Compliments

Jerry Garcia, leader of the Grateful Dead and posthumously godlike figure of his hippy brethren, released "Compliments" in 1974. Garcia covers the songs of Van Morrison, Dr. John, the Stones and others.

This album features the proven talent of Garcia and his band, laying down funk, rock, and soul in precise measure. In my opinion, his solo work is much more song-driven and features concise improvisation as opposed to his work in the Grateful Dead.

The ecstatic blues-driven release of "That's What Love Will Make You Do" and "He Ain't Give You None" shows Garcia's deep knowledge of blues and funk. The groove oriented "I'll Forget You" packs in smooth guitar work along with keyboard sounds throughout the song. These songs and others present themselves fashionably with the sounds of background horns and harmony singers.

Garcia's effeminately dashed vocal ability coats each song nicely with his calm yet tortured signature tone.

Garcia and the Grateful Dead represented a revival of roots music that presented sound in a primal but progressive form in the 1960s. The unchanging depth of feeling that his style of music delivers gave Garcia a foundation from which he could, and did, enhance his musical capabilities.