Honesty: we were not and never will be grateful for The Grateful Dead. While we enjoyed some of the songs written by Jerry Garcia/Robert Hunter and Bob Weir, our souls were simply not stirred by the band’s recordings or performances. And the drug-addled, psychedelic/hippie, “Deadhead” culture surrounding the band left/leaves us completely cold (“dead”, if you will). Throughout the band’s tenure, we were grateful for the great musical alternatives available (the anti-Dead punk rockers kept things a bit more real for us). Just sayin’.

Nonetheless, some of our favorite artists (The National, Wilco, War On Drugs, Phosphorescent, Jenny Lewis, Stephen Malkmus, Lucinda Williams, Courtney Barnett–see tracklist at bottom) have been gathered together to perform Dead covers for an immense new Day of the Dead tribute album (released on 20th May via 4AD), which has been curated by The National’s Aaron and Bryce Dessner, with all profits going to the Red Hot Organization. Today five songs from the three-disc set have been released: The National performing Morning Dew, Phosphorescent and Jenny Lewis covering Sugaree, The War On Drugs doing Touch Of Grey, Courtney Barnett’s rendering of New Speedway Boogie, and Bruce Hornsby/DeYarmond Edison swimming into Black Muddy River. Check ’em out below and go pre-order the album HERE.

Day Of The Dead tracklist:

“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 (featuring J Mascis) – “Box of Rain”
09 Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy & 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 (featuring Josh Kaufman, Conrad Doucette, So Percussion and Brooklyn Youth Chorus) – “Terrapin Station (Suite)”
19 Angel Olsen – “Attics of My Life”
20 Wilco with 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”
003 Charles Bradley and Menahan Street Band – “Cumberland Blues”
04 The 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 – “Going Down The Road Feelin’ 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 (featuring Garth Hudson) – “Brokedown Palace”

“Sunshine” (Vol. 3)

01 Real Estate – “Here Comes Sunshine”
02 Unknown Mortal Orchestra – “Shakedown Street”
03 Hiss Golden Messenger – “Brown-Eyed Women”
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 – “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 – “And We Bid You Goodnight”
20 The National with Bob Weir – “I Know You Rider (live)”