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List Price: $18.98
Our Price: $11.99
You Save: $ 6.99 (37%)
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Rounder
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Binding: Audio CD
EAN: 0011661907522
Label: Rounder
Manufacturer: Rounder
Number Of Discs: 1
Publisher: Rounder
Release Date: 2007-10-23
Studio: Rounder
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Editorial Reviews:
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Perhaps only the fantasy duo of King Kong and Bambi could be a more bizarre pairing than Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. Yet on Raising Sand, their haunting and brilliant collaboration, the Led Zeppelin screamer and Nashville's most hypnotic song whisperer seem made for each other. This, however, is not the howling Plant of "Whole Lotta Love," but a far more precise and softer singer than even the one who emerged with Dreamland (2002). No matter that Plant seems so subdued as to be on downers, for that's one of the keys to this most improbable meeting of musical galaxies--almost all of it seems slowed down, out of time, otherworldly, and at times downright David Lynch-ian, the product of an altered consciousness. Yet probably the main reason it all works so well is the choice of producer T Bone Burnette, the third star of the album, who culled mostly lesser-known material from some of the great writers of blues, country, folk, gospel, and R&B, including Tom Waits, Townes Van Zandt, Milt Campbell, the Everly Brothers, Sam Phillips, and A.D. and Rosa Lee Watson. At times, Burnette's spare and deliberate soundscape--incisively crafted by guitarists Marc Ribot and Norman Blake, bassist Dennis Crouch, drummer Jay Bellerose, and multi-instrumentalist Mike Seeger, among others--is nearly as dreamy and subterranean as Daniel Lanois's work with Emmylou Harris (Wrecking Ball). Occasionally, Burnette opts for a fairly straightforward production while still reworking the original song (Plant's own "Please Read the Letter," Mel Tillis's "Stick with Me, Baby"). But much of the new flesh on these old bones is oddly unsettling, if not nightmarish. On the opening track of "Rich Woman," the soft-as-clouds vocals strike an optimistic mood, while the instrumental backing--loose snare, ominous bass line, and insinuating electric guitar lines--create a spooky, sinister undertow. Plant and Krauss trade out the solo and harmony vocals, and while they both venture into new waters here (Krauss as a mainstream blues mama, Plant as a gospel singer and honkytonker), she steals the show in Sam Phillips' new "Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us," where a dramatic violin and tremulous banjo strike a foreboding gypsy tone. When Krauss begins this strange, seductive song in a voice so ethereal that angels will take note, you may stop breathing. That, among other reasons, makes Raising Sand an album to die for. --Alanna Nash
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Rock God meets Folk Goddess
Comment: I admit the idea seemed kind of silly: matching a rock God with a folk Goddess -- each amazing in their own way but, together? I just wasn't sure.
But good God almighty, there's some serious magic at work here.
Haunting, melancholy, harmonious -- hard to describe but there's something divine in the notes. The pairing is odd but works in a way that's really quite amazing. And seeing them live -- whoa!
If you like deep, moody music (or either of these two musical giants on their own) you must give this album a try. Granted, it's not Zep and it's not Union Station bluegrass -- but that's the point. Together they create something different, a mood... a feeling... an emotion. It's grand. Hurray for the odd pairings! First Emmylou Harris and Mark Knopfler and now this... Raising Sand? No... Raising the bar!
Customer Rating:
Summary: observation
Comment: why is there no color at all anywhere on the case or liner notes? It's like viewing the world on a black and white tv set -everything is in various shades of gray. Pretty odd in this day and age to say the least.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Killer CD, Killer Live Concert
Comment: For nearly 40 year I have been a total fan of Robert Plant, particularly from his Led Zeppelin years. So I was already primed to explore the melding of two amazing voices on this groundbreaking CD. With her creamy, angelic voice, Alison has blended perfectly with Robert's powerful rock god delivery in the most brilliant collaboration I have heard. Ever.
I saw them in concert this past Saturday at Lake Tahoe, and along with over 5,000 other roaringly appreciative fans, was stunned and thrilled with the incredible mastery of these artists and their band. The percussionist Jay Bellerose was a non stop locomotive driving the concert. His energy was jaw dropping. Prowling and owning the stage like the king lion that he is, Robert sang his face off as he rocked out the audience with his stunning set, including "Fortune Teller"; guitar shredding "Nothin'" and another whose title escapes me. He even wailed a little bit which made the audience go nuts! Alison, who stands nearly motionless with such quiet poise on stage delivered chills to the breathless audience as she howled on "Trampled Rose". Even the outdoor venue and less than perfect speakers couldn't dampen her triumph. The mastermind of this collaboration T-Bone Burnett blew us away with his killer guitar performances. Backing up Robert on country or his hard rock songs the band proved that there were no absolutely zero limits to their musicianship. You could see they were having a blast.
Their encore set included the LZ song "When the Levee Breaks" and closed the show with a real hit of nostalgia. Hearing sounds of LZ coming from tailgate parties after the show I was real happy to hear "Whole Lotta Love" which is what Robert always inspires in me. I appreciate this CD even more after seeing them in such an primo concert. Alison Krauss is wonderful. Robert Plant RULES.
Customer Rating:
Summary: If anything, the live show will win you over
Comment: The first couple of days after purchasing this I was ready to put it into the "snoozer" category myself. I figured I might dust it off a couple of times a year and give it a spin and that would basically be it. I've collected a lot of albums over the years that I got tired of or that never grew on me, and this would be the latest to grace the top of that stack. At least I gave it a try right? I tried to broaden my musical horizons and came up empty on this one. Maybe someday I'd grow to appreciate it, or perhaps it might be collectable in the future. On to the next album please!
Man am I glad I gave this one a little more time, because it's actually an extremely rewarding album! I'd been listening on the train to and from work and could only pick out a few songs I liked. Then one night before bed I put my headphones on and listened to the entire album from start to finish, lying there in the dark, with undivided attention. What an epiphany! This album is just so fluid, so dynamic in it's themes yet cohesive in concept, it really was as good as everyone had been saying. There's a vibe, a certain "sound" that these compositions share that really surprised me that night, it hadn't grabbed me until I found it staring me right in the face you know? The mood is overwhelming. I'm really glad I gave it a few days of "study".
This is now my favorite release of 2007. There's practically no chance this thing will ever sound stale or dated. It will seem as timeless as most truly great recordings are, and I have no doubt it'll win more and more admirers in the coming years. IF ANYTHING, go see the live performance this summer. I guarantee it will win you over! Definitely among the top ten shows I've ever seen at Red Rocks, and I have a stack of old ticket stubs three inches thick.
Give this album a chance. Sometimes it just takes the right setting to open your eyes (ears). The tunes are now stuck in my head fairly permanently. A darkened room is no longer necessary, it's amazing everywhere.
PS - Please keep touring Robert an Alison!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Big stars, huge disappointment!
Comment: I remember when Led Zeppelin III came out; I was more excited than if it had been my birthday. And when a friend turned me on to Allison Krauss, I felt like I was listening to the voice of an angel and found a new interest in bluegrass. The collaboration of Mark Knopler and Emmy Lou Harris was so good that when I heard of the release of "Raising Sand", I bought it without knowing anything about it other than who the stars were. What a disappointment! Even the songs that try to rock on this album lack spirit. And the quieter ballads just plod along. "Killing the Blues" as done by John Prine hits the right bluesy note; Plant and Krauss just kill this song. One other reviewer said this album is a snore and I completely agree. I feel that the musical production doesn't help this album, but that's only part of it. After listening to this once and suffering through it, I decided to give it another chance - then I gave the CD to a friend, saying I hoped she got more out of it than I did. Apparently, she didn't.
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