As a long-time Robert Plant fan, I look forward to each and every Plant release. The former Led Zeppelin front-man has never disappointed me. He has never been one to fear branching out into different genres and trying new things and his collaboration with Alison Krauss on Raising Sand continues that long tradition.
Prior to hearing about this release, I'd never heard of Alison Krauss, so I won't pretend to be an authority. It's my understanding that she is an accomplished bluegrass singer and fiddle player. At first this might sound like an odd pairing for Plant, the power-rocker. However, Plant has always had an fond appreciation for uniquely American music and bluegrass certainly fits that bill.
It doesn't take a long listen to realize that the Plant-Krauss pairing is a brilliant one. Both vocalists work together flawlessly, each bringing out the best of each other. Their voices blend to form an almost eerie, magical sound that transcends genres and makes each track quite beautiful. They take turns sharing leads but their best work comes when they blend their voices.
A third party has a huge influence on this album. T Bone Burnett takes on the role of producer buts it is obvious he had helped choose the tracks and shaped the performances. All tunes except one are covers/re-makes. The lone exception being a Plant/Jimmy Page/Michael Lee/Charlie Joins track entitled "Please Read The Letter".
Each track can stand on its own as a musical delight, but it is as a group the songs really shine. The tracks span genres from blues, gospel, honkey-tonk, blue-grass and R&B with many tracks being somewhat difficult to categorize because they have elements of multiple genres.
Although I'm loving this album more with each listen, I'll admit it isn't for every Plant fan. If you want to hear hard-rocking Robert Plant, this CD isn't for you. However, if you have enjoyed some of Plant's other musical departures (Honey Drippers, Dreamland, Strange Sensation, etc.) then this one is definitely worth a listen.
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