Album of the Day

The Grateful Dead had been making music for more than 20 years before their 12th studio set, IN THE DARK, finally put them in the Top 10. The material on the 1987 collection is outstanding, with many of the originals having been workshopped by the group in concert for years; among the highlights are “Hell in a Bucket,” “Throwing Stones” and “Touch of Grey,” the band's sole Top 40 single. The album's title reflects its recording at Marin Veterans Memorial Auditorium, where the house lights were turned down as though an audience was present. “Everybody played their parts in real time, together,” recalled drummer Bill Kreutzmann. “When we took breaks, we'd go into the wings by the stage door and sit there and talk about what we'd just done … the analysis served the songs and the camaraderie served the band.” IN THE DARK captured lightning in a bottle and became a double-platinum hit.