Live USA Grateful Dead With Mick Taylor Featuring Suzanne Vega – A Wild Ride Through Rock and Deathrock Vibes
Alright, let’s dive into this wild gem from 1988: Live USA Grateful Dead With Mick Taylor Featuring Suzanne Vega. Yeah, that’s a mouthful of a title, but trust me, the music inside is just as packed with energy. Released in Germany on the Live & Alive label, this album blends classic Grateful Dead rock with some darker Deathrock edges. And hey, throw Mick Taylor (yep, the Mick Taylor of Rolling Stones fame) into the mix? You know things are gonna get interesting.
First off, the lineup is stacked—Phil Lesh on bass, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart hammering out rhythms, Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir shredding guitars alongside Mick Taylor. Brent Mydland holds down keyboards while multiple vocalists—including Suzanne Vega—add layers to the sound. The artwork by NOFI Production in Hamburg gives it a gritty vibe too, like you’re holding something raw and alive.
Now, onto the tracks. There’s seven songs here, but I wanna zoom in on two that stuck with me. First up, “Feel Like A Stranger.” Man, this one hits different when Suzanne Vega steps in for vocals. Her voice has this haunting quality that pairs surprisingly well with the Dead’s jammy chaos. It’s not your typical Grateful Dead tune—it feels sharper, edgier, almost cinematic. You can tell everyone was vibing hard during this performance because the chemistry between the band members crackles through your speakers.
Then there’s “Little Red Rooster,” which closes out the album. This track is pure swagger. With Mick Taylor adding his bluesy licks alongside Garcia’s unmistakable style, it’s impossible not to groove along. Phil Lesh lays down some deep basslines that’ll make your chest rumble if you’ve got good speakers. By the time they wrap it up, you’re left feeling like you just witnessed something special—an unpolished yet electrifying moment frozen in time.
One thing about this album—it doesn’t try to be perfect. There are rough edges, little imperfections, but honestly? That’s what makes it so damn memorable. It’s less like listening to a studio masterpiece and more like crashing a killer live session where everyone’s feeding off each other’s energy.
Here’s the kicker though—at first glance, you wouldn’t expect Suzanne Vega hanging out with the Grateful Dead crew, right? But somehow, it works. Maybe that’s the magic of this record—it breaks rules without even trying. So yeah, give Live USA Grateful Dead With Mick Taylor Featuring Suzanne Vega a spin if you’re looking for something that feels both familiar and totally out-there. Just don’t blame me if you end up humming “Feel Like A Stranger” all day long.
