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It's been a good, long time since the Grateful Dead's bassist spent a serious chunk of time in the studio, but as this 74-minute tour de force proves, he's still capable of capturing a hefty portion of the so-called X-factor his old band used to radiate. Much of the magic comes from Lesh himself -- he's still one of the most lyrical bass players around, as evidenced by his incandescent turns on "Midnight Train" and "Night of a Thousand Stars." He does allow room, however, for outside support: Erstwhile Dead lyricist Robert Hunter contributed words to 6 of the disc's 11 songs, and new bandmates such as guitarist Warren Haynes a veteran of such bands as the Allman Brothers and Gov't Mule enrich Lesh's musical tapestry. Haynes's fiery leads add an agreeably rough edge to songs like "Rock 'n' Roll Blues" and "Leave Me Out of This" a tune borrowed from second-generation jam-band the Zen Tricksters, whose Rob Barraco plays keyboards here. And just to bring things full circle, Lesh even looks back long enough to revisit a past Dead glory in the form of "Liberty," a striking Garcia/Hunter composition that previously only saw the light of day on the So Many Roads box set. Lesh and Friends seem to have quickly developed an unconscious rapport, exuding the sort of vibe that will have fans following them, well, There and Back Again.The limited-edition version includes a four-track bonus disc featuring one studio track and three live cuts, including a 25-minute "Dark Star."
Editorial Reviews
Barnes & Noble - David Sprague
It's been a good, long time since the Grateful Dead's bassist spent a serious chunk of time in the studio, but as this 74-minute tour de force proves, he's still capable of capturing a hefty portion of the so-called X-factor his old band used to radiate. Much of the magic comes from Lesh himself -- he's still one of the most lyrical bass players around, as evidenced by his incandescent turns on "Midnight Train" and "Night of a Thousand Stars." He does allow room, however, for outside support: Erstwhile Dead lyricist Robert Hunter contributed words to 6 of the disc's 11 songs, and new bandmates such as guitarist Warren Haynes a veteran of such bands as the Allman ...