Grateful Shred – “Sweet Baby”

In quite a few hands, the idea of a full length LP coming out of a tribute band seems like it might be indulgent or even unnecessary. Who needs the shadow when you’ve already got the sun, eh? But the focus and foundations of Grateful Shred have always been to not cover their subject in a straightforward manner, and that’s at the heart of Might As Well. Seeking to dig up the lesser known, or at least lesser focused upon corners of the Dead, the band is much more than your local “Dark Star” dealers. For their first record, the band rounds up songs that have been staples of their set, digging into rarities, JGB stalwarts, and early-era blues covers. The band looks to corners of the catalog that were never previously recorded in the studio and lets that be the guideline. With the announcement of the album, the band also seeks to set their Donna love straight with a Godchaux-penned number “Sweet Baby,” sung by RSTB favorite Mikaela Davis. While the song was studio recored as part of the 1975 album Keith & Donna, and featured help from Garcia on guitar, it remains a periphery piece of the puzzle that fits right in with what Shred has been slinging over the last few years. Davis’ voice does an excellent job of capturing the slink and honeyed tones of the original. The new album, Might As Well, is out June 6th.

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