Heavy Metal + Blue Grass?!?!

[N80]

My wife got me the new CD, "Raising Sand" by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, yes, you read it right; heavy metal legend Robert Plant (of Led Zeppelin fame) and Blue Grass superstar Alison Krauss!

I was a Led Zep fan in my youth. Never saw them play but have seen Robert Plant in concert twice. I also like 'roots music' such as blues, blue grass and some folk music. (I have grown to despise the latest pop, rock and pop country music that is all the rage now). That's why she thought I might like this CD. She was right.

I suspect many people on this site know and like Alison Krauss' music but may be less familiar with Plant. Just as information he, and Led Zep, are often considered among the founders of hard rock/heavy metal.....and they were. But anyone who knows anything about Plant and Zeppelin know that 1) much, if not most of they're music was not hard and 2) it was heavily based in southern blues music, to the extent that some of their early songs are direct rip-offs of the old original blues men like Willie Dixon. They also dabbled in Welsh folk music. Since the demise of Zeppelin, Plant has had a very successful solo career and has had excusrions into roots type music. All of this is to say that his partner ship with Krauss is not as bizarre as it seems.

The CD is heavily influenced by producer T Bone Burnett who also plays guitar in some of the songs. The album is flavored with a blue grass feel but is very dark, and in places haunting. The overwhelming themes are leaving, infidelity, death and sorrow.....which are prevalent themes in most blue grass, old country and blues music. This is not a party CD:

"Sorrow and solitude
These are the precious things
And the only words worth remembering."

From the song "Nothin'" written by the late Townes Van Zandt

In fact, it should include a warning label: Do not drink alone while listening to this CD!

Regardless, I think it is a fabulous collection of songs. There are a couple that I simply do not like at all, but all the rest are great. Most of the songs are older songs, by varied writers including Mel Tillis, Gene Clark (of the Byrds) and the Everly brothers. There is even one song co-written by Jimmy Page.

If you haven't heard of this CD, give it a listen. You can hear the entire album at the Raising Sand web site. If you have heard the CD, I'd love to hear what you think about it.

Are there any music lovers in tractor land?

[N80]

I forgot to mention, they are playing a music video from the song "Gone, gone, gone" on CMT. I just saw it about 5 minutes ago. It is just awful and looks like it was slapped together in about 10 minutes. I'm surprised that Plant, Krauss and Burnett (who is also in the video) permitted it.

Also, that song, which is being pushed as the primary single from the album, is by far the most upbeat and 'pop' sounding song on the album. If people buy this album based on that song alone, they will be disappointed as it is not characteristic of the rest of the album at all.

The Rolling Stone review of the album was good but at the end, dings the album for not achieving a 'back porch' blue grass sound. Rolling Stone missed the point. It was never intended as such and in fact, was probably meant as an album best enjoyed in the dark, with a bottle in hand.....the emotional dangers notwithstanding.

[dmccarty]

Not sure this is what you had in mind but....

YouTube - Hayseed Dixie - Highway to ****

The bands name is Hayseed Dixie. I first heard them years ago while working on the tractor and listening to the radio which did a story on their first album, A Hillbilly Tribute to AC/DC.

Its AC/DC's hits done to Bluegrass. It works. I bought the album.

Doing some Christmas shopping Amazon popped up some suggestions on how to spend my money and lo and behold they have done a few more "covers."

I googled and found the video on Youtube.

Later,
Dan
PS. Just found out that supposedly two of the guys in the band are the sons of the man who wrote the Dueling Banjo song from Deliverence.

[dmccarty]

They do Zep.....

YouTube - hayseed dixie - black dog



Been listening to their tunes this morning.

I like it.

Later,
Dan

[Robert_in_NY]

Here is a youtube clip about Raising Sand YouTube - Alison Krauss and Robert Plant Duet for Raising Sand

[jdbower]

You may be showing your age by calling the Zep' "heavy metal" Don't feel bad, I was once chastised for saying Ozzy was heavy metal, apparently if they don't scream into the microphone so you can't understand what they're saying it's not real metal.

[N80]

Well, 'heavy metal' was a term in a Steppenwolf song regarding rock and roll music of that era. So technically we geezers are correct. But clearly the term heavy metal has taken on new meaning these days. Zep, Ozzy, etc are relatively tame in comparison. Still, the likes of Metallica, etc etc will never achieve the 'rock god' status of Zep and their kind. Those days are over.

[MossRoad]

Originally Posted by N80

will never achieve the 'rock god' status of Zep and their kind. Those days are over.

Unless you are a 10 year old fan of Hanna Montanna!!!

[Wayne County Hose]

I never considered Led Zep heavy metal. There was very few crunches (palm muting) and power chords. I always thought that the screaming into the mic was thrash metal, a form of heavy metal, but not true heavy metal. Metallica are the rock Gods of heavy metal but not so much since they became everything they sang against. I always considered Black Sabbath the first true popular heavy metal band. Distortion knob maxxed out, power chords, and palm muting. I spent many years in hard rock bands, but that ended when I almost cut my fret hand off on a table saw. 20 years of playing guitar down the drain.

[N80]

Originally Posted by MossRoad

Unless you are a 10 year old fan of Hanna Montanna!!!

I think Robert Plant's female fans saw him in a little different light.

But seriously, has anyone heard the Raising Sand cd? It debuted at number six which is the highest Plant or Krauss have ever debutted as soloists. (Of course Zep had albums debut at number 1).

I find both Krauss and Plant to be virtuousos at their respective crafts but the chemistry between them on this album is truly amazing. Surely T Bone Burnett gets a lot of the credit for that but this album is a real jewel. Good music done well.

And I would agree, that even in their heyday Zep was not a heavy metal band, even by the standards of that day. They were far harder to characterize than that and far less one dimensional the the typical speed metal band who can do one thing moderately well....and nothing else. But still, Zep could do heavy metal and Whole Lotta Love is one of the definitve metal songs of the day (the words were stolen from blues man Willie Dixon). And there is no way other than 'heavy metal' to describe the dark, hard and moody 30 minute live performance of Dazed and Confused. Metallica could only dream.