Late last month, Rhino announced the upcoming 50th anniversary of Grateful Dead's From the Mars Hotel, arriving on June 21.  Today, the label surprised with a new volume of The Angel's Share, the Dead's digital-only vault series comprising album session recordings.  From the Mars Hotel: The Angel's Share is available now on all digital services, featuring 16 newly-discovered recordings from San Francisco's Coast Recorders from Spring 1974 as the Dead crafted Mars Hotel over a two-month period.  Previous Angel's Share volumes have been dedicated to Workingman's Dead, American Beauty, and Wake of the Flood.

From the Mars Hotel, originally released on June 27, 1974, was the second release on the group's own Grateful Dead Records following the previous year's Wake of the Flood.  This busy period also saw the band introduce their "Wall of Sound" system in concert on March 23, 1974 at the Cow Palace in Daly City, California; though the massive sound system only lasted through October, it represented the band's ongoing experimentation and desire to bring their music even closer to their audience.  Tracks from Mars Hotel such as "Scarlet Begonias," "U.S. Blues," and "Ship of Fools" first appeared in concert setlists prior to the studio sessions, giving Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann, and Keith and Donna Jean Godchaux the chance to "road-test" the new material.  The majority of the songs on Mars Hotel were written by the team of Garcia and Robert Hunter, but Phil Lesh contributed two songs with Robert Petersen ("Unbroken Chain" and "Pride of Cucamonga") while Weir and John Perry Barlow wrote "Money Money."

While the upcoming deluxe 3CD release of From the Mars Hotel includes demos of "China Doll" and "U.S. Blues" precursor "Wave That Flag" in addition to a May 12, 1974 live performance from Reno, The Angel's Share further illuminates the process that went into creating From the Mars Hotel.  All eight of the album's original songs are represented with session takes, alternate mixes, and/or alternate versions.  You can stream or download it now from Amazon.com or your favorite digital provider.  As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Grateful Dead, From The Mars Hotel: The Angel's Share (Grateful Dead/Rhino, 2024) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

1. Scarlet Begonias (Takes 1 & 2)
2. Scarlet Begonias (Alternate Mix)
3. China Doll (Acoustic Mix)
4. Money Money (Alternate Version)
5. Loose Lucy (Alternate Mix)
6. Ship Of Fools (Take 7)
7. Ship Of Fools (Alternate Mix)
8. S. Blues (Takes 1 & 2)
9. S. Blues (Take 4)
10. S. Blues (Take 8)
11. Pride Of Cucamonga (Take 1)
12. Pride Of Cucamonga (Alternate Mix)
13. Unbroken Chain (Take 1)
14. Unbroken Chain (Take 5)
15. Unbroken Chain (Take 6)
16. Unbroken Chain (Alternate Mix)