Released in November 1978, Shakedown Street found the Grateful Dead attempting to modernize their sound with disco and funk influences, hiring Little Feat's Lowell George to produce and recording at Rampart Studios in San Francisco. The result divided fans and critics—some heard it as a sellout, others as the Dead exploring new territory with the same curiosity they'd always brought to their music. Four decades later, Shakedown Street sounds less like a misstep and more like the Dead refusing to be pinned down, even if the execution didn't always match the ambition.

The title track, with its syncopated funk groove and Weir's talk-sung vocals, became a concert staple and gave its name to the marketplace area outside Dead shows where fans sold goods and connected. "Fire on the Mountain" paired perfectly with "Scarlet Begonias" in live performances, creating one of the Dead's most enduring song combinations. "I Need a Miracle" and "All New Minglewood Blues" brought straight-ahead rock energy, while "France" showcased Garcia and Hunter's storytelling at its most poignant. The production—slick by Dead standards—captures the band with unusual clarity.

What makes Shakedown Street interesting is how it captures the Dead at a crossroads: their commercial peak was still nine years away with In the Dark, but they were already experimenting with production choices that would alienate some Heads while attracting new listeners. Songs like "Shakedown Street" and "Fire on the Mountain" became setlist regulars, proving that the best material transcends whatever controversy surrounded the album's release. This LP pressing preserves Lowell George's production vision—clean, funky, and unafraid to let the Dead sound like a band recording in 1978.

Studio album released November 1978. Produced by Lowell George. Recorded at Rampart Studios, San Francisco.