemingly limitless dynamics, reference-grade presence, and expansive soundstages. The seamless, effortless integration of the group's vocals has always been a high point of American Beauty, and when you hear it here, you'll want every record you own to sound half as good. Every member's distinctive singing resounds with tube-like clarity; the intended expressionism is as plain as day. Instruments, too, resonate in glorious Technicolor. The supple tension of Phil Lesh's bass lines, charismatic timbres of Jerry Garcia's pedal-steel fills, and interwoven dialogue between the pianos and percussion are rendered with lifelike scale and tone.

Made just months after its companion release, Workingman's Dead, the San Francisco legends' second 1970 masterpiece furthers the former work's close-knit relationship between country and folk while adding extra rock and bluegrass currents. Understated amplified passages, graceful melodies, layered singing, and old-time string flavors—including mandolin work from masterful guest David Grisman—bestow the material with easygoing, comfortable vibes. Again taking advantage of the best songwriting of Robert Hunter's career, the Dead turns in its most collective studio performance, with every individual contributing equally and focusing on nothing but the songs at hand.

From Garcia's breathtaking gospel-laden homage to his mother ("Brokedown Palace") to Lesh's healing salve in the form of the groove-based "Box of Rain," from Weir's jaunty and free-wheeling summer escape "Sugar Magnolia" to McKernan's eloquently simple homespun plea "Operator," all the way to the closing autobiographical anthem "Truckin'," American Beauty feels like the warm, spirit-infusing embrace of a loved one after a long journey away. Welcome home.