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I know, I know... You're tired of hearing it... I don't usually follow singers, I follow musicians. Alison Krauss being one of the few exceptions to the rule. That being said, I'm a bit of a purest when it comes to her. I don't like listening to her in a duet unless she takes the lead position. Therefore, you shouldn't be surprised to know when I heard about this record coming out, I wasn't happy.
Not one tiny bit.
Don't get me wrong, I don't have anything against Robert Plant. I've enjoyed a lot of his music over the years. I simply feel his style and sound aren't compatible with hers. And frankly, when I'm listening to her, I want to hear her.
Imagine my surprise when I actually heard the record for the first time. The perfect marriage of sounds that not only compliments them both, but blends so perfectly I almost want to hear her like this all the time. These two artists have voices that enhance qualities in each other. There's a depth of soul in this disc that is unreal. You might consider Plant the heavy 70's rock god, but in his heart, the man is a blues singer. His vocal range allowed him to bring a new type of performance to the emerging metal genre, but if you listen to the words of his songs, he's a blues man. Through and through.
One of the first things I did when I bought this record was pull it up on wikipedia. I was curious about the songs and where they came from. I know Krauss usually performs covers although her band mates in Union Station will often contribute songs. Plant, on the other hand, is an adept songwriter. So I wanted to explore where the songs came from. To my surprise, 'Please Read The Letter' is the only track he wrote on the entire disc. The rest is covers. Also interesting is the choice of T-Bone Burnett as producer. He choose the songs for the duo to record and all I can say is, "Wow!". He obviously has an ear for sound. What he helped create here is simple breathtaking.
The first track is 'Rich Woman'. Dating all the way back to 1955, this is one amazing song. With Plant and Krauss singing together the arrangement is radically different from the Li'l Millet And His Creoles original version. The original includes horns throughout and is a rockabilly/rhythm & blues/swing tune while Plant & Krauss' rendition is haunting, floating and otherworldly. It's like looking at the story taking place through a cloud of smoke and a head full of whiskey. No matter how you see it, you can't help but sway along with the music as it infects you and draws you in. Very powerful.
'Killing The Blues' is a song written and recorded by Chris Isaak band member, Rowland Salley. While his released version has a more defined country flavor, this cover is subdued and maintains the quiet mystical flavor of the first track. The way they sing these songs makes them all sound familiar even when they're songs you've never heard before. 'Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us' is the first track showcasing Krauss by herself. Written by Sam Phillips for this album it's a delicate and strange number. Exactly the kind of tune Krauss shines on. She makes even the most bizarre sound heavenly.
Plant takes the lead on Dillard & Clark's 1969 track, 'Polly Come Home'. Once again, the country twang of the original version is toned down in favor of a mellow, ethereal vibe. Having heard the original, the most startling difference is the emphasis on certain words. The Plant/Krauss cover seems to take on a completely different meaning. 'Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)' is the first track that really seems to rock and pick up the pace of the disc. It's got a rockabilly beat and Plant gets to cut loose on this track a little. For her part, Krauss builds his performance up in a way that's almost perfection. Originally recorded in 1964 by the Everly Brothers, this exciting track is a lot of fun. I haven't heard the original, but I will probably look it up online now.
'Through The Morning, Through The Night' is the second Dillard & Clark track on the disc. It's from the same record as 'Polly Come Home'. What makes this version so unusual is the choice of Krauss as the lead vocalist. The original recording is similar in many ways. It leans more towards the sorrowful than the country even though the twang is present in both versions. It's the subject matter that makes the selection somewhat odd. Krauss sings the song in it's original form without changing pronouns. This is obviously a song written for a man to sing. Still, she doesn't pull her punches and it's darn close to the best track on the disc. Very satisfying.
'Please Read The Letter' is the Plant written number and it's absolutely tragic and wonderful at the same time. As the kinda guy who expresses himself in writing, many's the time I wrote a lover a letter to express my feelings, my hopes and fears. The build in this song is magical and it's one of my favorite tracks on the disc. It's sheer and unadulterated beauty. 'Trampled Rose' is a Tom Waits track and I have to admit, I'm not a fan of his voice, but I think he's a talented songwriter. On his album, this track sounds like an empty liquor bottle rolling out of a dingy hotel room into a hot, dry street gutter in the middle of the day. With Krauss on lead vocals, the song becomes something else entirely. It becomes a sense of longing, forgetting and pain. This track is evocative.
'Fortune Teller' is a track from 1962 by Benny Spellman. I listened to it on Youtube and it's a band with a strong Louisiana sound. Plant's version is more traditional rock n' roll. I actually like both versions of this track! They both have qualities that makes them interesting. 'Stick With Me Baby' is the second Everly Brothers track on the disc. The original is an upbeat rock number. On this version, Krauss and Plant sing together and harmonize on a more delicate and soft version of the tune. It actually makes the song sound more sincere and authentic. There's a tenderness delivered here you just can't escape. It's beautiful.
'Nothin'' was originally recorded by Townes Van Zandt. It appears on his 1971 album "Delta Momma Blues". He performs it as an acoustic number and it's creepy. Plant and Krauss perform is as some sorta weird rock opera. The guitars are sliding and electric. Krauss plays the violin. And Plant... Well, he half sings, half confidingly whispers the lyrics. If there were songs written about country suicides, this would be the framework. 'Let Your Loss Be Your Lesson' is a track from Little Milton back in 1975. It's a fun track and with Krauss on lead vocals, it's quite dynamic. The horns are replaced with guitars. I love both versions of this song. What an amazing track. Masterful.
'Your Long Journey' is a 1963 track by Doc Watson. It's a true bluegrass classic and Krauss/Plant treat it with the respect it deserves. I haven't heard the original version, but I'm guessing Krauss does what she usually does with these old forgotten tunes. She makes them sound more round and full rather than sparse and thin.
No matter what kind of music you like, if your heart has found comfort in the sweet soul of blues or other forms of American traditional music, you will find something on this record to touch your heart. It is the work of musicians who are truly masters of the craft and talented beyond belief. It reaches new heights. My final words: EVERYONE SHOULD OWN THIS AMAZING RECORD. UTTER PERFECTION.
ROBERT PLANT / ALISON KRAUSS - RAISING SAND
01. Rich Woman
02. Killing The Blues
03. Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us
04. Polly Come Home
05. Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)
06. Through The Morning, Through The Night
07. Please Read The Letter
08. Trampled Rose
09. Fortune Teller
10. Stick With Me Baby
11. Nothin'
12. Let Your Loss Be Your Lesson
13. Your Long Journey
It's hard to believe anyone born prior to 1970 not knowing who Robert Plant is, but for those who don't... He's the lead singer of Led Zeppelin. And you don't have to go too far to find out who Alison Krauss is... Just do a search on this blog and read some of my other reviews of her work. I love her!
When I first heard she'd done some recording with Robert Plant I was a little annoyed. I tend to be a purest when it comes to vocalists I like; (which in and of itself is a rare thing). I don't like to listen to them singing with other people. It drowns out the sound I want to hear. I was reluctant to listen to this music but eventually I did and I fell in love with it. Amazing!
I think I'm more in love with the promotional material surrounding this release than I am the official. This is a two track promotional CD of the 'Rich Woman' single and it comes in a generic cardboard package. The cardboard actually looks like it's made from recycled paper. The actual cover is a sticker that's been placed across the front and back. It creates a back, side and front label for the disc. I think the idea is unique and interesting. I like it quite a bit and if I can, I'm going to pick up as much of this as I can. I'd like to have a complete album and single collection of this record in this interesting packaging.
As for the disc itself, it features two versions of 'Rich Woman'. One is an edit of the album version. Krauss and Plant sing the tune as a duet and it's fantastic! Brilliant number and performed to perfection. My final words: A UNIQUE AND INTERESTING RELEASE!!!
ROBERT PLANT / ALISON KRAUSS - RICH WOMAN
01. Rich Woman (Radio Edit)
02. Rich Woman (Album Version)
This album marks my first exposure to Alison Krauss and her music. One of my sisters had this disc and it was always in one of the bathrooms at my parents' house. I'd see it all the time and one day, I just decided to listen to it. I put it in and when I heard the first tune, I was completely hooked. Her angelic voice, delicate delivery and sentiment just swept me up. Maybe I was in love at the time or infatuated or whatever, but that song made perfect sense to me. The other songs on the cd don't affect me as dramatically as the first one. 'Baby, Now That I've Found You' came along at just the right time.
I got a copy of this disc and over time I picked out other songs that became favorites. I'm drawn to different tunes as I mature. I've found myself singing along loudly to 'Oh, Atlanta' from time to time; and although I hated it when I heard Keith Whitley sing it, I love Alison's version of 'When You Say Nothing At All'.
She is a rare performer for someone like me. I almost never follow bands or artists based on singing ability or the sound of their voice. I certainly enjoy unique sounding vocalists, but I'm rarely prompted to buy something just because someone is singing it. I'm more into song writers, musicians and stuff like that. Yet, here I am listening to Alison for all the reasons I normally avoid singers.
I'm not partial to her earlier material. She was slack-jowled yokel yodeling when she first started out. But over time, she pulled a Sade and her singing style found footing. She's moved away from shrill vocalizing and made her home in the warmth, comfort and healing touch of a songbird's song. It's steady, strong, rising and falling, but always delicate and fragile. She has a voice that emotes.
I think this record is a double whammy of sorts. It certainly contains older material that is cringe-worthy. But it simultaneously showcases some of her lovelier numbers. I've grown to love more songs over time, but there are still a couple I manage to avoid every time I put this disc in to play. It doesn't change the fact I love her and her voice. My final words: SPOTTY, BUT WORTH THE PURCHASE.
ALISON KRAUSS - NOW THAT I'VE FOUND YOU A COLLECTION
01. Baby, Now That I've Found You
02. Oh, Atlanta
03. Broadway
04. Every Time You Say Goodbye
05. Tonight I'll Be Lonely Too
06. Teardrops Will Kiss The Morning Dew
07. Sleep On
08. When God Dips His Pen Of Love In My Heart
09. I Will
10. I Don't Believe You've Met My Baby
11. In The Palm Of Your Hand
12. When You Say Nothing At All
Once again, Alison makes the huge mistake of thinking her band is as interesting as she is. Don't get me wrong, I love Union Station. I think they are brilliant musicians and I love the way they sound as a performing unit. All of this stems from the fact that my attraction to Alison is her beautiful voice and the amazing soft arrangements her band creates around her delicate sound. When Dan or one of the other members take over on lead vocals, that appeal vanishes. The music is proficient and I'm sure he's a great vocalist in the world of Bluegrass, but to me those tracks represent one less beautiful piece of music I'm missing out on. I'm also not partial to the down home instrumental tracks. They're just not my style or taste.
I bought this album when it first came out while I was living in Vegas. The first song I heard was 'The Lucky One'. At that point in my life, I really felt that song mirrored my own self image. I considered myself extremely fortunate and almost supernaturally lucky. I was fairly carefree and easy going. I wasn't much for deep love or anything like that. I'd kinda given up on the idea of love. It didn't bother me a whole lot. Not like it did later on. The first song on the album was a beautiful number that also appealed to me. 'Let Me Touch You For Awhile' echoed my personal views of men around me at the time. I was kinda dating a couple different straight or married men. Not being very discriminating... Yikes. I can't believe myself back then. Anyway...
The rest of the Alison songs are just as wonderful and brilliant. She has such an expressive voice. She draws the emotion right out of the music. 'New Favorite' is also another track I really love and feel a great deal of affection for. Especially after my ex left. This song described my situation to a tee and I always felt sad when I heard it. After the fade out, stick around to hear a blooper of sorts when the band starts a track and screw up. It's only a couple seconds long, but it's an interesting addition to the record.
In so many ways, it's hard for me to give her a bad review. The songs themselves seem almost irrelevant when you get down to why I listen to her. I just love the sound of her voice. At the same time, she always chooses songs I find emotionally full and hard hitting. The combination of Union Station's beautiful arrangements, perfect song selection and Alison's vocals make almost anything she does a winning amalgam of sound. I just wish they'd save the band member vocals and instrumentals for a completely different project. They should put out the Alison Krauss album and then a totally separate Union Station record.
Ultimately, it comes down to the listener to decide. You have to know if it's right for you. I know I will continue to buy her material and I will continue to rip the discs and re-burn them sans Union Station heavy tracks. I always call the folder I rip Alison tracks into "Beautiful". So that will be my final word for today: BEAUTIFUL.
ALISON KRAUSS + UNION STATION - NEW FAVORITE
01. Let Me Touch You For Awhile
02. The Boy Who Wouldn't Hoe Corn
03. The Lucky One
04. Choctaw Hayride
05. Crazy Faith
06. Momma Cried
07. I'm Gone
08. Daylight
09. Bright Sunny South
10. Stars
11. It All Comes Down To You
12. Take Me For Longing
13. New Favorite
Once upon a time there was a Dreamworks animated film called "The Prince Of Egypt". An excellent film and apparently popular enough with Christians to spawn it's own knock-off album full of songs inspired by the film. This country based tribute was found on Amazon used for something like .75 cents and I bought it basically because of the Alison Krauss tune. I wanted it and hadn't been able to find it to download. So I paid the price and got the disc.
Truthfully, I've never listened to this album completely through before I decided to do this project and review my collection. I tend to avoid mainstream country. My personal opinion of that genre is unflattering. I find the music extremely formulaic and unimaginative. Entire songs are written and based around a simple word play. Music arrangements are rarely inventive and exciting. That doesn't mean I don't like an occasional song here and there or that I'm anti-country. I just never hear anything that catches my ear.
This record is no exception. The Krauss track is absolutely incredible. It's a beautiful and heart rendering song. Of course it follows the plot of the film fairly faithfully, it still manages to sound good on its own beyond the basic premise of the movie. There are many songs on this disc I figured would be hugely popular with country audiences. There's country hit after country hit. Too bad I don't care much for country hits.
There are a few notes I'd like to make. I found the Mindy McCready track well written and enjoyable. I have no clue who this woman is, but I liked the vocal arrangement and the song's different sound. I know Faith Hill is a popular singer but her track 'Somewhere Down The Road' makes me wanna stab a fork in my head. I wish this song was "Somewhere Down The Road". I couldn't handle listening to it all the way through. It's a broken record that repeats the title line over and over relentlessly. It was just too much.
I liked Clint Black's 'Slavery, Deliverance And Faith'. It's just un-country enough to catch my attention. Especially the chorus. I can't quite put my finger on the style of performance this is. I know it's classical, but it's a welcome change from the repetitive, unoriginal material floating all over this record. Beth Neilsen Chapman follows Black with her contribution 'Godspeed'. The song continues the boring unending collection of mediocre tunes, but I did find myself liking her voice. She's not low and sultry or high and pretty. She's mid-range, but it's a very relaxed and uncluttered sound I find quite appealing. Too bad the song wasn't better.
I liked Alabama's song, 'The Voice'. To me, it sounds more like a 70's rock song than a country bit. Compared to the rest of the disc, I did enjoy the respite of this number. Overall, I don't like this record. The few points of interest I can find aren't enough to make it worth listening. I won't listen to this beyond my need to occasionally hear the Krauss track. I can live without most of it.
The biggest problem I have with praise or religious music is the limited vocabulary these artists use. They pick phrases and lines from scripture and rarely move beyond those concepts when structuring a lyric. I often find myself bored to tears listening to these numbers. I've always wanted to hear a religious group write music that dealt with real life and expanded themes beyond a scriptural context. The heavy devotion style of most of these songs is just overwhelming and so strong it makes me feel like running away as quickly as possible.
I'm strange in that for me spirituality has always been a private, personal thing. I prefer to commune with God internally not shout it from the rooftops. I know there's a huge popularity for those who feel the need to proclaim their faith and adoration. To me, that's exactly the kind of "Look at me worship! Aren't I the most dedicated and loyal Christian ever?" fake faith I find so distasteful. It almost seems like these artists are spending time competing to demonstrate who's the bigger God-fan. I'll pass. My final words: GENERIC PRAISE WRAPPED UP IN A TRIBUTE RECORD.
THE PRINCE OF EGYPT - NASHVILLE
01. Wynonna - Freedom
02. Randy Travis and Linda Davis - Make It Through
03. Alison Krauss - I Give You To His Heart
04. Steven Curtis Chapman - Heartbeat Of Hope
05. Pam Tillis - Milk And Honey
06. Vince Gill - Once In Awhile
07. Mindy McCready - Walk In Glory
08. Faith Hill - Somewhere Down The Road
09. Reba - Please Be The One
10. Clint Black - Slavery, Deliverance And Faith
11. Beth Nielsen Chapman - Godspeed
12. Alabama - The Voice
13. Gary Chapman - You Are My Light
14. Mac McAnally - The Moving Of The Mountain
15. Jessica Andrews - I Will Be There For You
16. Toby Keith - I Can't Be A Slave
17. Charlie Daniels - Could It Be Me
Alison Krauss is one of those few artists I'm drawn to as a vocalist. She has an angelic quality to her voice I find extremely appealing. Her older material lacks the hushed, softer tone of her more recent stuff. You can tell she found her own style as a singer. She sings with a soft and easy lilt. That peaceful vibrato is endearing. You can't help but be embraced by her vocals. Her band is wonderful when it comes to arranging music. They have a backwoods sound that works well with contemporary standards.
On this album, she's in full force with her established vocal stylings. The opening track is lovely and makes me think of my own life before moving back to Utah. It's about a wandering soul who is out to experience the world. The lyric tells us he/she will only settle down when they stop building roads and all God needs is 'Gravity' to hold them down. 'Restless', the second track, is also pretty, but doesn't have the same hook as the first number.
The third cut is another story altogether. There's a lot to be said for Krauss in that she tries to make her records a group effort. She loves her band and I think she finds them interesting as artists. To this end, she often fills her cds with cuts highlighting one of her band member as lead vocalist or they do instrumental cuts giving the band time to showcase their skills as musicians. The instrumental and non-Alison vocal tracks are usually more standard bluegrass fare. It has a twangy country sound. Although that's fine for what it is, I often feel like it distracts from what I'm actually wanting to hear. I usually skip through those tracks. 'Rain Please Go Away' is one of those numbers. It features one of her band members, Dan Tyminski, on vocals. I don't like his voice at all. In fact, I find the song in general quite irritating. Dan takes over singing lead on 'Pastures Of Plenty' and 'This Sad Song'. 'Pastures Of Plenty' was written by folk legend, Woody Guthrie and 'This Sad Song' is actually an Alison Krauss composition. It's the first song I've seen her take a writing credit on. Later in the disc, another band member, Ron Block takes over lead vocals for his song, 'I Don't Have To Live This Way'.
You get a hoedown with 'Unionhouse Branch'. An instrumental roughhouse with her band members written by Jerry Douglas. The rest of the tunes, even the normally lackluster numbers, become transformed by the sweet sound of Alison's lovely voice. 'My Poor Old Heart' is an exceptional song.
"I don't know that I will ever trust again.
It's a price that I must pay for all my sins.
Time has changed me and left me full of doubt.
And my heart may be lost, never to be found."
It speaks so clearly to anyone who's ever suffered from heartbreak. 'Doesn't Have To Be This Way' is another beautiful song. I love the opening line. It's about loving an inspired soul who is constantly searching; never satisfied. 'If I Didn't Know Any Better' is another amazing track made even more spectacular by her voice.
She has the ability to sing sad songs and express the pain so realistically. You can actually feel the emotional struggle. For song writers who hope to find some expression in their work, Alison is a vocalist who can deliver that drama. She devotes herself to lyrical tragedy more fully than anyone I've ever heard.
This is a great effort. It's dragged down by the band numbers lacking her vocals and the instrumental bluegrass. Alison should really stick to doing what has made her famous... Singing adult contemporary music in her unique laid back style. Regardless of it's origin - country, pop or even R&B - Krauss and company transform every song they though into their distinctive sound and give it royal treatment. My final words: SO CLOSE TO HEAVEN.
ALISON KRAUSS AND UNION STATION - LONELY RUNS BOTH WAYS
01. Gravity
02. Restless
03. Rain Please Go Away
04. Goodbye Is All We Have
05. Unionhouse Branch
06. Wouldn't Be So Bad
07. Pastures Of Plenty
08. Crazy As Me
09. Borderline
10. My Poor Old Heart
11. This Sad Song
12. Doesn't Have To Be This Way
13. I Don't Have To Live This Way
14. If I Didn't Know Any Better
15. A Living Prayer
I know what you're thinking... Why on earth would I have a Kenny Rogers cd in my collection???!!! Right? Well, the answer is sadly quite simple. Believe it or not, Prince wrote a song for Kenny on this disc. Of course to avoid any awkwardness on either side, he used a pseudonym. Regardless, my relentless pursuit of Prince music inspired this purchase.
I realize I'm missing something when it comes to Rogers. I seem to miss out on that something with most vocalists. I just don't understand how people can fanatically follow an artist based solely on their vocal delivery. Of course I have a couple artists I'm interested in who are considered vocalists. One is Alison Krauss. She doesn't write any original material and yet I find the way she and her band arrange the music is quite phenomenal. Songs I wouldn't normally give a second glance receive attention after she performs them. Not so with Kenny.
In all fairness to his fame, I've given the disc an impartial listen. I listened all the way through... more than once. Maybe it's the generic arrangements, but nothing stands out. Even the Prince track is lackluster. Of course the instrumentation is arranged and performed by Rogers' producers and features no input from Prince whatsoever. Still, the song has more momentum and drive for a mid tempo ballad than any other track on the disc. Rogers enlisted the aid of other popular songwriters on this project. Michael Bolton and Burt Bacharach contributed songs. Sadly, none of them really live up the reputations of their authors. 'Anything At All' has potential but in this case, falls rather flat. You can check out the interesting background vocals by El DeBarge on the Prince number, 'You're My Love'.
My final word: YIKES. Aside from the Prince track, there's nothing worth mentioning about this boring record unless you enjoy mediocre 80s filler pop. Rogers himself once sung, "You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away and know when to run."
My advice? Run.
KENNY ROGERS - THEY DON'T MAKE THEM LIKE THEY USED TO
01. This Love We Share
02. If I Could Hold On To Love
03. You're My Love
04. Time For Love
05. They Don't Make Them Like They Used To
06. Life Is Good, Love Is Better
07. Just The Thought Of Losing You
08. Anything At All
09. After All This Time
10. Twenty Years Ago
