For several years, The National's Bryce and Aaron Dessner have been collecting musical tributes to the Grateful Dead by a variety of their fave artists, from Sharon Van Etten to the Flaming Lips to Real Estate. Finally, the long-anticipated set, Day of the Dead, will be out May 20.
It's a 59-track, six-hour box set (tracklist below) benefiting the HIV/AIDS organization Red Hot. For now, enjoy these lovely selections just released as a preview! My favorite of the five so far is The National's cover of "Morning Dew," a song penned in 1961 by Bonnie Dobson and later popularized by the Dead.
Day of the Dead (Amazon)
Day of the Dead:
Touch of Grey • The War on Drugs
Sugaree • Phosphorescent, Jenny Lewis & Friends
Candyman • Jim James & Friends
Cassidy • Moses Sumney, Jenny Lewis & Friends
Black Muddy River • Bruce Hornsby & De Yarmond Edison
Loser • Ed Droste, Binki Shapiro & Friends
Peggy-O • The National
Box of Rain • Kurt Vile and the Violators (featuring J Mascis)
Rubin & Cherise • Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy & Friends
To Lay Me Down • Perfume Genius, Sharon Van Etten & Friends
New Speedway Boogie • Courtney Barnett
Friend of the Devil • Mumford and Sons
Uncle John’s Band • Lucius
Me and My Uncle • The Lone Bellow & Friends
Mountains of the Moon • Lee Ranaldo, Lisa Hannigan & Friends
Black Peter • Anohni and yMusic
Garcia Counterpoint • Bryce Dessner
Terrapin Station (Suite) • Daniel Rossen, Christopher Bear & The National (featuring Josh Kaufman, Conrad Doucette, So Percussion & Brooklyn Youth Chorus)
Attics of My Life • Angel Olsen
St. Stephen • Wilco with Bob Weir (live)
If I Had the World to Give • Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy
Standing on the Moon • Phosphorescent & Friends
Cumberland Blues • Charles Bradley and Menahan Street Band
Ship of Fools • The Tallest Man On Earth & Friends
Bird Song • Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy & Friends
Morning Dew • The National
Truckin’ • Marijuana Death Squads
Dark Star • Cass McCombs, Joe Russo & Friends
Nightfall of Diamonds • Nightfall of Diamonds
Transitive Refraction Axis for John Oswald • Tim Hecker
Going Down The Road Feeling Bad • Lucinda Williams & Friends
Playing in the Band • Tunde Adebimpe, Lee Ranaldo & Friends
Stella Blue • Local Natives
Eyes of the World • Tal National
Help On The Way • Béla Fleck
Franklin’s Tower • Orchestra Baobab
Til the Morning Comes • Luluc with Xylouris White
Ripple • The Walkmen
Brokedown Palace • Richard Reed Parry with Caroline Shaw and Little Scream (featuring Garth Hudson)
Here Comes Sunshine • Real Estate
Shakedown Street • Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Brown-Eyed Women • Hiss Golden Messenger
Jack-A-Roe • This Is The Kit
High Time • Daniel Rosen and Christopher Bear
Dire Wolf • The Lone Bellow & Friends
Althea • Winston Marshall, Kodiak Blue and Shura
Clementine Jam • Orchestra Baobab
China Cat Sunflower · I Know You Rider • Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks
Easy Wind • Bill Callahan
Wharf Rat • Ira Kaplan & Friends
Estimated Prophet • The Rileys
Drums · Space • Man Forever / So Percussion / Onieda
Cream Puff War • Fucked Up
Dark Star • The Flaming Lips
What’s Become of the Baby • s t a r g a z e
King Solomon’s Marbles • Vijay Iyer
Rosemary • Mina Tindle & Friends
And We Bid You Goodnight • Sam Amidon
I Know You Rider • The National with Bob Weir (live)
