That’s It For The Other One originally appeared on the Anthem of the Sun record. The suite, which was basically The Other One bookended by Cryptical Envelopment with a section of drums thrown in for good measure, got a good deal of play between 1968 and 1971. This version was one of the last Crypticals until the band attempted to revive it in 1985, although it seems those latter day CEs were inconsistent and garnered mixed results.
Regardless of latter day sins, if you want to call them that, this is a kick ass version of the whole Other One suite. Keep in mind, too, that this was Keith’s 3rd show with the band. Ok, now go ahead and listen. The sound of minds blowing across the country will be a good indicator of who’s given this one a spin.
As always, comments, etc. are welcome in the comments!
Thud. Crash. Bang. Followed by a flurry of drums and we’re entering The Other One territory. Percussion is the name of the game until about the 7:30 mark when Phil decides to drop a major bomb and the band launches full bore into The Other One. Phil is just going nuts. The new guy isn’t so reserved anymore either. He’s right in-step with Jerry and Phil. Really, it’s the latter who seems to be driving the ship, however. Jerry sounds like he’s really trying to take the wheel and as things devolve a bit you can really hear Jerry, Phil, and Keith distinctly. Billy is really sitting back, and where’s Weir? They start to build back up, and oh! there’s Bobby. This is a fierce, pedal to the metal version.
Everyone locks into the verse groove and Bobby lays down the first verse. Phew! What a workout thus far. Keith comes around and adds some nice runs right after the “Comin’ Around” section, almost like it was an invitation. That acoustic piano provides an interesting sonic counterweight to Phil’s fat, overdriven bass sound. At about the halfway point of this version (c. 14 minutes) things calm down a bit and the guys start to stretch out. Things take on a more free-form element and the hard and fast groove gives way to ethereal jamming. This continues for several minutes, around the 19 minute mark I thought I heard a very brief line from Jerry that could have come from Dark Star, but this is a fleeting moment. Keith continues to impress throughout and listening to this makes me all the more disappointed he’s virtually non-existent on the 10/31/71 Dark Star. During the 20th minute they start to get a little less dissonant and it sounds like they’re trying, albeit slowly, to get back to a consistent groove only to dissolve back into the ether for a few more minutes.
A Phil bomb at the 23 minute mark is the call to order that finally gets everyone back on the main Other One groove. It doesn’t take long to get back on track, both Jerry and Bob throw down some fierce guitar, and Phil plays like a man possessed throughout this entire song. Comin’ around!
A gentle transition back into Cryptical allows Jerry to voice a couple of lines before they jam a bit on the new theme available to them. Definitely more laid back than the barrage that follow drums about 20 minutes earlier. The “you know he had to die” melody is played on repeat toward the end and it slowly, but surely morphs into the intro to Deal. Now that’s pretty cool.
Yes, Lunchbox, very cool. I think this gets overlooked by the Dark Star>Top of the World>Dark Star from the previous night, at least that’s how it seems based on comments I’ve read on dead.net, but this O1 really knocked me off my feet and is the main reason this DaP exceeded my expectations. I mean, I figured I’d like this volume, but wow, I’d have been thrilled even without the third disc.
Time for a big jam, eh? Jerry counts it off softly before leading the creepy intro. Later this year, the band would drop the “Cryptical” bookends for many years. I always liked the full suite best.
After a note-perfect introduction, we of course drop into a nice, single-drummer solo. Billy could certainly sound like two drummers and he does here, keeping time on all limbs at once. Given the stereo spread of the drum mics, he is especially all over the soundscape. His big moment lasts a few minutes as he punishes all available percussion devices and demonstrates startling abilities to play rudiments and counter-rhythms all at the same time. For folks who have never sat behind a drum kit, this might not be that astonishing. Anyone who has tried to play drums will probably be rightly impressed. The crowd lets fly a few barks as the best parts are played. Bill slows it down and re-structures the groove, allowing the band to burst as one into the main body of the song.
The effect is extra-large as Phil and Jerry compete for noisiest band member. But do not miss Keith back there adding intensity with skill that I find surprising, given his newness to this madness. Via some divine providence, the Dead had really found their piano player. The jam cools after around 10:00 and Bob slashes some chords that may be in preparation for a verse. No, Phil and Jerry get wound up again and really take it to the sky this time. Wow! You will not want to miss this. We settle in with the theme firmly under us and now a verse emerges. The chorus out of that leads to an introspective jam led by Garcia but driven from the back seat by Godchaux. As this cools, the disparate flavors added by all instruments is really a marvel. Weir seems to want to sit back and listen as the other guitar and piano make pretty. Garcia, wanting to keep up the creep, toggles on a scary pair of notes. This drives the jam into spacier territory and no one balks at that. Phil gets his moon face on and looks for interesting geology. Bob scrapes his strings with a pick, mining for precious metals. Bill makes sure the retro-rockets are fueled. Keith entertains the troops. And Jerry spontaneously writes a soundtrack to our journey across the airless gap between Earth and its rocky satellite. After a bit, Keith is inspired to play maniacal runs down the keyboard that the others must have loved. How audacious and delicious! He shows no fear of the jam, no matter how weird it gets. Jerry seconds that emotion with his own outburst of noise. Phil makes a thumpy racket over on his side of the stage. The jam melts into a brighter mood-inducing segment and Jerry begins hinting at the return. Keith copies him for a moment, then Jer goes where no one can follow. This detour gives Bill time to get back in the saddle and fire up the escape pod. All preparations are made and the groove coalesces slowly into the theme, but not without a long period of testing. In fact, complete breakdown occurs around 22:45 and I wonder for a second if they really want to go back. Phil seals the deal with an insistent statement and all others take the cue. A minute later, Jerry is playing a fantastic variation on the usual guitar melody and this leads to a sublimely tweaked last bit of playing before we reach the lily field, the empty space, the bus stop, Neal, and Never-Ever Land. Coming around indeed! Bobby plays the lead-in to the final, cryptical moment.
The crowd is ecstatic as Jerry sings the punch line. Yes, he had to die after all. It was not a joke. But let’s not cry. Let’s celebrate what we remember and what remains. Garcia is not letting this one go easily. He wants to play, then he wants to hear Keith play. He gets to do both. Taking their ever-loving time, the band very methodically works toward a tight dynamic rise, taking me by complete surprise as their groove constructs the song “Deal”.