Stream Grateful Dead’s ‘Wake Of The Flood: The Angel’s Share’ Outtake Collection

The 50th anniversary celebration of the Grateful Dead’s 1973 album Wake Of The Flood is underway with the release of Wake Of The Flood: The Angel’s Share, boasting two hours of previously-unreleased recordings from the album sessions, available now via streaming services. The celebratory releases also include the Wake Of The Flood (50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition), which arrives on September 29 via Rhino, followed by a livestream event set for October 15 unveiling another six hours of Wake Of The Flood: The Angel’s Share material.

The Grateful Dead recorded Wake Of The Flood at the Record Plant in Sausalito, California between August 6 – 17, 1973 shortly after the band performed for 600,000 at the legendary Summer Jam in Watkins Glen, New York. The debut record on the band’s Grateful Dead Records was also the first following the passing of founding member Ron “Pigpen” McKernan as well as the first LP with contributions from keyboardist Keith Godchaux and vocalist Donna Jean Godchaux. Drummer Mickey Hart, who departed the band in 1971 (but would rejoin in 1974), is also absent on Flood.

Wake Of The Flood: The Angel’s Share documents the transitional period for the Dead, collecting outtakes, alternate versions and in-studio conversations as the band crafted the album’s seven tracks including “Eyes Of The World,” “Stella Blue,” “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo” as well as the sole Keith Godchaux vocal on his tune “Let Me Sing Your Blues Away.”

Also of note is an early version of bassist Phil Lesh and lyricist Robert Petersen’s outstanding, “Unbroken Chain,” dubbed “Phil’s Song” on the Angels Share. The signature Phil number would later appear on 1974’s From The Mars Hotel. The evolution of guitarist Bob Weir’s ever-changing “Weather Report Suite” is also documented on Wake Of The Flood: The Angel’s Share.

Arriving on September 29th, Wake Of The Flood (50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) continues the celebratory release. The remastered set, available on CD and vinyl, includes the original album along with guitarist Jerry Garcia’s “Eyes Of The World” demo, which was previoulsy unreleased until it arrived to preview the set. Jerry’s previously unreleased sketch of “Here Comes Sunshine” is also available on the deluxe edition. Additionally, the deluxe edition contains a live recording from Northwestern University’s McGaw Memorial Hall on November 1st, 1973 — a stop on a brief tour following Wake Of The Flood’s release to round out the comprehensive celebratory set.

Wake Of The Flood: The Angel’s Share was brought together by engineer Brian Kehew, Rhino Senior Director of A&R Jason Jones and Grateful Dead Legacy Manager and Audio Archivist David Lemieux. For an even more detailed look at the creation of Wake Of The Flood, tune into the YouTube Live Exclusive Event streaming the complete six-plus hours of never-before-heard material from the Wake Of The Flood sessions on October 15, exactly 50 years since the album was released.

Stream Wake Of The Flood: The Angel’s Share below: