Robert Plant – Band of Joy

Its starts with a shade of disappointment. At the end of their Wembley Arena show a couple of years back, Robert Plant gestured to Alison Krauss and asked the audience, “do you want us to come back?”. But sadly, despite meeting again for an aborted recording session, it was not to be, the songs considered not strong enough for a viable sequel. Instead, Plant has taken inspiration from his beginnings, naming his new project Band Of Joy, the moniker given to the band formed with John Bonham back in 1967 before he joined Jimmy Page in The New Yardbirds. And of course, before he joined the biggest band in rock history.

The approach of this album is to rekindle the music that has remained true to him throughout his career, fronting a team of exceptional musicians from multi-instrumentalist Darrell Scott, Byron House on bass and Marco Giovino on percussion. And best of all, the wonderful Patty Griffin, who possesses a voice that is the perfect counterpoint to his own. The production on this album is simply superb, rich, deep and soulful, with a clarity and expansiveness that exudes quality. It is almost the anti-Klaxons, with little evidence of studio trickery or manipulation, just an impressive sonic palette that sounds incredible. ‘Can’t Buy My Love’ breezes along with an effortless sixties cool, ‘Central Two-O-Nine’ and ‘Even This Shall Pass’ sounding like outtakes from the debut Zeppelin album, locked in time waiting to be reborn.

In a way, it doesn’t really feel like a covers album, as the majority of these songs are mostly unknown or shaped in such a vital, original way. The two songs by American band Low are sinister and oppressive, ‘Monkey’ slowing unwinding with a sinewy bass and a perfect shadowed vocal from Griffin. ‘Silver Rider’ also drifts on deep guitar chords and majestic harmonies. Lead single ‘Angel Dance’ opens with a guttural bassline, with a sprinkling of mandolin and shakers tipping underneath. Band of Joy resonates with talent, and is utterly enjoyable from start to finish, an album that manages to not only move you emotionally but serves as a pleasure to listen to.