I was really introduced to the Dead in 1991 while attending JMU. My suite mate Jason (can’t remember last name) from McLean had the Dead Set and Without a Net CDs. The latter having just been released in 89/90 and the one I listened to the most. Needless to say it was a shade different than what I’d be listening too in high school (pop radio, alt-, indie-, classic-rock and rap). The Dead was country/jazz/blues/hippie rock. But I was figuring out who I was and the Dead was right on time. Llater Phish, Widespread Panic and a few others would come to define college.

Back to Wake of the Flood. Of course I’d been exposed to many of the songs from those early CDs. The Dead came back as I hung out with Mike Carpenter (Carp) and we started fishing. Lots of references to it while hanging out. Recently I decided to purchase albums that debuted or were on the hit charts in 1973. Wake of the Flood was the former. There was NO WAY this would hit or go high on the pop charts. It’s high on my list now since it debuted the year I was born, and contains two of my favorites (“Eyes of the World” and “Mississippi Half – Step Uptown Toodeloo”). My favorite versions of both are on the same live compilation—yep; Without A Net.

I’ll probably get an audiophile remastered version of this album. But man I am so happy to have a more than decent mastering/pressing/packaging of this album.