Midway through "Raising Sand," Robert Plant starts moanin' and groanin' as if he were reaching the climax of a Led Zeppelin set.
Alison Krauss somehow manages to stifle a laugh.
Plant has long been musically adventurous, but this is a strange pairing. There's the 23-year age difference, for starters, and the genre gap between Krauss' bluegrass and the bluesy rock that made Plant famous.
They sing neither on "Raising Sand." Instead there's rockabilly and '60s-style pop and country and stuff tough to categorize, which contributes to the record's charm. Producer T Bone Burnett's sparse but eclectic arrangements make every note count, and the material is well chosen, with songs from Doc Watson, Tom Waits and Sam Phillips among the highlights.
Aside from a couple of Led Zep-style outbursts, Plant is on his best behavior vocally, and he blends beautifully with Krauss' incomparable soprano. The two singers generate considerable chemistry — enough to leave their audience wanting more. This is not strictly a duet record, alas, with Plant and Krauss each taking solo turns less interesting than the songs they sing together.
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And oddly, several lyrics feature Krauss singing of her love for another woman. With Robert Plant in the room? Very rock 'n' roll, Alison, but it may leave your fans dazed and confused.
CHECK THIS OUT: Slow tunes predominate, but the Everly Brothers' "Gone, Gone, Gone (Done Moved On)" is an uptempo standout, with harmonizing by Plant and Krauss that rivals the songwriters' own singing.
