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Rating: The old Robert is back and he's even rejuvenated. Yes, because after the last excellent work mainly composed of covers, "Dreamland", the eternal flower child returns with an inspired album: a concentrate of blues, folk, ethnic tones, touches of electronics, and classy rock explosions like in the good old days with Led Zeppelin.
Accompanied by the younger Strange Sensation, who have been working with him for a few years now, Plant reduces vocal virtuosity in favor of an appealing and heterogeneous sound, which turns out to be a more than appropriate choice, perhaps marking the peak of his solo career, which has never been exceptional, apart from the last two small gems, "Fate of Nations" and "Dreamland". And for this album, our Robert decided to work with the independent label Sanctuary (which also produces another old rock figure, Morrisey), indicating that, despite being filthy rich, his mindset hasn't changed and, like in the old days, he prefers the quality of music over the quantity of copies sold.
The album kicks off with "Another Tribe" imbued with an Arabian flavor and oriental echoes, continues with "Shine It All Around" with its powerful and somewhat cunning riff. The rhythmic "Freedom Fries" seems to have the touch of Jimmy Page. "Tin Pan Valley" boasts an electronic attack that would make Massive Attack envious before exploding into powerful rock with Plant reaching high levels, while "The Enchanter" does practically the opposite, starting as a great blues that eases into electronic rhythms with a vaguely African flavor toward the end. "All The King's Horses" and "Dancing In Heaven" are two beautiful acoustic ballads with a Zeppelin-like feel, the title track is an energetic blues with great arrangements and superb choirs. "Takamba" and "Let The Four Winds Blow" are two respectable blues tracks, but the best comes with "Somebody Knocking" that starts as an acoustic blues before reaching the melody where Robert showcases all his skill and his voice is warmly perfect. The finale "Brother Ray" is a minute-long tribute to Ray Charles where the piano and percussion take center stage while Plant lets himself go with incomprehensible but enchantingly beautiful warbles and cries.
Robert Plant's new album is probably the best of the albums made by a member of the dirigible since "The Song Remains The Same" (yes, because the subsequent "In Through The Out Door" and "Coda" are definitely not up to the levels of the previous albums) and for this reason, not to be missed to relive the '70s in some way.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Another Tribe (03:16)
Another tribe... another brother
Torn between his lover and the gun
Another god... another mother
Weeps to justify the damage done
I wonder through the lies and dirt
I wonder, will the meek inherit all the earth?
As truth collides with propaganda
Just another victim on the run
The world outside, all fluff and candour
Seeks to justify the damage done
No wonder, so much pain and hurt
I wonder, will the meek inherit all the earth?
I think there may be..a war in heaven
Paradise beneath the smoking gun
As every saint and small town saviour
Race to justify their chosen one
I wonder, as our world collides
I want to reach out there
Across the great divide
05 All the King's Horses (04:19)
Swift and true straight to my heart,
Love has come calling and I'm back there again
I pour myself a brand new start
Glad to be falling for the beauty within.
All the King's horses, all the King's men
I'm on the outside looking in
Over and over and over again
There's no telling where I've been
How I returned here, how much I have seen
All the King's horses, all the King's men
I'll weave a circle round the sun
Throw down my arms and give my all
I'll be your soldier of love
I'll weave a circle round the sun
Throw down my arms and give my all
I'll be your soldier of love
I am your soldier of love
07 Takamba (04:05)
Sing a song of freedom write it in the sky
Pocket full of secrets, a belly full of lies
Fiction to believe in, created then denied
Tricks and mirror
Sleight of hand
Hoola hoola
Promised land
Rhyme and reason
Smoke and fire
Hoola hoola
Truth and lies
Hail the gift of memory in this fifty-second state
Who sold me down the river and shafts me while he waits
Outside the gates of Eden, star spangled and so late
Tricks and mirror
Sleight of hand
Hoola hoola
Promised land
Rhyme and reason
Smoke and fire
Hoola hoola
Truth and lies
09 Somebody Knocking (03:46)
Big star
She rising, she warning
Mamma it ain't long before the day
Red rooster
He crowing, he wanting
Blue moon on the wane
Ol black snake
He crawling, slip sliding
Crawling cross my floor
Old mule come
He jumping, he kick
Kicking in my stall
Casting your spell, talking all out of your head
I hear it, round midnight
I hear it, somebody knocking on my door
I hear it, round midnight
Somebody knocking on my door
Casting your spell, talking all out of your head
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