raising sand

robert plant has been in the news a lot lately
seems he has succumbed to that now common allergy gettheoldbandbacktogetherinitis
i don't know about all that malarkey - in his case how could they match it with led zep of the 70's
i saw jimmy page being interviewed pre-show and oh dear his age it seems has caught up with him
anyway i wasn't one of the 20 million people who went in the ballot for tickets
but i was one of the much smaller number who bought his latest album
recorded in partnership with american bluegrass singer-violinist alison krauss
i'd read a little bit about it but the tickler notes on the cover from mojo magazine did the trick
the musical relationship between krauss and plant is so gentle, attentive, and respectfully intimate
it feels more like a courtship dance - one of the best albums of the year
rich woman
sparse, echoey, drum introduction leads in their harmonising voices
takes about 2 seconds to realise what a beautiful combination it is
and hints at what is likely to follow on the rest of the album
a kind of bluesy, pop, country, jazz, southern mix of styles on this one
mr plant holding back on his trademark vocal power - nice start
killing the blues
a slow number with all the markings of a traditional country tune
significantly the deft use of a pedal steel guitar
ms krauss has a lovely voice that is just there
which seems to have the same effect on her singing partner
end result being a tune i would normally avoid but now very easy on the ear
sister rosetta goes before us
same pace on this one but a banjo taking the place of the pedal steel
ms krauss now clearly out front with her honey-rich voice dominating
there's some very subtle backing vocals cutting in and out presumably being r p
i hear roseta singing in the night - echoes of light that shine like stars after they're gone
tonight she's my guide as i go on alone - with the music up above
polly come home
straight-up 3 piece instrumentation of drums-bass-guitar
an even slower number that just about stops it is so slow
unbelievably beautiful harmonies between the 2 stars
seems a million miles away from what he will be doing on stage with led zep
which goes further to prove that he has well and truely moved on from those days
gone gone gone (done moved on)
the big single from the album - a cover of an everly brothers tune from the 60's
the pace has picked up and we're now in real toe-tapping territory
the liner notes advise that producer t-bone burnett is playing the guitar on this one
i'm quite ambivalent about this tune - probably because it does sound so 60's
mr plant sounding more like the lead singer for a well-known rock band also
through the morning, through the night
phew - bit worn out with that last one so things are slowed again
another real country feel tune with pedal steel crying away in the background
believe me when i tell you i could never kill a man
but to know that another man's holding you tight hurts me little darling
through the morning, through the night
please read the letter
very interesting - written by 4 chaps including robert plant and jimmy page
mr plant takes lead vocals and ms krauss providing lovely backing
builds up slowly, a great catchy chorus, and mr plant sounding very led-zep ish at times
please read the letter i nailed it to your door
it's crazy how it all turned out we needed so much more
trampled rose
that slow laconic beat with the unusual percussion noises
and no wonder - credited to a songwriter known as tom waits
not like any other tune on the album and sounding almost experimental
alison krauss low into the microphone and working some quite high notes
toy piano, pump organ, dobro all used to good effect
fortune teller
another tune from the 60's sounding like it comes from the 60's
quite an up-tempo number with the full band at work backing up r p
he again sounds quite comfortable returning to normal operation
does his bit setting up the tune and gives the band space to have a rock out
alison krauss taking a back seat on this one maybe doing some minor backing vocals
stick with me baby
nice production work means the echoey chiming guitar dominates
rp and ak harmonising beautifully and quietly on vocals
another tune from 1960 but sounding quite contemporary because of the production
one of those tunes that washes over quite gently but then gets lodged in
come on and stick with me baby we'll find a way
nothin'
big noisy slow heavy metal intro points to led zep connections again
this one written by townes van zandt in 1970 so of the same vintage
mr plant has lots of space doing vocals with quite light instrumentation
then steps back between verses for the band to take over in very h m mode
alison krauss credited with fiddle playing which sits in there with the cranking band
let your loss be your lesson
starts out with an introduction like a typical west coast (eagles) tune
then alison krauss steps up to the microphone and belts out an up tempo country lament
at times on this album she has such a sweet gentle voice - here she has a real wail at work
steps back and lets the band rock out and a return to the starting point
the guitar break particularly sounding like something from hotel california
your long journey
album closer and a gentle number featuring banjo and autoharp
our two stars again providing lovely and unlikely vocal harmonies
this one creditied to 'traditional' so presumably a standard bluegrass tune
though the lyrics would indicate a gospel connection
with references a long journey, heaven and the family of god

quite like this album actually as there's plenty of variety in the tunes both musically and vocally
t bone burnett would have to be the third star on this record as the production is exemplary
get the impression robert plant has been taught a musical lesson by his younger musical companion
which only makes me think re-gurgitating led zep tunes must have been quite painful
hope he gets over that little distraction soon