I picked up this unique duet album the other day, Raising Sand with Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. The album was produced by the legendary T-Bone Burnett. Any preconceptions I might have had regarding Plant’s ability to perform “roots music” was blown away after my first listen to this CD. Check out this video of “Please Read The Letter” and judge for yourself:
McCain/Palin look-alikes!
God is God…Joan Baez/Steve Earle
http://www.myspace.com/joanbaez
Funnily enough I have had this album for six months or so and can’t say it spends much time in the CD player……….with the exception of “Nothin’ “, which I just love. The rest is ok but even when I intend to put it on I end up playing Kashmir instead. Lol!
Btw, did I mention seeing Plant this summer performing “Battle of Evermore” live? I did? Well, sorry to mention it again, but it was rather special, as you can doubtless imagine.
I have listened to a lot of Alison Krauss as well as the other members of Union Station in many settings. I really wanted to like this when it came out. It’s a very sincere effort, and the T-Bone Burnett production gives it texture, but it has just never grown on me. Maybe it’s because I never drooled over Zep and that effects my opinion. Also, I don’t think the texture works with Plant’s voice. Substitute Tom Waits for Plant, then you might have something…The Angel and The Devil…or some such thing.
Well, I’m with Urban – tho’ I do not yet own this recording (and I will, thanks ug!), I’m a fan of both Plant and Krause and I think the harmonies sound great (but then, Alison can sing with anyone {and I do like the duet with Waits idea})…
I’m especially looking forward to there take on “Killing the Blues” by Chris Smither – another folkie hero of mine.
Note to diary: Sofa and I appear to (whisper it) disagree here. Must be momentary misaligned moons or some such…
Seriourly tho’, I shall be interested to hear your comments when you do have a copy, Great Maroon One. And I am most certainly not saying that I consider it a bad album, and I think P-Rip’s earlier comment about the sincerity of the effort is spot on. I could not put it any better.
Thanks UrbanG. I really enjoyed both videos.
Even if you don’t like this cd, you have to admire Plant for turning down the Zeppelin Reunion for projects like this one.
Who follows their heart instead of their bank accounts these days?
[quote post=”628″]Who follows their heart instead of their bank accounts these days?[/quote]
Someone whose bank account is quite big enough already to allow them to follow their hearts, maybe?
If only we were all in such a position…
AF
it’s a wonderful idea, it’s a shame that the extracts I’ve heard sound like formless goop… I dunno about Waits replacing Plant but it would be lovely to hear him do the arrangements!
[quote comment=”2922″]Someone whose bank account is quite big enough already to allow them to follow their hearts, maybe?
If only we were all in such a position…
AF[/quote]
Yes, sometimes I forget to take off my “rose-tinted” glasses before I make a post. I guess I should thank you, AF.
What ever happened to all the fun the world!?
I have listened to the CD repeatedly and have enjoyed each and every song at different moments and for different reasons. As much of an artistic success that I think Rasing Sand is, I have to say that a subsequent CD of their collaboration would have been extraordinary after a long spring, summer and fall of performing together. Raising Sand in many ways reflects a perspective of artists coming together for the first time and being somewhat tentative with each other. Their subsequent work on the road was exceptional. They learned to play off of each other and their very talented band and came up with an incredible array of performances that was recognized as “once-in-a-lifetime” events rather than concerts. Many of these performances can be found on You Tube. Check out the You Tube clips on Nashville, the last night of their summer tour, or their work at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival this fall. There are many others as well. Raising Sand and the music they generated live across the Unites States and Europe for most of the past year really sets the stage for a remarkable future together.