Raising Sand

You may remember I asked about this album on the blog a little while back. The ever thoughtful Laur bought it for me for my birthday so now I can review it. And my review is: YOWZA THAT IS ONE GREAT ALBUM!! It is a collaboration between Robert Plant, Alison Kraus and T. Bone Burnett. I have been a Robert Plant fan ever since Led Zeppelin took to the air but knew almost nothing about Alison Kraus. (I wasn't even aware until now she did the soundtrack for Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?.) And of course with a name like T. Bone, you know Burnett is going to be good. Strange bedfellows you say? Well, you're not the first to say it Sparky. Almost all the critics say so as well and then go on to give the album some well-deserved praise. The songs are an eclectic mix of bluegrass, 60's pop (Everly Brothers), rock and a generous helping of country and western from various artists, most I have never heard of. It is not everyone's cup of tea, I read a few Amazon reviews that say it is a yawner, with the exception of the Everly Brothers "Gone, Gone, Gone" and Robert Plant, et.al.'s "Please Read the Letter". But for me, those songs were good but the one's I liked the least on the album. For me Alison Kraus is the real star of this album; her voice is simply incredible. The songs she sings are mostly C&W but with a very interesting and somewhat spooky edge to them. I've never been a big C&W fan, with the exception of Lyle Lovett of course, but I would be if the songs were sung the way Kraus sings them. The very best songs on the album are: "Killing the Blues," "Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us," "Through the Morning, Through the Night," "Trampled Rose," all with Kraus singing lead. "Fortune Teller" is fun and "Nothin," seems most like a Led Zeppelin song on Plant's side of the equation. The final song "Your Long Journey" is pure bluegrass and a real heartbreaker. If you're a sucker for slow, sad ballads like I am, you can't go wrong with this album. Thanks Laur!!