Graham Reid | | <1 min read
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss: PLease Read the Letter
From what seems a most unlikely pairing -- the former Led Zepp frontman and the "new bluegrass" singer/fiddle player -- comes one of the best albums of the year: an often eerie folk-framed collection in which the duo engage the heart of songs by Townes Van Zandt (the other-world sound of Nothing), Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan (Trampled Rose), the Everly Brothers (Gone Gone Gone), Gene Clark (Polly Come Home and Through the Morning) and some old blues.
Plant's Please Read The Letter (co-written with Jimmy Page and others) is a standout in uniformly excellent material.
This is a world away from Plant's Zepp-yelp or his exotic work with his band Strange Sensation (he is haunting and restrained, delivers some lovely harmony singing) and it is quite stretch for Krauss to dig this deep into this often unnerving territory.
But there are also some up-tempo tracks which kick life into the proceedings and leaven the mood.
Produced by T-Bone Burnette and with the likes of guitarist Marc Ribot in the tight small band, this will command multiple plays for a very, very long time to come.
One of the best of the year, no question.
The song Gone Gone Gone from this album won the Grammy for the best pop collaboration in the awards held February 2008. It was the first time Plant has won a Grammy. His band Led Zepp never made the final cut, surprisingly enough.
Lachie - Feb 18, 2009
SaveYep who wouldve thought - after repeated listenings of the thing it still holds up! Led Zepp and who the , is she! Jadded ole rock n rollers can still be amazed and isnt this what keeps it exciting!
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