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Label: Rounder
Sound/Style: Experimental, mood-driven country-rock and alternative folk mix
By Steve Morley
It was in the name of musical chemistry that rock legend Robert Plant and bluegrass-bred soprano Alison Krauss began the improbable task of collaborating on a full-length CD. They had worked together with promising results on an installment of Country Music Television’s Crossroads, where unexpected stylistic pairings are the norm. For an established artist, such an experience can blow the carbon out of a system that usually runs on one grade of fuel. Truth is, both Plant and Krauss have ventured beyond the respective genres for which they’re best known, but never as far out on a limb as they’ve gone on their duo debut, Raising Sand. Though the two vocal stylists find considerable compatibility, it often takes a back seat to the experimental spirit that pervades the disc.
Plant is the more seasoned performer of the two, but the former Led Zeppelin shouter is the most out of his element, having no rock acrobatics to hide behind on this collection of subtle, acoustic-based songs. Singing in his lower register, Plant exudes warmth and sensitivity, complementing Krauss’ pristine, bird-like vocals on tender country offerings like “Killing the Blues.”
The album’s focus on sedate moods leaves little room for the two to shoot any sparks, but they manage to cut loose on a lesser-known Everly Brothers track, “Gone Gone Gone.”
An abundance of sad romantic themes leaves Plant and Krauss with little room to speak about matters of the soul and spirit, a long-time topic of interest to Plant and an occasional feature of Krauss’ work with her band Union Station. The subject gets an abstract treatment on “Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us,” an eerie, gypsy-flavored number in which the audible spirit of gospel singer Rosetta Tharpe sustains a lost and brokenhearted woman who is “looking for the lamb that’s hidden in the cross.” (“And at night, she’s my guide as I go on alone/ With the music up above.”)
The Appalachian-rooted “Your Long Journey” taps into the Christian roots of early 20th century American folk music, with Heaven the certain destination for an aging couple facing temporary separation. Sung with beauty and yearning and free of the dark textures employed elsewhere, it emerges as a standout moment. (“And when God calls for you I’m left alone/ But we will meet in heaven above/ Oh, my darling/ My heart breaks as you take your long journey.”)
Fans of either artist’s better-known work may feel that this project is an indulgence, and to a degree they’d be right. At times, T Bone Burnett’s bizarre production goes further afield than necessary to set up the playing field, as he deliberately places them in unfamiliar territory to shake up their customary sensibilities. But there’s a quiet cleverness behind this approach that makes it nearly impossible to judge the record based on one’s knowledge of Krauss and Plant in their typical roles. Accordingly, the listeners who approach without expectations will be best prepared to appreciate the shifting landscape the singers tread on Raising Sand.
Audio Clips
"Rich Woman"
"Killing the Blues"
"Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us"
"Polly Come Home"
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