Blues for Allah

Blues for Allah is the eighth studio album (twelfth album overall) by the Grateful Dead. It was released on September 1, 1975, and was the band's third album released through their own Grateful Dead Records label. The album was recorded between February and May 1975 during an extended hiatus from touring. Recorded at rhythm guitarist and vocalist Bob Weir's home studio, the music on Blues for Allah further showcases the jazz fusion influence shown on the band's previous two records while also having a more experimental sound influenced by Middle Eastern scales and musical styles, which is also reflected in the album's lyrical content. Upon release, Blues for Allah became the band's highest-charting album up to that point, peaking at number 12 in the US during a thirteen-week chart run and becoming their third straight top 20 album. Two singles were released to promote the album—"The Music Never Stopped" and "Franklin's Tower"—with the former cracking the Billboard Hot 100. The album initially received mixed reviews, but has retrospectively been praised for its melding of new styles and increased emphasis on jamming and improvisation in comparison with the band's other studio efforts.