December 17 2007
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss — Raising Sand
posted by Steven Shaw at 2:59 pm
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss Raising Sand
Reverb-drenched guitar, acoustic bass and ghostly drums ring out against a gentle hiss track, in an old mid-western dance band style that would fit right into that rundown hotel in Jim Jarmusch’s Mystery Train. This is typical of T-Bone Burnett’s production throughout Raising Sand, an outstanding album of duets from Robert Plant and Alison Krauss.
Plant — who has announced US tour dates in support of Raising Sand over the rumoured Led Zeppelin tour — sings very softly on most of the tracks, and the harmonies with angelic-sounding bluegrass legend Alison Krauss are a revelation. How could two such compatible singing voices have stayed apart for so long?
The album has a beguiling flow to it, keeping you guessing as to where it wil go next and winning you over at every turn. Don’t go thinking that this is a Robert Plant album with Alison Krauss merely guesting — Krauss takes charge on several tracks, including “Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us” and the sorrowful Gene Clark country ballad “Through The Morning, Through The Night”.
There’s also a tremendous amount of spotlight given over to the soft tones of the pristine, concise band that includes Marc Ribot (formerly of John Lurie’s Lounge Lizards, among many projects), Mike Seeger (half-brother to Pete) and Norman Blake, who has worked over many years with the likes of Johnny Cash, June Carter, Bob Dylan, Steve Earle and Kris Kristofferson.
One of the real highlights on the album — up for ‘Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals’ at the 50th Grammy Awards in 2008 — is an Everly Brothers rocker, called “Gone Gone Gone (Done Me Wrong)” (see clip to original Phil & Don version here). It kicks in, quivering and shimmying around the verse before breaking into a gorgeous close-harmony chorus.
“Fortune Teller” (famously written by Allen Toussaint under the pseudonym Naomi Neville) is rightly smoky, and comes complete with a storming guitar solo. There’s the Townes Van Zandt-penned “Nothin’”, the Tom Waits/Kathleen Brennan song “Trampled Rose” and Gene Clark’s name pops up again with “Polly Come Home”. Break-up song “Please Read The Letter”, where Plant revisits one of his post-Led Zeppelin collaborations with Jimmy Page — sits nicely among all the other cover versions.
A gorgeous selection of songs from start to finish, showing more depth and range to Robert Plant than ever before and ably demonstrating that these two complementary voices should stay together for more than one release. Strongly recommended.
Video: T-Bone Burnett, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss discussing Raising Sand
December 19th, 2007 at 7:37 am
No doubt this album is worthwhile, however I can’t help but feel that the reviewer has been swept along in the hype of this release. As a pop/rock album it holds true, but compared to recent releases by Gillian Welch or other similar genre artists it is found sadly lacking. Plants voice does anything but compliment Krauss. That said, T Bone delivers solid production once again. As I said, worthwhile, but hardly outstanding.
December 19th, 2007 at 7:58 am
I really, genuinely like the album — and didn’t expect to as much as I do. So no, I’m not “swept along in the hype”.
Good points tho — but just by Plant being on it, it’s obviously aimed at the mainstream. It’s never going to be in the sort of genre you describe. So why compare it to a recent release by Gillian Welch?
December 19th, 2007 at 2:43 pm
Have only seen the video for the one song and love it! The chemistry between these two, the interesting blend of musical styles and generations just kind of gels. I am off to buy the whole album now.