It’s easy to hear why these ’74 China/Riders are so revered and appreciated.
The band works its way through the changes and everything is solid and well-played. He really is a tour de force back there, and you can almost feel him taking the rest of the band by the scruff of the neck and pointing them in the direction he wants to go. Billy is pretty high in the mix and it’s easy to get a greater appreciation for the innovation he brings to this band. Keith is playing an electric piano of some sort – my knowledge of his gear is admittedly poor. While Bobby kicks this one off with his signature riff, Phil adds some nice little bass fills and Billy’s tubs sound mighty nice. I probably should have included the China/Rider from that set at some point, but oh well. Of course you can always just go with Without A Net as well since it’s got very nice versions of China/Rider and Help/Slip/Frank, not to mention the epic Branford Eyes. I don’t think you can go wrong with any of them, but China/Rider might be the best for introductory purposes. If you were introducing someone to the Grateful Dead would you start with China/Rider? Or be a bit more brave and go for the Scarlet/Fire, Estimated/Eyes, or Help/Slip/Frank? Are there any other consistent combos that I’m missing? Those are the biggies as far as I’m concerned.
China Cat is catchy, upbeat, and fun, and I Know You Rider is an instant singalong. If China Cat Sunflower is your favorite section of this combo than this is definitely a version worth hearing.Īs far as the signature song combos China Cat Sunflower/I Know You Rider may be the most accessible to a broad audience. This China Cat clocks in at 10 minutes and a mere four and change for Rider. It seems China Cat is usually in the 6-8 minute range, and Rider is around 5-6 minutes. This is an interesting version because the China Cat is much longer than usual. At the same time have the cream of the crop included isn’t a bad thing. On one level 1974 China/Riders are a no-brainer, and it would have been better to have a bit broader representation.
0 kommentar(er)
