Love Will See You Through - Phil Lesh

Phil Lesh's first solo album, Love Will See You Through, is a double-disc set of live performances culled from a series of Phil Lesh and Friends concerts Lesh gave after successfully completing liver transplant surgery in late 1998. Lesh used these shows to get back to speed, so he surrounded himself with friendly musicians -- including Jorma Kaukonen, Prairie Prince, Zoe Ellis, Steve Kimock, and Pete Sears -- and concentrated on songs the Grateful Dead routinely played in concert, along with some tunes associated with Kaukonen. The songs and the styles are familiar, but that's part of the charm -- listening to this music is like reuniting with old friends, fully aware of their conversational rhythms and quirks. If you're not in the mood, it can be a little irritating, but in the right frame of mind, it's a breezy, enjoyable experience to hear the old tunes played in the classic fashion. Even if it is Lesh's first solo album, Love Will See You Through isn't a major release in the post-Dead canon, but it certainly proves that Lesh has returned to full strength, and Deadheads will no doubt embrace this endearingly low-key music. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide