[www.amazon.com]

song samples of each song and also an 8 minute promo-vid at the above link;
sounds really good to me; sounds GREAT actually...
i saw zep on their first american tour and they did 'hello mary lou goodbye heart' and it STUNNED me...he's back to those roots, and moving forward at the same time...sounds really really good to me.
editorial reviews & descriptions from Amazon below:
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Amazon.com
"Perhaps only the fantasy duo of King Kong and Bambi could be a more bizarre pairing than Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. Yet on Raising Sand, their haunting and brilliant collaboration, the Led Zeppelin screamer and Nashville's most hypnotic song whisperer seem made for each other. This, however, is not the howling Plant of "Whole Lotta Love," but a far more precise and softer singer than even the one who emerged with Dreamland (2002). No matter that Plant seems so subdued as to be on downers, for that's one of the keys to this most improbable meeting of musical galaxies--almost all of it seems slowed down, out of time, otherworldly, and at times downright David Lynch-ian, the product of an altered consciousness. Yet probably the main reason it all works so well is the choice of producer T Bone Burnette, the third star of the album, who culled mostly lesser-known material from some of the great writers of blues, country, folk, gospel, and R&B, including Tom Waits, Townes Van Zandt, Milt Campbell, the Everly Brothers, Sam Phillips, and A.D. and Rosa Lee Watson. At times, Burnette's spare and deliberate soundscape--incisively crafted by guitarists Marc Ribot and Norman Blake, bassist Dennis Crouch, drummer Jay Bellerose, and multi-instrumentalist Mike Seeger, among others--is nearly as dreamy and subterranean as Daniel Lanois's work with Emmylou Harris (Wrecking Ball). Occasionally, Burnette opts for a fairly straightforward production while still reworking the original song (Plant's own "Please Read the Letter," Mel Tillis's "Stick with Me, Baby"). But much of the new flesh on these old bones is oddly unsettling, if not nightmarish. On the opening track of "Rich Woman," the soft-as-clouds vocals strike an optimistic mood, while the instrumental backing--loose snare, ominous bass line, and insinuating electric guitar lines--create a spooky, sinister undertow. Plant and Krauss trade out the solo and harmony vocals, and while they both venture into new waters here (Krauss as a mainstream blues mama, Plant as a gospel singer and honkytonker), she steals the show in Sam Phillips' new "Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us," where a dramatic violin and tremulous banjo strike a foreboding gypsy tone. When Krauss begins this strange, seductive song in a voice so ethereal that angels will take note, you may stop breathing. That, among other reasons, makes Raising Sand an album to die for." --Alanna Nash

Product Description
"The musical collaboration of the decade, Raising Sand is the sound of two iconic figures stepping out of their respective comfort zones and letting their instincts lead them across a brave new sonic landscape. Despite hailing from distinctly different backgrounds, Alison Krauss and Robert Plant share a maverick spirit and willingness to extend the boundaries of their respective genres. This spirit, expertly honed by producer T Bone Burnett, has resulted in an album pitched three steps beyond some cosmic collision of early urban blues, spacious West Texas country, and the untapped potential of the folk-rock revolution. Supported by the unparalleled musicianship of Marc Ribot, Dennis Crouch, Mike Seeger, Jay Bellerose, Norman Blake, Greg Leisz, Patrick Warren, and Riley Baugus, Plant and Krauss -- as both solo and harmony vocalists -- tackle an intriguing selection of songs from such tunesmiths as Tom Waits, Gene Clark, Sam Phillips, Townes Van Zandt, The Everly Broth! ers, and Mel Tillis. Raising Sand finds Robert Plant and Alison Krauss exploring popular music's elemental roots while still sounding effortlessly, breath-takingly contemporary."
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Picked it up the other day; sounds good on first listen. It's quite mellow, but very tasteful and some really great songs. I think it will grow on me with a few more rotations. T-Bone Burnett generally does very nice production work, and his wife Sam Phillips is a great songwriter/performer.

It would be nice to see Keith/Mick do something along these lines. A little more rootsy/organic, with some stylistic suprises. Get back to the music and forget your revenue targets.

Karl

great album !!!

They did a duet on the Today show yesterday

[www.msnbc.msn.com]

I've been meaning to pick this one up, but I end up working lat each night! And then I must watch the Red Sox as well, so I'm SWAMPED!! Perhaps I'll make it home tonight in time to swing by our local cd vendor before the first pitch...

I have heard the Amazon samples and seen the vid. This really looks like a fun listen. Hopefully I'll get it tonight so I can listen on the way in to work tomorrow morning.

well this is what I really call...SOLO...Sir Mick throw your solo work except the Alfie soundtrack in the trash!

.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007-10-30 23:52 by Lukester.

I'm surprised at how much promotion this album gets. It's seemingly everywhere on the net.

From what I've heard so far, I'd say it's a very classy production by T Bone Burnett - one of his best productions actually. Right up there with his own "Criminal Under My Own Hat" and Jimmie Dale Gilmore's "Braver Newer World".

You must be joking!!!

I gave the entire CD a listen. If it wasn't Robert Plant nobody here would care. What a yawn! Maybe 3 good songs that are somewhat interesting, keep in mind, I lived and breathed Zeppelin in the 70's and think the Strange Sensations CD is great. What I am looking forward to is giving Ray Davies "Working Man's Cafe" a second listen. Love his lyrics.

I just got it today and have already managed to listen through it four times - it was great the first time.....and it keeps getting better and better ;-)

GREAT! Love it, just downloaded it from iTunes...this is really a frist class release. Yes, mellow, but a lot of passion and some great singing and music. Love that Tom Waits' long time guitarist Marc Rabot plays on the entire disc. They do a haunting version of Trampled Rose (from Waits disc Real Gone).
Fantastic!!! Plant's recent work really has been outstanding and has gone a long way to wipe out the mediocrity of his early solo work.

...yeah, I got the CD yesterday. It's different, but I love it!!!! and I agree with whitem8, the Waits tune is very good...and sad...just like it was supposed to be.....aside from the upbeat Everly Brother tune (Gone, Gone, Gone), which I like, I also like the haunting gypsy sound of Sister Rosetta (or whatever) that features Alison and it has a weird banjo thing going on....not bluegrass banjo.......and I love the Fortune Teller song which features Plant....these are creeper songs, meaning they grow on you...they are hypnotic...T-Bone is on top of his game with this CD...I recommend it, BUT BEWARE.....it's different

Plant's Sand Storms onto Billboard Chart
Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant's new collaborative effort with bluegrass star Alison Krauss, Raising Sand, moved about 112,000 units to debut at No. 2 on the latest Billboard 200. The folk-influenced album's chart position and weekly sales figure mark career highs for both Plant and Krauss as solo artists. Meanwhile, Neil Young's Chrome Dreams II bows at No. 11 on the tally after selling in the vicinity of 54,000 copies.

Wow! Good for those two!
This is a better debut than ABB...

I'm sorry but Plant is just a hypocrite. He wants to distance himself as far as possible from his LZ days. Yet he has no problem doing the one off gig at the o2 that just fuels reunion speculation. Zeppelin releases yet more compiliation material. They finally agreed to sell their past catalog on i-tunes. All of which will make Robert Plant very wealthy. Yet he is too busy being an artist to consider a Zep reunion. Then turn down all royalties Bob. You f'ing hypocrite.

What can you do, or what should you do, in his shoes? Abandon LZ? Well, he did that for 20 years or so. Can't blame him for wanting to revisit the legendary group that made him famous, also can't blame him for recording a brilliant, creative album with Krauss.

Robert Plant ALREADY IS very wealthy. He's a rock star. He could be doing much, much worse for himself and his fans! I think his new album is incredible, and I also think it's great he's doing the gig with LZ.

sweetcharmedlife Wrote:
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> I'm sorry but Plant is just a hypocrite. He wants
> to distance himself as far as possible from his LZ
> days. Yet he has no problem doing the one off gig
> at the o2 that just fuels reunion speculation.
> Zeppelin releases yet more compiliation material.
> They finally agreed to sell their past catalog on
> i-tunes. All of which will make Robert Plant very
> wealthy. Yet he is too busy being an artist to
> consider a Zep reunion. Then turn down all
> royalties Bob. You f'ing hypocrite.

And the above rant has what to do with the quality - or lack thereof - of his new CD?

Sorry, don't get the point at all. Nor do I understand why RP should give up his roaylties from LZ just because he does not want a full scale reunion?

He - like the Stones - does NOT owe the public anything.

Personally, I think it is great when major artists dare make a departure from their trodden path. They've already got money enough, so there is hardly any risk involved. In fact the risk might be smaller than usual because you cannot as easily compare it to their former work.

If I am not mistaken - and I might be - this is exactly the thing people on this board have been wanting Stones to do - make an album just for the fun of it and sod the expectations (mind you, I still think ABB is a f*cking great album!)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007-11-01 11:09 by mofur.

I really like Alison Krauss but this isn't her best effort ....

Surprised that no-ones mentioned the Stones connection....Fortune Teller.

vox12string Wrote:
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> Surprised that no-ones mentioned the Stones
> connection....Fortune Teller.

What's the connection, please? Have the Stones covered this song?

Re: Fortune Teller

The Stones did it
The Who did it
The Merseybeats did it

just to name 3.

thanks BluzDude, but is three all you can name?

BluzDude Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You must be joking!!!
>
> I gave the entire CD a listen. If it wasn't Robert
> Plant nobody here would care. What a yawn! Maybe 3
> good songs that are somewhat interesting, keep in
> mind, I lived and breathed Zeppelin in the 70's
> and think the Strange Sensations CD is great. What
> I am looking forward to is giving Ray Davies
> "Working Man's Cafe" a second listen. Love his
> lyrics

UTTER UTTER RUBBISH COMMENT.

If you dont like it fine, but dont tell me (or others) why we do. I like Led Zeppelin but not to the extent that i will buy any plant or page solo outing. In fact aside from this album I have one Plant solo album and a Pages unreleased Kenneth Anger soundtrack. I've always liked Krause's voice and love bluegrass in general and visited this album with an open mind and i loved it from the start. Its sorta arrogant to tell others why they do or dont like or care for something. load of bollix really.

I love the stones but have yet to hear a half decent solo outing from jagger. But i wouldnt be conceited to tell some one that the only reason they "care" is because he isa STONE. and why should i keep in mind that you lived and breathed LZ ????? if yo lived and breathed glue it might be releveant

Gee sorry I offended you Nanker, but I made the mistake of not realizing there were Krause fans here. Other than that some of what you said actually supports my comments as you are an occasional fan from what you said in your post

Lukester Wrote:
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> thanks BluzDude, but is three all you can name?

add:
Barry Spellman
the Hollies
Tony Jackson
Hardtimes

you didnt offend me by any means, but you also missed my point. i have one krauss compilation and her stuff om o brother. i was challenging the view point that the onlyb reason anyone here would care about this album is the LZ connection, its rot mate. i checked it out on spec and loved it, it happens you know. and what am i an occasional fan of exactly ? if you mean i judge by what hear and dont listen with a prejudiced ear, than ya i'm an occasional fan.

LISTEN CAREFULLY

I like this album becase i feckin like it, a lot of other i suspect do to. maybe some people check it out because they are familier with krauss,plant but after that the records gotta do its job.

The Hollies also recorded Fortune Teller

Mustn't forget Nick Cash and 999

(doing Fortune Teller, that is)


I'm not a fan of LZ or Plant - don't have any of his solo stuff. And although I like bluegrass, I've never been a big fan of AK's style. But like Nanker I bought this on-spec and really like it. Good songs, good producer, good musicians (Ribot is excellent, Norman Blake likewise), and two talented vets of the music biz = good CD.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007-11-02 00:29 by KSIE.

i like this album very much

Did the Searchers do "Fortune Teller" too? Sounds kinda like one of theirs.

"No Anchovies, Please"

rooster Wrote:
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> i like this album very much


...and it just keeps getting better!!

I've had it for a little over a week - and I've played it massively every day. Everybody, I play it for, likes it too - including my son of 12 ;-)

yeah its getting better everytime!!