DALLAS — Robert Plant’s sojourn down America’s back roads has done him a world of good. For one thing, it’s allowed the rock ‘n’ roll lothario to reinvent himself as a sharp-eared curator of the vast American roots repertoire. By casting aside expectations for a Led Zeppelin reunion, Plant has paved the way for himself to grow as an artist rather than stagnate as a jukebox sellout.
A few in attendance at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center on Friday night probably would have wholeheartedly embraced two hours of the classics, with or without his Zeppelin mates. But there were likely just as many who became enamored of Plant via 2007′s Raising Sand, his Grammy-winning detour into folk and country music overseen by Fort Worth-bred producer T Bone Burnett.
Inevitably, comparisons will be made between then and now. Plant’s latest foray into the great American songbook features a different cast of characters and a new name: Band of Joy. It’s a moniker plucked from the mists of Plant’s youth; he has resurrected the name, recruited some heavy hitters (Patty Griffin, Buddy Miller, Darrell Scott) and recorded an album due out in September.
Time and again Friday, Plant and his musical collaborators demonstrated a fine balance between muscular and mystical. The set list veered between eclectic covers — Zeppelin, of course; Richard Thompson, Ray Charles, slowcore rockers Low — and tunes from the band members’ respective projects.
The show was not without its flaws — the sound crew was bedeviled by mic problems early on. But Plant and the Band of Joy delivered a splendid, captivating performance. Whatever it may be that has captured Plant’s imagination about American roots music, one can only hope he continues to draw inspiration from this source for a long, long time. He’s never sounded more vital.
By Preston Jones
http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/07/24/2358639/ex-led-zeppelin-frontman-robert.html
Loading...