While this is certainly a top-shelf release, I feel as if the strength of this show is also one of its primary weaknesses. Of course, this show was intended to showcase their latest album that they'd been working on for the past eight months or so, and given that they were technically still on something of a hiatus, they probably wanted to put their best foot forward (as well as demonstrating something of a departure from where they had gotten to by late '74). But to me, the show is, by and large, too safe. I'd compare it to May '77 in terms of presentation. Some folks love that stuff but I prefer my GoGD to be a bit more on the edge of anarchy and collapse (i.e., see many longer improvs from '72-'74). Nonetheless, it's an excellent performance and my favorite track by far is KSM/STDOMTT, which is played to almost perfection here. That's actually a plus, because while this track sounds improvised it is very much composed. They only did it live four times (and 3/23/75 only counts as 1/2 even if it comes in two prototype sections); all in 1975 and this is the best version of the four (some folks maintain that they also played a version on 7/17/76 (DaP 18 bonus disc) but that is not the case. Lastly, while Slipknot! is my favorite post-hiatus composition, this is not the first show I'd turn to. That honor would go to 2/26/77 (DaP 29), 6/9/77 (Winterland '77 box), 5/22/77 (DiP 3), 5/9/77 (Get Shone the Light, or 12/31/76 (Cow Palace, NYE '76). All of these versions feature far more intrepid improvisation than the version on OFTV (and Phil is an absolute beast on the 2/26/77 version; the best I've heard by a wide margin). There I go praising '77 after slogging it earlier. So it goes with this band. However, I still give this one an A- or 9/10 stars. It's a high-quality example of what this band did not do best.
I struggle with this one. As others have said, it sounds amazing. The band is tight. The songs are polished. It's from right in the middle of a remarkable decade for the band. And yet. And yet. It doesn't have the exploration of 73/74 or the risk-taking of 76 or the energy of 77. Consequently, I don't wind up turning to it that often. When I do, I appreciate hearing "Sage and Spirit" and "King Solomon's Marbles," and I always think that I want to hear "Blues For Allah" (but then rarely have that feeling rewarded by the actual listen). It's strange. I love 73 and 74. I love 76 and 77. And, heck, I like 9/28/75 quite a bit. But this one? I don't know. Other than the opening H->S->F and the novelty of "Sage and Spirit" and the post-Eyes "Marbles -> Dirt" jam, it leaves me a little cold.
The only problem that I have with One from The Vault is that it makes me never want to listen to the Blues for Allah studio album. Whenever I think, “Hmm, I should listen to Blues for Allah today...” I usually end up listening to 1FTV instead. I friggin’ love it. Plus, crickets. Freaking live crickets miked up and included in the music. Genius.
I've wondered the same thing sometimes. I think it's because it's already 20 minutes and has a well-defined space section; I don't know how well it would open up to further jamming. But I'm not a musician, so take my opinion with that proverbial grain of salt.
One From the Vault epitomizes 75 -- it sparkles with the warmth of a late fall afternoon, sun shimmering through the trees on the water. There is a playfulness and bounce to the playing I often find becomes more plodding in 76... and yet it all comforts rather than challenges. No, there aren't the big 'risks' that we all love... but the songs are in fact just exactly perfect. Crazy Fingers -- I can't think of a version I prefer to this one. It must Have Been the Roses -- again that late sun just radiating. This album isn't for risk taking, but it is for bathing in the beauty of the songs, the voices, the tone of each individual instrument. Minus the Blues For Allah track itself, its also a perfect gateway to live Dead for the novice. An outstanding choice to kick things off. Lives up to the hype, IMHO.
On some level, this whole show was the risk. Almost all new, unheard songs and most of them a bold new direction for the band.
One surprise for me was how much I enjoyed “Around & Around” after “King Solomon’s Marbles.” “A&A” isn’t usually a highlight for me, but this one really works for me in this particular spot. I know that’s where the set break should be, but I’m listening on Spotify so theres’s no break (I think the cd is the same) and that juxtaposition really works for me, knotty-abstraction into good ol’ goofy-grinned rock n roll. As with most things Dead, the sum is greater than ... great show where the rock is rollin’ and the space is spacin’, and the contradictions meld into a mighty fine cosmic whole.
This is such a fantastic idea, thanks to Al Gator for starting this. One From The Vault could not have been a better start to the Grateful Dead archive releases. 8/13/75 is such a unique show there isn’t much else like it and to start the first set is just stunning. Help > Slip > Franklin’s is an all timer. That introduction straight into Help is legendary with everyone playing as soon as Bill Graham introduces them. Help is so tight with 0 lyrical flubs and a quick fluid solo; I don’t think there’s a better version out there. Slipknot! is short but expertly played and Jerry’s tone (not sure what filter?) resembles a sax especially on those low notes. Franklin’s is very good also however I do prefer some later versions in 76 & 77. I think this a good place to also talk about some of the peculiarities of this show that make it so unique. In regards to the question of whether this sounds more like 74 or 76 I would take the easy answer and say it sounds like 75! And that we’re transitioning into the 76 sound but not quite there, but that said I do think there are more reasons to say it’s closer to 74. Main reason is we still have Jerry playing the Wolf which sounds majestic here (which to me sounds different than when he got it back in 77), it’s a shame we don’t have more versions of these new tunes with Wolf v1. Keith plays the whole show on the Rhodes bring that 74 feel as well. I know Mickey is back but his presence doesn’t push it too far out of the 74 realm to me. The first The Music Never Stops is very good as well even though the song evolves quite a bit in the next few years. Nice solo at the end from Jerry. IMHBTR is a very good version but probably the least noteworthy song of the set. Eyes of the World is very interesting with the 2nd break having a nice climax. What’s noteworthy here is this is the only version before 90 done in the original arrangement w/ Mickey and he blends in nicely. They forgo the end coda however which is missed (maybe too difficult with another drummer) and after the drum break is an amazing King Solomon’s Marbles. Jerry is on fire along with Keith coming in with a solo mid song and you could tell how structured this all is. I have no idea why this was dropped after 1975. I’ll be back with thoughts on set II during the week.
I have always found this set the closest the band ever got to fusion aesthetics (at least from what I have heard so far). Sure, many live performances in 1974 were "jazzy", but without this kind of fusion "polish". Never heard any other 1975 live sets, so not sure whether it was a one-off or they tested new waters around that time. In any case they would seemingly drop that sound completely next year...
I am already grateful for this thread. I don't think I listened to this set in 15 yrs. It is really good. That late fall afternoon alluded to above is apt. Sound is excellent as well.
Blues For Allah > Stronger Than Dirt Or Milkin' The Turkey > Drums > Stronger Than Dirt Or Milkin' The Turkey > Blues For Allah (live 3/23/75) is on the Beyond Description Bonus CD.
A very fair point and duly digested. Having thought about it, I still prefer the risk-taking in the context of wild, mad, let's run the train off the tracks and see what happens improv.
Dude. DUDE. You’ve got to hear this. One of the biggest highlights of their career. March 23, 1975 SNACK Benefit San Francisco Yes, you are seeing that correctly. A triple keyboard attack on this set.
Sounds great. I can even see there is a 5CD budget euroboot with the whole event... From what I can hear on the YT sample it's also fusioney, albeit (obviously) with a less polished sound. I wonder why they dropped the jazziness (including their collective free-improv developed from the earlier psychedelic "musique concrète") they had gradually built up across 1972-75 and returned a more straight-forward rock in 1976. Was it because Miles went on hiatus after 1975?
I've been a peeping Tom on these forums for years but finally joined because of this thread. Listened to One From The Vault for the first time in what seems like forever and this thread is already paying off. I time travelled when I turned the volume up and listened to that intro. My kids turned into lava lamps and my den turned into a smoky college dorm room. I believe this is the last time they played Blues for Allah live and I am glad I got to listen to it last night because I probably wouldn't have revisited otherwise. Looking forward to the rest of this bold undertaking. Thanks Gator.
I purchased One from the Vault when first released. Since I was not a tape trader this was a cherished purchase, adding to my too little collection of live Dead. Time and a plethora of live releases may have somewhat diluted it's importance but it remains a stellear show. Blues for Allah alone puts it in cosmic territory. And I have always loved Crazy Fingers. When released I never knew I would need a new case to handle all the subsequent live releases. What a great ride it has been!
