Completely Conspicuous 504: American Beauty

I'm joined by guest Phil Stacey as we discuss the Grateful Dead's album American Beauty.

Show notes:

- Recorded at CompCon world HQ

- Cover art could also be read as "American Reality"

- Also released in 1970; recorded a few months after Workingman's Dead came out

- Even more countrified, Americana-sounding

- Mickey Hart was on his way out, less involvement

- Featured on Freaks and Geeks episode where Lindsay gets into the Dead

- Half the album features "hits": Box of Rain, Friend of the Devil, Sugar Magnolia, Ripple, Truckin'

- Very low-key record

- Play Ripple at Phil's funeral

- On 50th birthday playlists

- Phil's idea for a playlist: 5 songs from every year of his life, no repeat artists

- Around this time, the Dead started really growing their fanbase

- Dead fans started following them on tour

- A lot of guests, including David Grisman

- This album isn't as dark as the previous one

- Another fairly concise record

- The Dead played the old Boston Tea Party club (now House of Blues) on New Year's Eve 1969

- The sound on this album is more timeless than the original acid-rock

- Jay: Just say no to DMB

- Phil: More into the Dead's music than the scene

- Truckin' is autobiographical, all about touring and getting hassled by the Man

- Ends the album on an upbeat note, with some ripping lead guitar

- Next up: Europe '72

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The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.