In 2007, Led Zeppelin frontman, Robert Plant, and bluegrass superstar, Alison Krauss, formed an unlikely duo releasing a collaborated album, Raising Sand. That album went on to win six Grammys, including Album of the Year. To create a follow up that would be held in such high esteem was....overwhelming to say the least. Fourteen (14!) years later, they are out with a follow up, Raise the Roof, our album of the week.
Following many of the same methods as their first release, Raise the Roof is made up of obscure and completely original takes on covers. Doing their own rendition of The Everly Brothers poppy 'The Price of Love' turns into a creepy sounding song about the reality and sometimes heaviness of actual love. One of the strongest songs on the album is a cover from Geeshie Wiley ('Last Kind Words Blues'), a relatively unknown and highly talented Black American blues singer from the 1930s. There is one original song in the bunch, written by Plant and producer T Bone Burnett, 'High and Lonesome'. A few listens in and I'm hoping those two have plans to write an all original album.
So. This all might lead you to ask, does this live up to the hype? Take a listen and find out.
(psst - it's fantastic)
