Quello che sembra essere il tributo più vasto e interessante di sempre ai Grateful Dead sembra essere all’orizzonte, ed è tutto merito dei National. È stata infatti proprio la band americana a curare la creazione di Day of the Dead, un box set contenente 59 canzoni con una lista di collaboratori da far paura che verrà pubblicato il 20 maggio da 4AD. Quella sopra è la copertina.
Lista di collaboratori, dicevamo: pronti? Via. Wilco, The Flaming Lips, Courtney Barnett, ANOHNI, The War on Drugs, Justin Vernon, Bill Callahan, The Walkmen, Tim Hecker, Kurt Vile, J Mascis, Tunde Adebimpe dei TV on the Radio, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, The Tallest Man On Earth, Real Estate, Perfume Genius e Sharon Van Etten, Fucked Up, Jim James dei My Morning Jacket, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, membri dei Grizzly Bear, Terry Riley e suo figlio Gyan, Stephen Malkmus dei Pavement, Lee Ranaldo dei Sonic Youth, Ira Kaplan dei Yo La Tengo, Cass McCombs, Richard Reed Parry degli Arcade Fire, Garth Hudson dei The Band e molti altri. Oltre, ovviamente, ai National stessi.
Tutti i profitti andranno a Red Hot, un’associazione non-profit per la lotta all’AIDS e all’HIV. Qua sotto trovate la tracklist completa del box set e, in fondo, un video dal vivo dei Dead.
Day of the Dead:
Thunder (Vol. 1):
01 The War on Drugs: “Touch of Grey”
02 Phosphorescent, Jenny Lewis & Friends: “Sugaree”
03 Jim James & Friends: “Candyman”
04 Moses Sumney, Jenny Lewis & Friends: “Cassidy”
05 Bruce Hornsby and DeYarmond Edison: “Black Muddy River”
06 Ed Droste, Binki Shapiro & Friends: “Loser”
07 The National: “Peggy-O”
08 Kurt Vile and the Violators: “Box of Rain” [ft. J Mascis]
09 Bonnie “Prince” Billy and Friends: “Rubin and Cherise”
10 Perfume Genius, Sharon Van Etten & Friends: “To Lay Me Down”
11 Courtney Barnett: “New Speedway Boogie”
12 Mumford & Sons: “Friend of the Devil”
13 Lucius: “Uncle John’s Band”
14 The Lone Bellow & Friends: “Me and My Uncle”
15 Lee Ranaldo, Lisa Hannigan & Friends: “Mountains of the Moon”
16 Anohni and yMusic: “Black Peter”
17 Bryce Dessner: “Garcia Counterpoint”
18 Daniel Rossen, Christopher Bear and the National: “Terrapin Station (Suite)” [ft. Josh Kaufman, Conrad Doucette, So Percussion and Brooklyn Youth Chorus]
19 Angel Olsen: “Attics of My Life”
20 Wilco and Bob Weir: “St. Stephen (Live)”
Lightning (Vol. 2):
01 Bonnie “Prince” Billy: “If I Had the World to Give”
02 Phosphorescent & Friends: “Standing on the Moon”
03 Charles Bradley and Menahan Street Band: “Cumberland Blues”
04 Tallest Man on Earth & Friends: “Ship of Fools”
05 Bonnie “Prince” Billy & Friends: “Bird Song”
06 The National: “Morning Dew”
07 Marijuana Deathsquads: “Truckin'”
08 Cass McCombs, Joe Russo & Friends: “Dark Star”
09 Nightfall of Diamonds: “Nightfall of Diamonds”
10 Tim Hecker: “Transitive Refraction Axis for John Oswald”
11 Lucinda Williams & Friends: “Goin’ Down the Road Feeling Bad”
12 Tunde Adebimpe, Lee Ranaldo & Friends: “Playing in the Band”
13 Local Natives: “Stella Blue”
14 Tal National: “Eyes of the World”
15 Bela Fleck: “Help on the Way”
16 Orchestra Baobab: “Franklin’s Tower”
17 Luluc With Xylouris White: “Till the Morning Comes”
18 The Walkmen: “Ripple”
19 Richard Reed Parry with Caroline Shaw and Little Scream: “Brokedown Palace” [ft. Garth Hudson]
Sunshine (Vol. 3):
01 Real Estate: “Here Comes Sunshine”
02 Unknown Mortal Orchestra: “Shakedown Street”
03 Hiss Golden Messenger: “Brown Eyed Woman”
04 This Is the Kit: “Jack-a-Roe”
05 Daniel Rossen and Christopher Bear: “High Time”
06 The Lone Bellow & Friends: “Dire Wolf”
07 Winston Marshall, Kodiak Blue and Shura: “Althea”
08 Orchestra Baobab: “Clementine Jam”
09 Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks: “China Cat Sunflower – I Know You Rider”
10 Bill Callahan: “Easy Wind”
11 Ira Kaplan & Friends: “Wharf Rat”
12 The Rileys (Terry and Gyan Riley): “Estimated Prophet”
13 Man Forever, So Percussion and Oneida: “Drums – Space”
14 Fucked Up: “Cream Puff War”
15 The Flaming Lips: “Dark Star”
16 s t a r g a z e: “What’s Become of the Baby”
17 Vijay Iyer: “King Solomon’s Marbles”
18 Mina Tindle & Friends: “Rosemary”
19 Sam Amidon & Friends: “And We Bid You Goodnight”
20 The National With Bob Weir: “I Know You Rider (live)”