Grateful Dead – Wake Of The Flood (Deluxe 2-CD) Music CD

The 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition of Wake of the Flood — the debut album from the band's own Grateful Dead Records label — newly remastered with Plangent Processes tape restoration and speed correction by David Glasser, and produced for release by David Lemieux.

Released October 15, 1973, Wake of the Flood introduced a pivotal new lineup following the passing of founding member Ron "Pigpen" McKernan and the temporary exit of drummer Mickey Hart. Newest members Keith and Donna Godchaux step into the fold on keys and vocals, and the result is one of the most musically rich albums in the Dead's catalog — featuring "Eyes of the World," "Stella Blue," "Here Comes Sunshine," and "Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo."

The bonus disc draws from the final night of the album's brief release tour: November 1, 1973 at McGaw Memorial Hall, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois. Bookended by two songs from the new album — "Weather Report Suite" and "Mississippi Half-Step" — the live set features one of the most creative and inspired jams of the entire tour: a breathtaking "Morning Dew" → "Playing in the Band" → "Uncle John's Band" → "Playing in the Band" sequence that stands as a highlight of the era.