Raising Sand

Seemed like an unlikely pairing when I first heard about this CD, but I like Alison Krause so I gave it a chance. Nice album that improves with repeated listening. Better to mix it with other music though because the chord structure is a little heavy if you just play the CD straight. Alison K's voice is unreal. With that high range, reminds me of a young Baez. Sister Rosetta, Trampled Rose, Gone Gone Gone, and others are really good music. Check it out.

This is one of my favorite CDs. Each song brings up a different emotion. Everyone I have played it for loves it. I play it over and over and enjoy it more each time.

Very interesting, not what I expected, but with a twist. I would reccommend this to all Robert Plant fans who are not afraid of something different but with familiar under'tones' and a fresh face.

I am in love with this CD. Robert Plant is amazing in his transformational singing style. Allison is supperb as always. Together they sing close harmony that makes me love them.
They sound like they have been singing together for years. They are fabulous.
Nancy Grinstead

Great album. I saw Robert Plant and Allison Krauss in concert and I knew I wanted to get this album. It is great, in fact, I also bought one for my brother-in-law.

Just awful! Seems a lot of people have drunk the Amazon "Editorial Review" Kool-Aid and won't admit the emperor has no clothes. But for Krauss' pretty face on the cover, you would think this is a ponderous compendium of dirges broken only sporadically by a New Orleans jazz funeral band (albeit even then sedate) as in Gone, Gone, Gone. Thank God for Phil and Don. What is also unfathomable is that Amazon "critic" Alanna Nash gives huge kudos to T Bone Burnette for song selection, when that is perhaps the worst part of this production. There might have been some songs that could have worked that wouldn't have involved giving Plant Quaaludes to try to narrow the vocalization chasm between him and Krauss, but not Burnette's inferior choices. The other thing Ms. Nash needs to do is to hose down the hyperbole that only adds to the absurdity of her analysis - "...makes Raising Sand an album to die for." Oh please, rather an album to play at a memorial service.

Hopefully this very disappointing effort sends the message that every clever, "daring" combination of artists does not result in a successful collaboration much less good music; this is NOT Knopfler-Harris, not even close. Buy and download a cut or two, although you could easily ignore the whole dull thing, but don't waste your money on the entire CD like I did. What's next, Steven Tyler and Sarah Brightman sing Celia Cruz classics?

I'm not sure who thought Robert Plant and Alison Krauss would make a good duo, but they should be fired. This compilation of music is very puerile, discordant, and repetitive. You can easily tell that songs were written by or for the different artists and those are the best ones. The actual duos come across as very juvenile in style, often simply repetitive and boring. It's sad because separately these are two fine musicians, together they make less than one.

THIS WAS AN "OK" CD. I WAS SUPRISED BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD BE A GREAT CD, BUT I WOULD ONLY RATE IT "OK".

All I can say is I want more- this CD is getting a daily workout while I ride my horses, it is the best purchase that I have made in years.

As lifelong fan of Plant in all his incarnations, it was quite natural for me to buy this album without a second thought. SO at first, I was surprised; not by the gentle adaptations Plant made to his naturally powerful, indeed overwhelming vocal style and presence, but rather by the fact that to make this album, he seems to have abandoned his former self entirely and switched into an alien musical persona.

It's hard to explain this, but all of his previous music has been resonant with deep seated passions that seem to emanate from another, more mythical world, whereas in this album he's simply Robert - poet and singer.

I loved it on first hearing and it keeps growing on me. And what of Alison Krauss? Well, she has a haunting voice, but again, one that expresses this side of mortality rather than the other-worldliness of Sandy Dennie, who teamed up with Zeppelin on 'Battle of Evermore'. She's a fabulous singer, albeit from a genre that has, until now, given me little pleasure. Together, Plant and Krauss have created something special. I salute them both.

I absolutley Love this album, I have listened to it over and over, both at home, and on the commute to work. Plant and Krauss harmonize beautiful together, and each song is so uniquely different and so surprising!
Its wonderful to see the two different types of singers come together and create such a wonderful album! I highly recommend this album to everyone who loves Country with a surprise twist!

Wow.

The names catch your attention--but then you LISTEN, and every track in this unique collaboration has its own voice. If this is what happens when you become a rock god, do a lot of drugs, make a lot of magic and music and grow old... hand me the acid and pass the bowl, man.

Robert Plant's interest in folk traditions and roots music is clear in the first four Led Zeppelin releases--for those who think this is an insane pairing, well, go back and listen again to tracks like "Going to California" and "Stairway." The influence of blues on Zeppelin is there, too... and on this album, Plant and Krauss braid together strands of British-rooted bluegrass and appalachian music, American folk, early rockabilly (Gone, Gone, Gone sounds like Jerry Lewis with the addition of electric guitar)... and the result is a varied and moving collection that defies the boundaries of genre.

I haven't read enough about this album to know why these two ended up together (surely it's written up somewhere), but it is surprisingly an amazing collaboration. Someone gave the CD to me as a gift. I put it on and started cleaning the house, listening with half an ear. And somewhere on the album, I don't remember exactly where, I simply sat down and listened. And I didn't get up again for a while. It's like that. It stills you. It quiets you. It forces you to be aware.

Gone, Gone, Gone is my favorite song on the album, by the way. It's the song you'll play over and over in the car until you've reached your destination. And then, when you get to where you were going, you'll click it back again so that when you get in the car next time, the song will just be starting and you'll be able to enjoy it from start to finish.

Good easy listening. A nice combination of genres. The style is not that different from Krauss' usual work but is a major departure from Plant's Zeppelin days and much of his solo career. I'd highly recommend this for a fan of either artist or people who like blues and bluegrass inspired music.

I loved Alison Krauss and Robert Plant's collaberation. It is terrific. I especially loved the upbeat tempo songs. They have a wonderful sound together.

I had only hear Gone, Gone, Gone before I bought this. None of the other songs are like the one I had heard, but I have really enjoyed this album. It is sometimes fun, sometimes touching and Alison Krause has the voice of an angel.

Very well done, a lot of diversity in the music. One of my wife's favorites.

Many months ago, I ordered the CD "Raising Sand" from Amazon.com. I received a defective CD that had obviously been returned,repackaged and then sent to me in response to my order. I corresponded with Amazon and was told to return the CD and I would receive a replacement. I returned the CD and as yet have never received a replacement CD. I have been jacked around with excuses, but no CD. Keep my money and the CD. I don't have the time to waste on a shyster operation. You are a bunch of crooks. I may order from your outside suppliers - I've never had a problem with themn - but I will never order another product directly from Amazon.com.

Allison Krause is the sweetest, loviest person on the globe. Good for Plant for lending his rock god name to a project that is her essence as a late life bid for irony. Good show Bobbie!

As a fan of both Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, I initially thought this was a strange pairing, but found it to be an amazing collaboration. The music at once is old-school and contemporary at the same time. It reminds me of a new singer-songwriter I recently came across-Arrica Rose...her new album La La Lost melodic 70's folk with a touch of country...old-fashioned and modern.

Got high Hopes but was a bit dissapointed by it all !
I think that the combination could have been tremendous but the album did not excite me at all .. I thought Alison could have tuned up better ..
But it is only me !

I am a huge fan of Led Zeppelin, so I bought this album right away. Robert Plant sounds a lot different, of course, since this is a country album. However, not different in a bad way. He has a versatile style. Alison Krauss has a beautiful voice, and they are very harmonious. My faves on this album are "Rich Woman", "gone, gone, gone", and "Fortune Teller."

Great CD ! Especially "Killing the Blues"(from the JC Penney commercial)
My favorite however was "Your Long Journey" Can't get that tune out of my head.

I've been a fan of both Robert and Alison for too many years to mention; however, I would never have come up with this pairing. Admittedly, I was a bit of a skeptic when I saw the release of the album. When I first heard "Gone, Gone, Gone", I thought: Okay, this is not bad. Then I heard "Please Read The Letter". I was sold . . . hook, line and sinker.

I would place this album easily in my top twenty fave albums of all time, and that is saying something.

The music is evocative and bluesy and it just makes you . . . feel.

I could not recommend it more, if you are a music lover of any type, this is a must have for your collection. A wholly remarkable album which will linger in your ears and mind long after the last note plays.

The cd was almost as wonderful as the concert. Alison's voice continues to amaze me.

I've listened to the CD on-line; however, haven't opened the CD yet, since it arrived with the plastic case smashed in several places. I'm afraid that the CD itself may be damaged. The music is a blending of two styles of singing that is truly surprising. Allison, with her lilting, Bluegrass type singing, and Robert, with his Led Zeppelin type singing; are just full of surprises. This is one of the best CDs I think I've ever purchased. There is a wealth of feeling in the songs these two harmonize to, which truly touches the heart, as well as the soul of the listener.

I guess this is what they mean when they say "you either hate it or you love it". Sheesh.
I got this album yesterday after overhearing it in a cafe. I heard like 4 seconds of "Rich Woman" and went to the counter! I had to have it!
I heard it was coming out a while ago, but totally forgot! Well I was missing out!
So as of this writing, I have spun this album 7 times! 7!
I hear what people are saying about the production, but I feel that it enhances the album really. Its muddy, its real, T-bone is not to be questioned people!
These two are angels together I think. I have loved Alison for a number of years but am fairly new to Robert actually. I was not raised by a fan of Zep, so I had no reason to care. BUT I do like that one song of his "Morning Dew". So with that ONE SONG under my belt I thought "yeah, him and Alison might be alright!" *wit in text is a toughy* I WAS RIGHT.

I have never reviewed anything on here before, but felt compelled to do so after reading so many negatives. I know that people have a right to their opinion but only if they are right, right? :)
*Highlights
"Killing the Blues"
"Rich Woman" I love that reverbed guitar! Its infectious! (also on "Fortune Teller" which is a cute song)
"Please Read the Letter"
"Trampled Rose" Oh Alison, I just love you.
"Polly Come Home"
...OK SO THEY ARE ALL GREAT!

I feel quite lucky, I see they will be live in my city in October, I'm off to buy those tickets now. *nah nah nah*

Easy listening with a touch of rock. Robert stills has it, even better! Also saw the concert, the harmony betweeen the two is fantastic.

This is, in my view, the best CD of 2007.

So original and their voices and composition is pure and natural. It's the best of Robert Plant with the beautiful harmony of Allison Kraus.

There is not a bad track on it and some, such "Please Read the Letter", are brilliant.

Experimental in the combination of different genres and some have commmented here it's not for them but I found to be great.

The best CD of 2007.

This is a beautiful album of soothing, gentle ballads from 50 yrs. ago. A pleasure to listen to after a hectic day.

This is one of the best investments any fan of music could buy!! A great album all the way through!

Raising Sand by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss is a wonderful musical event that may be explained as a Hegelian synthesis of ostensibly opposing ideas....see http://www.aquilaarts.com/plantkrauss.html. Five stars...highly recommend it.

Well of course both of these artist alone are musical genius. You certainly can't go wrong putting two geniuses together. I love Led Zep. and although I've never been a "fan" of Blue Grass, I have been an Alison Krauss fan. Of course this CD is closer to Blue Grass than hard rockin' Led Zep. But, it works. They work. I can't wait for their next album! (My favorite song on this is 'Please Read The Letter'. In this song is where you will find your Led Zep. "flavor".)

Two great artists but they just croon... effort came out vapid and flat. Too Mellow.

A beautiful, relaxing album with plenty of interesting sounds. I've become addicted to it!

two people I've followed individually have made this supremely heavenly album that I simply cannot qualify; it reflects an amalgum of strange purity that exceeds a mere collaboration. Words fail me...

Tennessee mountains,
Mississippi mud,
Honeysuckle wine and
Texas blood.
Rhododendron blooms,
Rusty nails,
Empty rooms and
Mournful wails.
Church door cracks,
Long dusty roads,
Broken hearts and
Heavy loads.
Sneering guitars,
Rattling bones,
Voices from heaven,
Black snake moan.
Funeral cortege and
A Harley ride home.

Mesmerizing Alt-country-bluegrass-rockabilly-gospel-blues Masterwork.

I'm a fan of Alison's but I was simply disapointed in the merger of these two artists. The musical spark was not there; however, it looks like it is just in their eyes for one another.

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!

"Raising Sand" is the haunting and brilliant collaboration between Robert Plant and Allison Krauss; it opens with my favorite track - the Sam Phillips song "Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us", which quickly demonstrates that there's a lot more going on here than the "Led Zeppelin goes Country" preconception that the notion of these two artists working together conjures up. The album continues with track after track enjoyment and surprise. This is yet another triumph for producer T Bone Burnett, who has incisively crafted a breath-taking soundscape, supported by some of the finest musicians working today, where the whole is deliriously more than the sum of the parts. It all sounds so effortless that you know it must have been quite the opposite - dreamy and seductive, this is an unexpected classic.

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.

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.

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!

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.

i just got a copy of this album. i am very impressed. the arrangements, instrumentation and production reminds me of some of bob dylan or tom waits' recent work. some albums take a few listens to grab you. this is interesting at first listen (or at least it was to me). good to see mr plant continues to do original groundbreaking work and continues to take chances when a lot of his contemporaries no longer do. the last plant albums i bought were in the late eighties and early nineties (now and zen and manic nirvana). this album sounds a lot cooler than those, which now sound a little dated. alison krause did a great job singing on this as well

I've been a Robert Plant fan for almost 40 years so I automatically buy anything that he records. I had never heard of Alison Krauss before I bought this and I really loved what I heard. All of the different genres that this CD covers is most impressive. A must buy if you are a Plant fan and/or a Krauss fan (which I now am).

When I first heard about this pairing, I was skeptical to say the least. I just thought it was very odd. I have been a Robert Plant/Led Zeppelin fan for almost forty years. So naturally when I heard that 70s Rock God was recording an album with a bluegrass princess, I was intrigued. Alison Krauss has a beautiful, angelic voice. It doesn't hurt any that she is beautiful on the outside either. The first track I heard was Gone, Gone, Gone. I really like this one. I always liked the Everly Bros. but did not know this song. The Everly Bros. were a bit before my time. This is a collection of great songs I had never heard except for "Please Read The Letter." This one appeared on The Jimmy Page/Robert Plant album "Walking Into Clarksdale," and reworked here. The tracks that stand out for me include: Fortune Teller, Killing The Blues, Polly Come Home, the eerie "Trampled Rose and Let Your Loss, Be Your Lesson. This is a fantastic record. I would say any Robert Plant or Alison Krauss fan would really enjoy this one. I hope they record another one.

I think this is an album for the adventurous. I think it is good music for when one wants something not easily categorized and a bit on the dark side emotionally. But for others it may be unpleasant and a bit grating ( as it is for me unless I'm in just the right mood ).

I'm not sure what a "modern classic" really is. In fact, I'm not even sure it's an appropriate description for this album, since most of the songs on here were written a few decades ago. Even the production, thanks to T. Bone Burnett, seems (intentionally and beautifully) dated. As for Krauss and Plant's singing...well, let's just say there's something etheral there, something primitive, something that strikes a hidden chord in your soul and plucks your heartstrings.

It took me a while to get around to purchasing this record. I am neither a Robert Plant nor Alison Krauss fan, though I have long respected both artists as musical innovators (Krauss, especially, has been on the periphery of my radar, as I lean more towards the alternative country scene; Zeppelin, of course, is pretty much a mainstay on classic rock radio, which I listen to as much as I can). What first attracted me to this record was "Trampled Rose;" I have been a Tom Waits fan for a while now, and am always intrigued when someone has the guts to cover one of his tunes. Still, I put the album off.

Now that I have finally purchased it and listened to it, I'm glad I caved in. The album is a wonder. Its songs deal with woe and sorrow, and the vocals/production are designed to enhance that feeling of misery. Even the uptempo Everly Brothers remake conceals a dark heart. The sorrow is half the attraction--it's there, but it never fully overwhelms you, which means you can listen to this album in one long sitting (as I did) and not become overly depressed. Part of what keeps even the most sorrowful tunes bouyant is the interplay between Plant and Krauss; the Zeppelin frontman restrains himself, while the bluegrass songstress cuts loose. It's an intricate dance that producer Burnett captures in all its glory. RAISING SANDS is a must-have for music lovers. It's unique in today's musical landscape, and stands as a testament to what great musicians can do with great songs.

Too bad there isn't a -* rating...this sucks! And please...don't waste your $$$ seeing them live..just saw them at Bonnaroo...BORRRRRRING!