There are some albums that have a way of taking simple tunes and turning themselves into masterpieces with every listen. American Beauty is an album that grows on you. From the starting track, "Box of Rain", to the ending track, "Truckin'", everything is perfect. All the songs use acoustic guitars, and the focus is not on guitarist and reluctant leader Jerry Garcia, but on the keyboard mastery of former keyboardist Ron "Pigpen" McKernan. Even though Pigpen sings on only two of the songs, "Box of Rain" and "Operator", he was an irreplacable member, and the band was never the same after he passed away. The lead guitar playing that Garcia was known for is not exactly present on this album as his playing skills were not that defined yet. Even so, this is a great album that should take a spot on your iPod or CD collection.