Best known as the frontman for legendary rock band Led Zeppelin, Robert Plant took on the world solo after the disbandment of the group. Back with his 11th solo studio album, Plant presents the world with Carry Fire. But can the new album live up to decades of success? We take the rock God’s new album to the demo room…
With a body and soul that is true to its rock roots, “The May Queen” still manages – with its subtle use of synthetic sounds and distortion – to sound as though it’s been given an almost spiritual edge. Perhaps after decades in the industry, Plant is still exploring new ways to make his mark. With his ageing but still hugely impressive vocals lending weight to the almost folk-rock melody with the addition of a fiddle riff later on, it’s a good start to the album.
Later in the album, we see more of the traditional blues-y, rock roots in “Bones of Saints”, filled with overdriven guitar, a more pronounced drum line and more driven vocals – still accompanied with the more eastern-influenced instruments. On the note of Plant’s vocal register however, it is worth noting that he has won numerous accolades for his ability as a singer as well as inspiring fellow greats such as Freddie Mercury. This range and ability is shown remarkably in “Dance With You Tonight”. A beautifully sung ballad that puts Plant at the forefront of the track, with vocals so enveloping you barely notice the melody, it’s merely there as an accompaniment to his voice, which is better labelled as “mature” rather than “ageing”. We hear more of this very good thing in the aptly named “Way With Words”, a more minimalist approach than the former track, but a fantastic five-minute song with lyrics as emotive as the vocals themselves.
Robert Plant has already stated that he was inspired in no small part by the Welsh countryside for this new album, saying “My latest contributions were conceived along those small rivers on the Welsh borders, the Arrow, the Lugg and the Teme. Those places unlock me, open me up”. With the sense of space in tracks such as “New World” providing imagery of rolling hills and valleys and the following track “Season’s Song” providing a sense of privacy, intimacy and isolation that the peaceful countryside has no doubt inspired. Inspired by the Welsh countryside or not though, the man is still politically and stylistically restless. “Carving Up The World Again…a wall and not a fence”, is relatively clearly named to prove the former of the two points. Backed by The Sensational Space Shifters with more interesting instruments such as the djembe, Plant weaves his rhetoric into a light and breezing tirade on the current state of New World politics.
The phenomenal title track “Carry Fire” features more of this wonderful backing band to present us with one of the strongest tracks on an already powerful album. The blend of Plant’s distinctive western vocals quite unlike anyone else, and the eastern instruments tied to them makes for a fascinating track that definitely got multiple re-listens from this reviewer. Towards the end of the album, we’re presented with two somewhat more surprising tracks. Jolting away from the dreamscape of eastern influence and into two more electronic tracks, “Keep It Hid” and “Bluebirds Over The Mountain”.
“Keep It Hid” is about the only track on the album that doesn’t command attention, and in terms of strength compared to the rest of the album, is somewhat weak. “Bluebird Over The Mountain” however, is a different matter. A cover of an Ersel Hickey song and accompanied by fellow rock legend Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders, this slow burn of a song builds and finishes masterfully. Filled with fiddles and a haze of guitar distortion, the song would fit easily on earlier work from Led Zeppelin, demanding a listen from fans of the band. As we reach the end of the album we’re led into to dreamy, sluggish track “Heaven Sent”. The song ends the album perfectly, with its slow percussion and shimmering, strummed guitar, fading itself out gradually.
Overall, Carry Fire is excellent. It’s a marker of continued excellent work from the music legend and will please new fans and Led Zeppelin fans alike.
Author: Steve, Southgate Store
