Ace (1972) [Bob Weir]

on

Is there a more fitting way to start this blog than with a review of the first solo album by Bob Weir? His death hit me in the guts even more than when Phil Lesh died, and I felt like listening to Ace ever since it happened. I've never really considered that some of my favorite Grateful Dead songs aren't on any studio album by the band. I'm thinking of songs like "Playing in the Band" and "Looks Like Rain," which makes sense, since those songs are from Bob Weir's solo album! Although, to what extent can you even call it a solo album when the backing band consists of none other than Jerry Garcia, Keith Godchaux, Donna Godchaux, Bill Kreutzmann, and Phil Lesh? Only Mickey Hart is missing, but then again, he wasn't with the Grateful Dead in 1972. So, it's an album full of songs I know almost inside and out thanks to the Grateful Dead's many live concerts. Only "Walk in the Sunshine" didn't ring a bell, and it turns out to be a song I don't care that much about. In any case, it's nice to hear these songs in a studio version, and occasionally it adds an extra dynamic that you don't always hear so well live. "Looks Like Rain" is especially stunning. In 2023, this was also released with the full album in concert form. Not with the Grateful Dead, but with the Wolf Bros featuring The Wolfpack. A nice bonus, especially thanks to Brittney Spencer with her amazing voice and a fantastic, extended version of Cassidy, but the difference between the studio work and the live show feels quite big. Of course, they didn't have much choice, as Bob Weir only played "Walk in the Sunshine" live twice with the Wolf Bros. Once on April 2, 2022, and once on April 3, 2022. He also supposedly played it with RatDog sometime in 2010, although it's a bit odd that he says in this concert with the Wolf Bros that they haven't played the song in 50 years. In any case: a very fine solo album, but I'm just cataloging this as a Grateful Dead album.

Tracklist:

  1. Greatest Story Ever Told
  2. Black Throated Wind
  3. Walk in the Sunshine
  4. Playing in the Band
  5. Looks Like Rain
  6. Mexicali Blues
  7. One More Saturday Night
  8. Cassidy


Comments

Post a Comment