Rating: 5/5
Review:
A really good album from Robert Plant
I think this is a really good album. I wasn't all that impressed on first hearing, but I have been playing it a lot and it has grown on me hugely. It is a pleasure to listen to and there is real musical quality here.
Plant these days is much more in Raising Sand mode rather than full-on Zeppelin blazing. He is subtle and controlled (although there is still plenty of power there when needed) and I think this makes him a very fine singer indeed. He brings genuine depth to this material which is pleasingly varied, with elements of blues, Celtic music, rock, Bluegrass, gospel and various African styles all evident. It is quite rhythm-driven with percussion shaping almost every song, but it's varied and very well done so never becomes tedious or samey.
The Sensational Space Shifters are simply brilliant, playing their variety of instruments with real virtuosity. They complement and incorporate Plant's vocals beautifully, helped by impeccable production which to me makes this album shine with beauty, excitement and interest throughout. Rainbow and A Stolen Kiss, for example, are simply lovely in their own ways while Up On the Hollow Hill is modal, rhythmic and hypnotically involving. I don't think there's a duff track on the album and some are quite wonderful.
This is a work of depth and maturity with fine songs, musicianship and production which I think has the quality to last for many years. Warmly recommended.
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