Album Review
When this album first came out in 2007, WUMB played 2 or 3 of the cuts from this album pretty regularly. Although I liked the songs very much, I was very intrigued with the idea of Robert Plant and Alison Krauss combining forces to create this beautiful album. I resisted the urge to run out and buy it for fear that I was infatuated with the idea more than the work. Well, after more than a year of listening to selected songs from this album, I finally bought it. Why did I wait so long!
The songs covered on the album compliment some of the very best of each voice. They share the stage throughout putting their egos aside. Although each artist has plenty of opportunities to demonstrate their enormous talents, they do a great job of staying out of each other’s way when appropriate.
If you were thinking about buying this album or certain songs from this album, go for it! If you are a fan of either Robert Plant or Alison Krauss, you won’t be disappointed. Enjoy!
Rich Woman does a great job of setting the tone for the album. The guitar work here compliments their voices nicely. The two voices clearly belong together.
They do a very nice rendition of Rowland Salley’s, Killing the Blues, which has been covered by a variety of artists including Shawn Colvin and Chris Smither. As pretty as this version is, nothing beats Chris Smither’s version on ‘Happier Blue’. Shawn Colvin covered this song on her ‘Cover Girl’ album. After hearing Chris Smither’s version, she said she stopped playing it in concert because she liked his version so much better than her own. However the version here is really good.
Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us sounds like it’s been taken from the latest romantic musical. Very well done, but I cannot listen to it without ‘seeing’ the performance. Krauss on stage alone, dim lighting, singing to the audience with close-ups of very big eyes. Even so, I enjoy this song a lot.
Polly Come Home is a gorgeous song, but don’t listen to this while you are driving late at night … or while you are depressed. Very well done and I like it a lot. But you don’t need the downer if you’re already there. Fortunately, it is followed very closely by Gone Gone Gone. This is one of the songs getting a lot of air-time on WUMB. I love the fast pace of this song compared to the other songs on the album. I find myself playing this song over and over again. I can’t seem to get enough.
Through the Morning, Through the Night shows the very best of Krauss’s voice. The harmonies with Plant are beautiful and not overdone. I’m a sucker for this type of song to begin with. Add the beautiful voice of Krauss and I’m done. Simply beautiful. Just as the previous song demonstrated the very best of Krauss, Please Read the Letter highlights a lot of what I like best about Plant’s voice. And as is the case on the entire album, the harmonies are perfect!
Trampled Rose is kind of spooky with an Appalachian feel to it. The dobro sets the tone for this song, and it helps to keep you on the edge of your seat to see how the story turns out.
Fortune Teller is clearly in Plant’s wheelhouse, but it fits into the album beautifully. Stick with Me Baby hooked from the very first line. It’s hard to believe that this Mel Tillis cover is from 1960! To my ears, this song could have easily been written yesterday.
When I first started listening to Nothin, I felt the opening guitar work was a little too gritty for my tastes. I’m not entirely there yet, but I feel it is right for this song. It just works. The emotion is definitely there. Without knowing the lyrics, you get a very good idea of what this song is all about. It’s growing on me with every listen.
Let Your Loss Be Your Lesson is much closer to the Alison Krauss and Union Station sound than any other song on the album. If you like that stuff, than you will like this song. Maybe they ran out of duet material. Your Long Journey is a nice finish to a very nice album. I love the simplicity of the arrangement, and the clear and harmonious sound of their combined voices.
In summary, if you’ve heard some cuts from the album and liked them, you will definitely like the entire album.
Support live and local music!
When this album first came out in 2007, WUMB played 2 or 3 of the cuts from this album pretty regularly. Although I liked the songs very much, I was very intrigued with the idea of Robert Plant and Alison Krauss combining forces to create this beautiful album. I resisted the urge to run out and buy it for fear that I was infatuated with the idea more than the work. Well, after more than a year of listening to selected songs from this album, I finally bought it. Why did I wait so long!
The songs covered on the album compliment some of the very best of each voice. They share the stage throughout putting their egos aside. Although each artist has plenty of opportunities to demonstrate their enormous talents, they do a great job of staying out of each other’s way when appropriate.
If you were thinking about buying this album or certain songs from this album, go for it! If you are a fan of either Robert Plant or Alison Krauss, you won’t be disappointed. Enjoy!
Rich Woman does a great job of setting the tone for the album. The guitar work here compliments their voices nicely. The two voices clearly belong together.
They do a very nice rendition of Rowland Salley’s, Killing the Blues, which has been covered by a variety of artists including Shawn Colvin and Chris Smither. As pretty as this version is, nothing beats Chris Smither’s version on ‘Happier Blue’. Shawn Colvin covered this song on her ‘Cover Girl’ album. After hearing Chris Smither’s version, she said she stopped playing it in concert because she liked his version so much better than her own. However the version here is really good.
Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us sounds like it’s been taken from the latest romantic musical. Very well done, but I cannot listen to it without ‘seeing’ the performance. Krauss on stage alone, dim lighting, singing to the audience with close-ups of very big eyes. Even so, I enjoy this song a lot.
Polly Come Home is a gorgeous song, but don’t listen to this while you are driving late at night … or while you are depressed. Very well done and I like it a lot. But you don’t need the downer if you’re already there. Fortunately, it is followed very closely by Gone Gone Gone. This is one of the songs getting a lot of air-time on WUMB. I love the fast pace of this song compared to the other songs on the album. I find myself playing this song over and over again. I can’t seem to get enough.
Through the Morning, Through the Night shows the very best of Krauss’s voice. The harmonies with Plant are beautiful and not overdone. I’m a sucker for this type of song to begin with. Add the beautiful voice of Krauss and I’m done. Simply beautiful. Just as the previous song demonstrated the very best of Krauss, Please Read the Letter highlights a lot of what I like best about Plant’s voice. And as is the case on the entire album, the harmonies are perfect!
Trampled Rose is kind of spooky with an Appalachian feel to it. The dobro sets the tone for this song, and it helps to keep you on the edge of your seat to see how the story turns out.
Fortune Teller is clearly in Plant’s wheelhouse, but it fits into the album beautifully. Stick with Me Baby hooked from the very first line. It’s hard to believe that this Mel Tillis cover is from 1960! To my ears, this song could have easily been written yesterday.
When I first started listening to Nothin, I felt the opening guitar work was a little too gritty for my tastes. I’m not entirely there yet, but I feel it is right for this song. It just works. The emotion is definitely there. Without knowing the lyrics, you get a very good idea of what this song is all about. It’s growing on me with every listen.
Let Your Loss Be Your Lesson is much closer to the Alison Krauss and Union Station sound than any other song on the album. If you like that stuff, than you will like this song. Maybe they ran out of duet material. Your Long Journey is a nice finish to a very nice album. I love the simplicity of the arrangement, and the clear and harmonious sound of their combined voices.
In summary, if you’ve heard some cuts from the album and liked them, you will definitely like the entire album.
Support live and local music!
