Might as Well...The Persuasions Sing Grateful Dead

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The Persuasions are the last of the old-school doo-wop groups (they started kind of late), and the most adventurous--their last album was a set of Frank Zappa covers. Even so, this disc of close-harmony Grateful Dead tunes sounds like a stretch, but it's really an outgrowth of their lovely "Black Muddy River" from last year's Stolen Roses compilation, reprised here. The mood is festive if reverent; lots of vocal and instrumental guests show up, including the younger a cappella quartet Mary Schmary and Dead keyboardist Vince Welnick. Robert Hunter's lyrics sometimes shift between musical idioms a little awkwardly, but the group delivers them with palpable sincerity and love, and digs for the R&B roots of the Dead's roses. And when the Persuasions glom onto the right song, they run with it: "Lazy River Road," a late-model song on which bassman Jimmy Hayes does his "human subwoofer" routine, is a treat, and so is their foray into bluegrass (with Jerry Garcia's old collaborator Peter Rowan), "Sugaree." --Douglas Wolk

Tracks:

Here Comes Sunshine
Might As Well
Lazy River Road
Loose Lucy
Ripple
Brokedown Palace
Liberty
Sugaree
Ship Of Fools
He's Gone
It Must Have Been The Roses
One More Saturday Night
Bertha
I Bid You Goodnight
Black Muddy River

Amazon.com

The Persuasions are the last of the old-school doo-wop groups (they started kind of late), and the most adventurous--their last album was a set of Frank Zappa covers. Even so, this disc of close-harmony Grateful Dead tunes sounds like a stretch, but it's really an outgrowth of their lovely "Black Muddy River" from last year's Stolen Roses compilation, reprised here. The mood is festive if reverent; lots of vocal and instrumental guests show up, including the younger a cappella quartet Mary Schmary and Dead keyboardist Vince Welnick. Robert Hunter's lyrics sometimes shift between musical idioms a little awkwardly, but the group delivers them with palpable sincerity and love, and digs for the R&B roots of the Dead's roses. And when the Persuasions glom onto the right song, they run with it: "Lazy River Road," a late-model song on which bassman Jimmy Hayes does his "human subwoofer" routine, is a treat, and so is their foray into bluegrass (with Jerry Garcia's old collaborator Peter Rowan), "Sugaree." --Douglas Wolk

Customer Reviews:

Hate the Dead, love this album.......2006-10-12

I never liked or "got" the Dead. I always liked the joke "what did the Deadhead say When the drugs wore off?"

"Boy this music sucks"

Nevertheless I love this album. The harmonies are tight and the songs Ripple and Brokedown Palace convey a sadness that was not there for the Dead. I can listen to this again and again.

BUY THIS CD!.......2001-11-07

All I have to say is that if you like to feel the music you listen to, buy this cd. The Persuations do an amazing job of vocalizing the amazing emotions felt in Grateful Dead music. They chose great songs to bring to life. I have seen them live twice and they have amazing energy. If you get nothing else from this review, remember this... buy this CD, you won't regret it.

Soothing and Soulful.......2001-08-14

At the end of the day, when my energy lags, this album never fails to sooth. Deep voices, perfect harmonies and familiar tunes combine to carry me along. The flip side to the Dead.

Excellent.......2001-06-07

I have to admit that I thought the whole concept was a little strange and perhaps a bit hokey, but after I slipped this disc in for the first time I understood completely. There have been a whole slew of Grateful Dead tribute albums in the last few years -- each unique and of varying degrees of quality. The David Gan's produced album, "Stolen Roses" had a rather ecclectic group of artists trying their hand at Grateful Dead tunes -- and while most of these attempts fall short (some of them are downright poor), the Persuasions's "Black Muddy River" is amazing. Apparently, it was this song that ( rightfully) got the Persuasions their own album of Grateful Dead tunes.

David Gans and Robert Hunter helped create a list of over 30 songs they thought the Persuasions should record. Of these 30, 15 were released. The songs span the entire career of the Grateful Dead. From "Lazy River Road" to "Here Comes Sunshine", the Persuasions give excellent performances and really capture the soul of the Grateful Dead. "Ship of Fools" features the groups bass, Jimmy Hayes, singing solo, accompanied by former Dead keyboardist, Vince Welnick. "Brokedown Palace" features Peter Rowan (Old And In The Way) trading verses with Jerry Lawson and "One More Saturday Night" features the amazing mouth-drumming of Andrew Chaikin.

This treatment of Dead songs brings the tunes away from the jams, away from Garcia's wavery voice and away from most of the instrumentation that we all know and leave only the bare song. The naked genius of the Garcia/Hunter tunes almost overpowering and the Persuasions attack them with blinding soul. It's respectful look at the amazing work of the Grateful Dead.

In my opinion, it's the best of the Grateful Dead Tribute albums (although Dedicated is a close second) and it maintains a sense of continuity since the Persuasions do the whole album instead of a whole mess of artists.

Astonishing and beautiful.......2001-04-03

I've long felt that the songwriting team of Garcia and Hunter is strongly unappreciated. Because, let's face it, the Grateful Dead's music isn't the most popularly accessible, not everyone "gets it." Garcia's vioce also takes getting used to--great songwriters like Neil Young and Bob Dylan have similar problems.

But the fact is that some of those Grateful Dead songs are powerful, wonderful, and original. The Persuasions are a fabulous group, and really do justice to some great songs. Anyone who likes great music should like this. Definitely NOT for Deadheads only!

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