Music Review: Raising a Raucous

Courtesy of Rounder Records

By Sam Colt | VOX Staff

In spite of dozens of awesome rap collaborations in the past year, I’m convinced that the best duet album is by a lead singer who’s past works upstage his present and a bluegrass vocalist whose voice has often been described as angelic. I’m refering to former Led Zepplin lead vocalist Robert Plant and folk superstar Alison Krauss.

“Raising Sand,” won’t assault your ears, like much of the music I’ve become accostomed to. The album is a depature from the sensaul assaults showcased on MTV. The diverse instrumental collection on the album warrants its appeal. You may need to listen to it a few times before you’re entirely sure what instruments are used, but the nuances of “Raising Sand” give it the unique, eclectic sound that’s so often missing in the pop music genre.

The Rounder Records album reveals producer T-Bone Burnett’s conservative side. The mellow, soft qualities of “Raising Sand” remind me of another artist previously produced by Burnett, folk singer Gilian Welch.

Both Plant and Krauss hold their own in harmony, though Krauss has a slightly broader vocal range. Most of the tracks feel warm and festive. Some of the tracks even have mystical qualities, especially “Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us,” which touts a celestial melody driven by a spastic banjo and a smooth fiddle. Another excellent cut from the album is “Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On).” This track, which in my opinion is Plant’s best, features a singsong melody, a soft snare drum beat and classic lyrics about heartbreak. The album is definitely one of Alison Krauss’ best.