Next to his solo debut, GARCIA, Jerry Garcia's REFLECTIONS is probably the strongest album the Grateful Dead's leading light made under his own name. It doesn't hurt that he's got the Dead backing him on half the tracks, but a band made up of both pals and studio vets stands up just as impressively on the rest. Aside from the cover tunes (including a transcendent take on Allen Toussaint's "I'll Take a Melody," where Garcia mixes magically with pianist Nicky Hopkins), almost everything here found its way into the Dead's live shows. The heartrending country ballad "It Must Have Been the Roses" and the gentle, gospel-tinged "Comes a Time" remain two of the most affecting songs to ever emerge from the Dead camp. Bonus tracks, including spirited versions of the Elvis Presley chestnut "Mystery Train" and the Hank Williams classic "You Win Again," further illuminate the head Dead man's eclectic roots.

• Genre: Pop
• Format: Vinyl
• Released: 07/28/2017