I recently read the December issue of The 21st Century. And liking music, I opened up to the music reviews. I read the reviews on Nirvana, Madonna, Warren B, R.E.M., and others. Much to my dismay there was nothing from the past. I decided to try and change that.

The Grateful Dead played at the first Woodstock, and have been popular since. They have a whole lot of albums by producers, and many, many "bootlegs" from concerts. Although these natives of California may look like your grandparents, their music sounds like it did when they started.

One of their best albums, "American Beauty," features a variety of beats and lyrics. It is a combination of some of their greatest hits: "Friends of the Devil," "Sugar Magnolia," "Truckin" and "Box of Rain." Throughout "American Beauty" you are not let down. It is one of the few that has been a smash hit and doesn't have any filler songs. It is The Dead at their best.

The whole tape is impressive and it would be a shame if you missed out on it. The only other band I could compare with The Dead is Phish.

Although you may already have prejudged The Grateful Dead's music and lyrics, they are quite different from what you may expect. They sing about their concerts, love, girlfriends, friends, and their lives.

So the next time you're in the music store and are looking for a great tape, give "American Beauty" a try. It is relaxing and great music, and who knows, your parents may have listened to them!! .