Grateful Dead – In The Dark (LP Vinyl)

In The Dark (1987), pressed on vinyl, marks the Grateful Dead's unexpected return to commercial success after years of cult status—driven primarily by the hit single "Touch of Grey," which became the band's only Top 10 single and introduced the Dead to MTV audiences. Recorded at Marin Veterans' Memorial Auditorium and Club Front studio in San Rafael with producers Gary Lyons and John Cutler, the album captures the Dead with the Brent Mydland-era lineup creating their most radio-friendly material since the early 1970s, balancing accessibility with the musical depth that made them legendary.

The album features songs that would become modern Dead standards: "Touch of Grey" with its life-affirming message ("I will get by, I will survive"), "Hell in a Bucket," "West L.A. Fadeaway," and "Throwing Stones." Mydland's keyboards bring contemporary 1980s production values—synthesizers alongside traditional organ and piano—while Garcia's guitar work remains melodic and singing. The production emphasizes clarity and definition, with the Dead's usual live-in-the-studio looseness tightened up for radio play without losing the band's essential character.

What makes In The Dark significant is how it introduced the Grateful Dead to a generation who'd never experienced their music, leading to arena tours and mainstream acceptance in their late career. The album proved the Dead could create accessible music without compromising their identity. This vinyl pressing preserves the warmth of the original recordings while capturing the polished production that made In The Dark their biggest commercial success.

Single LP vinyl. Released 1987. "Touch of Grey" hit single. Brent Mydland-era lineup. Produced by Gary Lyons and John Cutler.