The creatively-inspired Grateful Dead tribute, Grateful Shred, have released their debut studio album, Might As Well. The album features a collection of Grateful Dead songs that never found their way onto a studio album, with the band bringing their own modern flavor while paying respects to the legends who wrote these songs.
The record features vocals from acclaimed multi-instrumentalist Mikaela Davis, who has also been touring with the band.
Might as Well has eight tracks, including well-worn classics like “Jack Straw”, “Cassidy”, and “Jack-A-Roe”. Plus deep cuts like “Sweet Baby”, a Donna Godchaux track the Dead only played live a handful of times, “To Lay Me Down”, a beautiful Jerry ballad made famous from the Dead’s Reckoning acoustic album. There’s also “Sitting in Limbo”, a Jimmy Cliff song that the JGB had in frequent rotation, and “Next Time You See Me”, a tune that was dropped from the repertoire after Pigpen died.
The project was spearheaded by bassist/producer Dan Horne, and recorded at Glendale’s UHF Studio.
Overall, this album is a nice listen for fans of the Grateful Dead, their legacy in today’s world, and of course fans of Grateful Shred, who have been crushing it in after first catching public attention with their 2018 live album and a popular cover of “Man Smart, Woman Smarter”. The songs are all well-done and well-selected, and Mikaela’s voice brings a great vibe.
Grateful Shred – Might as Well (2025)
