| Raising Sand | 
 enlarge | List Price: $18.98
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Avg. Customer Rating:   (based on 491 reviews)
Sales Rank: 3
Category: Music
Publisher: Rounder
Studio: Rounder
Manufacturer: Rounder
Label: Rounder
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.5 x 4.8 x 0.4
MPN: 619075
UPC: 028947801993
EAN: 0028947801993
ASIN: B000UMQDHC
Release Date: October 23, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | Rich Woman | | • | Killing the Blues | | • | Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us | | • | Polly Come Home | | • | Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On) | | • | Through the Morning, Through the Night | | • | Please Read the Letter | | • | Trampled Rose | | • | Fortune Teller | | • | Stick with Me Baby | | • | Nothin' | | • | Let Your Loss Be Your Lesson | | • | Your Long Journey |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Album Description
The musical collaboration of the decade, Raising Sand is the sound of two iconic figures stepping out of their respective comfort zones and letting their instincts lead them across a brave new sonic landscape. Despite hailing from distinctly different backgrounds, Alison Krauss and Robert Plant share a maverick spirit and willingness to extend the boundaries of their respective genres. This spirit, expertly honed by producer T Bone Burnett, has resulted in an album pitched three steps beyond some cosmic collision of early urban blues, spacious West Texas country, and the untapped potential of the folk-rock revolution.
Supported by the unparalleled musicianship of Marc Ribot, Dennis Crouch, Mike Seeger, Jay Bellerose, Norman Blake, Greg Leisz, Patrick Warren, and Riley Baugus, Plant and Krauss -- as both solo and harmony vocalists -- tackle an intriguing selection of songs from such tunesmiths as Tom Waits, Gene Clark, Sam Phillips, Townes Van Zandt, The Everly Broth! ers, and Mel Tillis. Raising Sand finds Robert Plant and Alison Krauss exploring popular music's elemental roots while still sounding effortlessly, breath-takingly contemporary.
The song "Killing the Blues" is featured in the new JC Penney American Living Campaign.
Amazon.com
Perhaps only the fantasy duo of King Kong and Bambi could be a more bizarre pairing than Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. Yet on Raising Sand, their haunting and brilliant collaboration, the Led Zeppelin screamer and Nashville's most hypnotic song whisperer seem made for each other. This, however, is not the howling Plant of "Whole Lotta Love," but a far more precise and softer singer than even the one who emerged with Dreamland (2002). No matter that Plant seems so subdued as to be on downers, for that's one of the keys to this most improbable meeting of musical galaxies--almost all of it seems slowed down, out of time, otherworldly, and at times downright David Lynch-ian, the product of an altered consciousness. Yet probably the main reason it all works so well is the choice of producer T Bone Burnette, the third star of the album, who culled mostly lesser-known material from some of the great writers of blues, country, folk, gospel, and R&B, including Tom Waits, Townes Van Zandt, Milt Campbell, the Everly Brothers, Sam Phillips, and A.D. and Rosa Lee Watson. At times, Burnette's spare and deliberate soundscape--incisively crafted by guitarists Marc Ribot and Norman Blake, bassist Dennis Crouch, drummer Jay Bellerose, and multi-instrumentalist Mike Seeger, among others--is nearly as dreamy and subterranean as Daniel Lanois's work with Emmylou Harris (Wrecking Ball). Occasionally, Burnette opts for a fairly straightforward production while still reworking the original song (Plant's own "Please Read the Letter," Mel Tillis's "Stick with Me, Baby"). But much of the new flesh on these old bones is oddly unsettling, if not nightmarish. On the opening track of "Rich Woman," the soft-as-clouds vocals strike an optimistic mood, while the instrumental backing--loose snare, ominous bass line, and insinuating electric guitar lines--create a spooky, sinister undertow. Plant and Krauss trade out the solo and harmony vocals, and while they both venture into new waters here (Krauss as a mainstream blues mama, Plant as a gospel singer and honkytonker), she steals the show in Sam Phillips' new "Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us," where a dramatic violin and tremulous banjo strike a foreboding gypsy tone. When Krauss begins this strange, seductive song in a voice so ethereal that angels will take note, you may stop breathing. That, among other reasons, makes Raising Sand an album to die for. --Alanna Nash
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| Customer Reviews: Read 486 more reviews...
 AN UNLIKELY COUPLE, LIKE SUSAN ANTON AND DUDLEY MOORE . . . October 12, 2008
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.
A pleasant surprise October 10, 2008
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.
Raising Sand - Awesome October 7, 2008
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.
Surprising but exciting combination. September 24, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Excellent CD, made me appreciate the ART of music again. Couldn't wait to see them in concert, and not only did that back up the quality of the CD, but made me love it even more. What a team!
 So disappointed.... September 19, 2008
1 out of 6 found this review helpful
This disc committs a crime far worse than being terribly written, produced, played, or sung.
Its bland and boring. Its lifeless.
What makes it almost unbearable is that this is the once towering, ultra-edgy, pitch dark mystical shaman-conjurer ROBERT PLANT.
Have mercy, is this what happens when you get old? Its like wallpaper paste- mushy and flavorless. The more you consume, the worse your tum tum feels. Get led zepplin 1, 2, 3, 4. You'll see what I mean.
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