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CD Review: Robert Plant, "Mighty ReArranger" (Sanctuary)
Fair or not, anything new Robert Plant does is bound to be judged against his history with Led Zeppelin--a lofty standard that, surprisingly, the 56-year-old legend lives up to on the Zeppelin-esque "Mighty ReArranger."
The centerpiece of the album is, of course, Plant's voice--you know, that voice--which, despite showing some unavoidable signs of wear, still retains its chills-down-your-spine, otherworldly quality. What's more, the singer makes no effort hide the fact that, while still transcendent, his pipes are not as supple, flawless and resilient as they were 35 years ago; his vocals are right out front in the mix, often without a hint of reverb. The move works in his favor, as the overwhelming majority of his delivery reminds you not that he has aged, but that he really does sound like that.
Equally impressive is the music. Plant's band, Strange Sensation--drummer Clive Deamer (Portishead, Roni Size), bassists John Baggott (Portishead, Massive Attack) and Billy Fuller (Fuzz Against Junk), guitarist Skin (Cast) and multi-instrumentalist Justin Adams (Sinead O'Connor)--is in the groove from start to finish, mixing blues, tribal beats and rock. It doesn't hurt that Deamer frequently evokes Bonham, and it's even better that he does so while Adams experiments with moody, atmospheric, synthesized sounds that give the set a modern, edgy feel.
Standout track: ambient rocker "Tin Pan Valley," on which Plant unabashedly professes, "My peers may flirt with cabaret/Some fake the 'rebel yell'/Me, I'm moving up to higher ground/I must escape their hell." On "Mighty ReArranger," he makes good his escape.
