On the cover of the much anticipated collaboration between Robert Plant and Alison Krauss Raising Sand, there's something missing. There's a great black and white photograph of the two standing on a desolate beach, looking at a distant point, smiling in anticipation—as if waiting for the results of this unlikely pairing of one of rock's most notorious front men (Led Zeppelin) and America's bluegrass darling. What's missing is some hint of producer, guitar player, and shaper of this disc—T Bone Burnett.
In listening to the sonically seamless disc, the Burnett influence is apparent. From song choice to the understated guitar playing, this release has been touched not just by the hand of Burnett but by the legendary music of Leadbelly, the catalyst for this unusual pairing. Plant and Krauss first worked together for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's tribute to Leadbelly. They were both influenced by his spry and soulful style seeded with tragedy and loss. This theme seems to be the underlying current for Raising Sand.
The disc starts with a slow groove, the 1955 tune Rich Woman. Burnett's distinct guitar tone is mysterious and haunting and sets the table for our first taste of the twosome's rich harmonies. It takes us by the hand, easing the listener into the marriage between songbird and troubadour and bracing us for the rest of the disc.
Rowland Salley's underground folk gem Killing the Blues is up next, a bittersweet tale of loss bolstered by the pedal steel guitar. It's the most traditional country composition on Sand and it's a heartbreaker.
Track three is the hidden gem. Written by Burnett's wife, Sam Phillips, Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us is an ethereal mix of gypsy/folk. The track is flavored by Krauss on the fiddle, accompanied by banjo, acoustic bass, electric and acoustic guitar, and a variety of interesting percussion. Barely audible backing tracks by Plant add to the haunting tone of this tale.
The ghostliness continues with Tom Waits's Trampled Rose. Slow and whispery, the track features Krauss with solo voice vacillating in otherworldly key changes accompanied by a solemn Dobro, bass, and piano. There's the dirge-like Polly Come Home. Plant's plaintive pining backed by Krauss's whispered tones makes this one another soul stirrer. The Everly Brothers' classic Gone Gone Gone is up next and following so close to Polly that the medium tempo seems like a real barn burner. But I wanted it to rock more. This is one tune where Burnett should have allowed himself a little more spotlight as the guitar licks make this song.
The twang of pedal steel guitar opens Gene Clark's (The Byrds) Through the Morning Through the Night another solemn, slow track infused by sweet Krauss's bluegrass roots with sublime harmonies by Plant. This may be the show piece for their harmonic convergence.
The rest of the disc sways with the theme of love and loss, varying from country to folk to Americana. Fortune Teller is Plant's solo spot, featuring classic Plant storytelling over fuzzy guitar and funky percussive flourishes. It's as funky as Sand gets. The closest thing to rock on the disc is Townes Van Zandt's Nothin'. Electric guitar paired with banjo and fiddle underline Plant's Valium-like vocals. As for Krauss's vocals, they shine brightest on Let Your Loss Be Your Lesson, a fun, medium-tempo piece with almost a Bo Diddley beat. Krauss gets to flex her musical muscle and really sing. This showcases her range much more than hushed tones on the rest of the album.
Raising Sand wraps appropriately with a timeless country standard, Long Journey. It's done in classic Carter Family style, solemn and strict with sparse instrumentation. It's as if there was a moment of divine intervention in the studio. It's a study in harmony and reflects the beauty of the subtlety in this collaboration.
Stacy Towar-Fogarty is an on-air personality and music director for a popular radio station in the heart of the Colorado Rockies.
Feeds