Completely Conspicuous

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