Robert Plant,- Carry Fire, None Such Records

This latest album from Robert Plant had me worried, and that’s probably why I procrastinated so much on reviewing it. I was afraid that I would be sadly disappointed, as is often the case when a super-star rock legend puts out a new album . I’m happy to report that I was not disappointed . In every song (except maybe #6) his voice is as strong and pure as it was 40 years ago. And he’s not just repeating the old, either. This album is a synthesis of his life and experiences, while it returns him to his native Wales, the focus is really on new moves and groves with influences from world music. Track #2 shows an evolution of LZ’s legacy, and it was one of my favorites, along with 1,2,3,5,7,9,10,11

1.* Slow/Med - psych rock elements (psych folk)
2.* Med - Led Zeppelin’s legacy lives in a blues singer’s body (anthemic rock)
3.* Slow/Med - Love song
4. Slow/Med - Plant’s voice sounds very different at different points in this song
5.* Med - Unique sound from start- about walls
6. Slow - A quiet love song
7.** Med - Title track- Flamenco influenced guitar. Best song on album- classic RP voice with unique music (Plant calls it desert blues)
8. Med - I didn’t like this at first, but it won me over
9.* Med - Mellow, yet edgy tune. Underlying intensity
10.* Med - Dissonant sound with Chrissie Hynde guest vocals, Ersel Hickey tune, iconic voices!
11.* Slow/Med - Spacey and stoney, like a true Zeppelin. Metaphysical tune


*** this untranslated quote from the back of the album booklet: enwog yth wnair, gair gyrddbwyll armes, telynores twyll" (Welsh for "famous celebrity, word quarrels armies, harpist of fraud") You just gotta love this guy!!