The early 1970s were a very formative time for the Grateful Dead, both collectively and individually. They had just released two of their most meaningful albums, Workingman’s Dead and American Beauty in ’70, but band members also made time to pursue solo endeavors. Members Bob Weir and Mickey Hart both released solo albums in 1972, as did Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia, who shared his own solo debut, Garcia, on January 20th that year.
As pure of an individual effort as anyone has ever put into their own album, save the help of drummer/bandmate Bill Kreutzmann, Garcia gave Jerry a great opportunity to take a step back from the Dead’s live show, go into the studio, have some fun, on pedal steel guitar and focus on “the song” as a finite entity. While the track listing does include a number of Dead staples that had already been in the rotation since ’71 (“Sugaree”, “Bird Song”, “Deal”, & “Loser”) there is still enough weirdness included on Garcia to wet the appetite of any Deadhead looking for a little space odyssey (see, “Late For Supper” and “An Odd Little Place”).
Garcia, more or less, is a synthesis of Jerry’s tastes and sensibilities as an ambassador to American roots music. A wonderfully muddy mix of folk, country, blues, jazz, and acid rock, the album certainly speaks for the Garcia who liked to color in between the lines as well as the one who relished and embraced indulging into the strange. Surprisingly, the album was met with mixed criticism:
If Garcia is any indication of what to expect from Round Records, the Grateful Dead’s new spin-off label ought to be rechristened Flat. – Ken Emerson, Rolling Stone Magazine (August 15, 1974)
What is clear is that Garcia has been developing musically along two totally separate and distinct paths. One is the aforementioned countryish, folk-rock style and the other is this far more progressive, experimental reaching for new modes and new ways of expression. Either way, Garcia is a superb musician. – Penny Ross, Words & Music Magazine (May 1972)
Maybe Jerry has been working too much. Or — and this is more likely — maybe we just expected something absolutely extraordinary and feel vaguely disappointed. Garcia devotees will no doubt disagree. To them we say, “Enjoy.” To others we way, “Let’s wait and see which direction Garcia takes next.”
– Ed Kelleher, CIRCUS Magazine (April 1972)
Side one sounds almost too pleasant and catchy, as if Garcia and Robert Hunter — the most consistent songwriters anywhere over the past couple of years — had settled a little too comfortably into the slow, traditiona, blues-tinged country-rock grrove the Dead have been digging recently. The payoff is “Sugaree” and “Deal,” classics no future-rocker could come up with. And then — surprise! — the second side balances (surprisingly unpretentious) musique concrete experimentation against the groove. B+ – Robert Christgau, Christgau’s Record Guide (1981)
Why don’t you be the judge? Here is the album in its entirety and a collection of live performances and alternate cuts some of the Garcia material:
Jerry Garcia – Garcia (Full Album)
[Audio: Cranford]
Jerry Garcia Band – “Deal” (Live) – 3/1/1980
[Video: Grateful Dead on MV]
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