In the Dark is Grateful Dead’s penultimate album. It is one of the few albums to actually have singles. It reached #6 on the Billboard Albums Chart. Four singles were released: “Touch of Grey”, “Hell in a Bucket” , “West L.A. Fadeaway”, and “Throwing Stones” . The album was certified Double Platinum in 1995.
Members:
Jerry Garcia: vocals, guitar
Bob Weir: vocals, guitar
Phil Lesh: bass
Brent Mydland: vocals, keyboards
Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann: drums, percussion
- “Touch of Grey”: If you’re someone who’s listened to Classic Rock radio, this is one of the few songs that actually gets radio airplay ( I’ve also heard “Truckin'” on some stations). It’s the only song to ever reach the top 40 on the Hot 100 chart, going all the way to #1, and even receiving airplay on MTV (ah, those were the days). Is it wrong to like this song? I hope not. I will say that song is definitely of its time. Despite that, yes, I like this song.
- “Hell in a Bucket”: One of my favorite songs from the album. The lyrics are great, and I love Weir’s vocals.
- ” When Push Comes to Shove “: Garcia has some good vocals, and I like the keyboards.
- ” West L.A. Fadeaway: This one’s great too. The rhythm is solid, and it’s one of the best songs on the album.
- “Tons of Steel”: Brent’s keyboards and vocals are good here. I don’t like Brent as much as I liked Keith, but he’s still pretty good.
- “Throwing Stones”: I love Bob Weir’s vocals here. One of my favorites.
- “Black Muddy River”: Not a bad song to end on.
Final Verdict: This album is pretty good, but it’s not one I like as much as the others.
Grade: B-
Aspie Catholic 