VINYL REISSUE OF THE DEBUT ALBUM BY THE PIONEERS OF PSYCHEDELIC FOLK BLUES. THIS NEW VERSION BENEFITS FROM A REMASTERED SOUND FROM 2017 TO MARK THE ALBUM'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY. 'The Grateful Dead' is the debut album by The Grateful Dead, released in 1967 on Warner Records. It was recorded in just 3 days and is characterized by a raw sound, still rooted in the rock and blues genres. Only three songs were written by the band; the others were rearranged from songs borrowed from other artists. The record features songs played by the band in concert, and "Viola Lee Blues," at 10 minutes long, successfully conveys the essence of their live performances and their energetic character. The enigmatic writing on the album cover features a phrase ciphered from the Egyptian Book of the Dead: "In the Land of the dark, the ship of the sun is drawn by the grateful dead". The record is reissued on vinyl with a remastered sound from 2017.