Is Spring 1990 a good place to start with Grateful Dead?

Yes, Spring 1990 is recommended as a starting point for new Grateful Dead listeners. A sprawling live collection where improvisational jams intertwine with poignant lyrics, embodying the essence of the Grateful Dead's communal spirit. Released in 2012, Spring 1990 is a retrospective album capturing performances from one of the Grateful Dead’s most celebrated tours. At this point, the band had already solidified their legacy as pioneers of live jam music, with decades of influence and a dedicated fanbase. This album serves as a testament to their enduring appeal and artistry during a particularly vibrant period in their history.

Who is Spring 1990 for?

Spring 1990 works well if you're into wave-like pacing with peaks, heartfelt improvisational moments and extended tracks for deep dives.

How many songs are on Spring 1990?

Spring 1990 has 125 tracks, running approximately 929 minutes.

Spring 1990

Grateful Dead · 2012

929 min · 125 tracks · psychedelic rock

A sprawling live collection where improvisational jams intertwine with poignant lyrics, embodying the essence of the Grateful Dead's communal spirit.

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Top tracks — play these first

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Let the Good Times Roll Start here — accessible entry with immediate hook
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Scarlet Begonias — This track exemplifies the band’s ability to blend intricate melodies with rich storytelling, showcasing Jerry Garcia’s emotive guitar work against heartfelt lyrics.
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Bird Song — The lengthy exploration in this version highlights the band's improvisational skills, creating a mesmerizing atmosphere that captures the essence of live performance.
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The Other One — A quintessential Grateful Dead jam that evolves into a dynamic interplay between members, encapsulating their unique collaborative spirit and musical chemistry.
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Touch of Grey — As one of their most recognizable songs, its inclusion underscores the band's crossover appeal while maintaining their signature sound and lyrical depth.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

73 /100

Alpine

Higher than 96% of albums we've rated

The album captures the essence of live Grateful Dead performances with strong improvisation and fluid transitions.

What we noticed

The album features extended improvisational jams that often exceed ten minutes, allowing for organic musical exploration.
Transitions between songs are fluid, with many tracks seamlessly blending into one another without noticeable breaks.
Several tracks incorporate unique arrangements or variations from their studio versions, highlighting the live performance aspect.

Composition 25% of the score: 7/10
Craft 20% of the score: 8/10
Durability 25% of the score: 8/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 9/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 6/10

Influence 6/10

Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

wave-like pacing with peaks
heartfelt improvisational moments
extended tracks for deep dives
group sing-alongs and celebrations
dynamic journey through emotions

Maybe skip if you

prefer short, standalone tracks
seek instant gratification

Where this album fits

In the catalog: Deep Cut — A solid live collection showcasing the band's improvisational style, but not a primary entry point.
Themes: communal spirit· 1990 tour nostalgia· improvisational exploration
Career context: Released in 2012, Spring 1990 is a retrospective album capturing performances from one of the Grateful Dead’s most celebrated tours. At this point, the band had already solidified their legacy as pioneers of live jam music, with decades of influence and a dedicated fanbase. This album serves as a testament to their enduring appeal and artistry during a particularly vibrant period in their history.
Stylistic neighbors: Phish· The Allman Brothers Band· Jefferson Airplane

New to Grateful Dead? Find your way in →

Tracklist

Disc 1

1 Let the Good Times Roll Start here 4:11
2 Touch of Grey 6:28
3 New Minglewood Blues 7:44
4 Peggy‐O 6:34
5 Queen Jane Approximately 6:15
6 Loser 7:22
7 Black‐Throated Wind 6:03
8 Bird Song 14:23
9 Blow Away 12:02

Disc 2

1 Scarlet Begonias 11:21
2 Estimated Prophet 11:04
3 Ship of Fools 7:39
4 Man Smart, Woman Smarter 6:55
5 Jam 5:24
6 Drums 9:37

Disc 3

1 Space 10:42
2 The Other One 6:55
3 Stella Blue 8:49
4 Sugar Magnolia 9:16
5 The Last Time 5:19

Disc 4

1 Hell in a Bucket 6:43
2 Bertha 7:10
3 We Can Run 7:05
4 Jack‐A‐Roe 5:13
5 Picasso Moon 7:41
6 Brown‐Eyed Women 5:59
7 It’s All Over Now 7:25
8 Deal 8:41

Disc 5

1 Box of Rain 5:27
2 Foolish Heart 11:35
3 Playing in the Band 8:32
4 Eyes of the World 14:41
5 Drums 10:26

Disc 6

1 Space 10:52
2 China Doll 6:13
3 Gimme Some Lovin’ 4:31
4 Goin’ Down the Road Feeling Bad 6:55
5 Around and Around 6:36
6 Brokedown Palace 5:48

Disc 7

1 Feel Like a Stranger 8:12
2 West L.A. Fadeaway 7:41
3 Easy to Love You 6:14
4 Beat It On Down the Line 3:34
5 It Must Have Been the Roses 6:29
6 The Last Time 5:40
7 Picasso Moon 7:07
8 Don’t Ease Me In 3:30

Disc 8

1 Scarlet Begonias 8:30
2 Fire on the Mountain 11:44
3 Samson and Delilah 6:51
4 Believe It or Not 6:32
5 Truckin’ 11:04
6 Drums 11:36

Disc 9

1 Space 8:14
2 The Other One 6:42
3 Hey Jude 4:53
4 Dear Mr. Fantasy 3:58
5 Hey Jude 4:31
6 Sugar Magnolia 8:45
7 It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue 7:10

Disc 10

1 Hell in a Bucket 6:53
2 Dupree’s Diamond Blues 6:08
3 Just a Little Light 5:15
4 Black‐Throated Wind 6:32
5 Big Railroad Blues 4:40
6 Picasso Moon 7:17
7 Row Jimmy 10:53
8 Blow Away 11:31

Disc 11

1 Built to Last 5:29
2 Victim or the Crime 9:56
3 China Cat Sunflower 5:45
4 I Know You Rider 5:24
5 Man Smart, Woman Smarter 6:14
6 Drums 11:21

Disc 12

1 Space 8:29
2 I Need a Miracle 4:03
3 Dear Mr. Fantasy 5:20
4 Gimme Some Lovin’ 4:31
5 Morning Dew 11:57
6 Brokedown Palace 5:37
7 Let the Good Times Roll Start here 4:01
8 Help on the Way 4:05
9 Slipknot! 3:50
10 Franklin’s Tower 8:04
11 Loser 7:30
12 Tennessee Jed 7:53

Disc 13

1 Help on the Way 4:12
2 Slipknot! 5:49
3 Franklin’s Tower 9:39
4 Little Red Rooster 9:13
5 Dire Wolf 3:28
6 It’s All Over Now 7:18
7 Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues 6:12
8 Picasso Moon 7:56
9 Don’t Ease Me In 3:26

Disc 14

1 Iko Iko 7:07
2 Playing in the Band 9:19
3 China Doll 5:41
4 Uncle John’s Band 8:16
5 Terrapin Station 12:51
6 Drums 9:48

Disc 15

1 Space 11:30
2 I Need a Miracle 4:02
3 Gimme Some Lovin’ 4:55
4 Standing on the Moon 8:56
5 Not Fade Away 7:40
6 Attics of My Life 5:12

Disc 16

1 Feel Like a Stranger 8:44
2 Mississippi Half‐Step Uptown Toodeloo 7:02
3 The Weight 6:34
4 Queen Jane Approximately 6:13
5 Easy to Love You 5:37
6 Brown‐Eyed Women 5:46
7 Let It Grow 12:21

Disc 17

1 Foolish Heart 9:20
2 Looks Like Rain 8:26
3 He’s Gone 8:59
4 The Last Time 5:43
5 Drums 10:42

Disc 18

1 Space 9:04
2 The Other One 6:24
3 Death Don’t Have No Mercy 7:37
4 Around and Around 3:41
5 Good Lovin’ 9:12
6 Black Muddy River 6:28

What to play next

Listen next

Europe '72: Wembley Empire Pool, London, England

2011

Continues the live improvisational spirit with fresh performances from a pivotal tour.

Go back to

Europe '72: Beat Club, Bremen, West Germany