Confounding Expectations

The best way to describe Robert Plant and Alison Krauss' duet album Raising Sand is eerie. The album, produced by T. Bone Burnett has a spacey, ethereal, rustic quality. Befitting an album that is all about celebrating forgotten Country/Bluegrass/Folk songs. When you first heard about this collaboration it brought a chuckle. Will Krauss Rock? Will Plant go Country? No and No. Plant has no intention of doing a Country album. His love, if you've followed Plant's 90's and beyond career has been Roots music. And another interesting thing is that this is not a duets album. This ain't George and Tammy. In fact, Plant and Krauss go solo on some songs. On others, both singers just complement, but not duet. But when they do sing together, it works. Plant doesn't over sing and Krauss is right in her element. Zep fans will find more to shrug their shoulders about than Krauss fans will. But give both a chance and you'll hear a loving tribute to an era of music that should always be resurrected.