I don't hate on the Dead or their fans so much anymore because if you like it, you like it. It just ain't my thing.
The only positive thing I will offer about the band during this time period (1974) is that thankfully, mercifully, Pigpen had already left this beautiful planet, and was therefore unable to litter anyone's eardrums with his silly, shitty, dumb as a can of rocks, dirtball nonsense .