Robert Plant
Pictures At Eleven

THE REVIEW

The days of the flamboyant Percy are gone. Time has taken its toll on him, both physically and mentally. The dream of immortality was shattered with the tragic and premature death of his lifelong friend, John Bonham. Together they had ridden the wave for more than a decade, transitioning from anonymity in the Midlands to the ovations of the world's most prestigious stages. And those times already seemed distant, when the crowds from all over the world, "The Ocean" as Robert called them, were all at the feet of Led Zeppelin. For years, they had danced on the edge of the abyss, blending the most sulfurous blues with the most electric rock'n'roll. A life spent between adrenaline rushes and excesses. "Walking side by side with death," as Robert sang. Death that had already taken his son Karac, the fearless child. And that now took Bonzo as well. All that remained was to watch the Zeppelin, high in the sky, in flames. The twilight of the Gods. The mythical pact with the Devil was dissolved. That supreme and magical entity had ceased to exist as rapidly as it had been born.

It took a couple of years to quell that desperate sense of guilt, to recover from the disarray and find the strength to start again. From the ashes of the Zeppelin in 1982 was born "Pictures At Eleven," the first solo album of Robert Plant. By his side was Robbie Blunt, a skilled guitarist and childhood friend. The work also saw the drumming collaboration of two titans like Phil Collins and Cozy Powell. Our hero's voice has long ceased to be what it was at the beginning. That high-pitched and visceral singing, that primal moan that made him the greatest rock singer of all time, has now become more reflective. Yet it retains the same personality and expressiveness. The music itself has become cleaner and more refined, a modern and captivating rock, imbued with exotic influences.
Robert sings of liberation and relief. Melancholic poetry that brings to mind the soundscapes of the past, but steers clear of the febrile and incendiary fury of Zeppelin. It transitions from rock gallops such as “Burning Down One Side” and “Mystery Title” to the oriental echoes of “Slow Dancer” and “Pledge Pin.” However, the most inspired tracks prove to be the two splendid ballads, the mystical “Moonlight in Samosa” and the intimate “Like I've Never Been Gone.”

“Pictures At Eleven” is a balanced and genuine work, probably the most significant of Robert's solo career. The album sells well both in England and in the States, and even the critics, often very harsh with Zeppelin’s works, are enthusiastic about it. Together with “Coda,” the posthumous Zeppelin album, it will also be the swan song of the group's label, Swan Song. As if marking the definitive break with the past. The days of the flamboyant Percy are over. A new life begins, far from the spotlight and the frenzy of bygone times. The love for music, however, remains the same. A continuous search for emotions in the manner of the old troubadours. The new through the ancient. In memory of the greatest rock group in history.