Day Of The Dead DAY OF THE DEAD

Recording information: Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA; Echo Mountain, Ashville, NC; Miner Street Recordings, Philadelphia, PA. Creators: Aaron Dessner; Bryce Dessner . The Grateful Dead were not known for their modesty so perhaps it's fitting that Day of the Dead, the 2016 tribute album assembled by Aaron and Bryce Dessner of the National for the Red Hot Organization, sprawls with abandon. At five-and-a-half hours, the 59-track album -- divided into three separate sets, like any good Grateful Dead concert -- is longer than any individual Dead show but it's not necessarily as far-reaching. The Dessners favor very specific traits within the Dead, eschewing folk, boogie, blues, and cowboy songs in favor of ever-expanding experimentalism. Bob Weir may sit in with the National for an album-closing "I Know You Rider" but he's essentially been back-benched: his penchant for good-time rock & roll has been erased and he has a mere seven songwriting credits here, and three of those are band comp