Should I?
Why not?! In truth, what pushed me over the edge was the title of track #3: "Freedom Fries". Maybe there'll be some fun too, along with some interesting music.
Well, well, well...not only is Mighty ReArranger full of interesting music, it's just might be the best thing Plant has ever done in his solo career.
Maybe it's Plant's band, the Strange Sensation. All I know is that Plant has brought together just about every kind of sound, genre and texture he's ever used and made it all sound like like an effortless and cohesive whole.
Just check out the instrumentation supporting Plant's vocals (beside the usual bass, drums, guitar, keys): harmonica, Moog bass, bendir, tehardant and lap steel guitar. The acoustic touches, such as the percussion ostinato played on the Bendir on the opener "Another Tribe", give extra weight to the 'heavier', more traditional rock instruments. The mixing of genres follows suit. Blues, folk, rock, African and Eastern musics provide contrast to each other: a 'trick' common to many a Led Zeppelin song. The perfect example is "Tin Pan Valley", which begins with a mystical, repeating synth figure...which gives way to a verse augmented only by a simple snare/ride cymbal pattern and Plant's voice...but which explodes into a shattering chorus, with Plant shrieking and moaning the words "Like this.....". Ah, almost back to the 'good ole days'.
So many years after the fact, it's been fun to watch the evolution of the Zeppelin offshoot efforts. For my money, it's been Plant and John Paul Jones (check out The Thunderthief as well as Sporting Life (with Diamanda Galas!)) who have made the greatest stretches. With Mighty ReArranger, Plant has made a big musical statement. Some people wanted to die before they got old. Robert Plant shows us that the wheelchair is, hopefully, a long way off.
Article comments
1 - Paul Roy
Thanks for the great review. I've been debating myself on picking this one up. Although I was (am) a huge Zep fan, I was never too crazy about Plant's solo stuff. Yeah it was all good, but hardly Zeppelin quality. I heard "Shine It All Around" on the radio and thought it was great so maybe I'll give this album a shot.
2 - Mark Saleski
it's weird that they picked "Shine It All Around" as it's not nearly the best song on the record (uhm...whatever 'best' means)
3 - Jake
I have only listened through this CD once. Before that, the only track I had heard was "Shine it all Around". I love that track, his voice sounds great and I was hoping for more of the same on the rest of the CD.
Unfortunately, I don't share Robert's fasination with African/Indian music, and that is what pervades most of this album. The album is complex and textured, and I guess the critics should line up and praise him as they have.
Me? I was just hoping that he and his band would just let loose with some simpler, catchier rock tunes, and lose some of the N.African influences. You know, like "Shine it all Around"!!
In fairness, I have to listen to it at least a few more times before I'll know whether it may grow on me.
4 - JR
Yesterday I ventured into Tower Records for the first time in quite a number of years. I'd given up on 'em because their prices were just nuts.
Their regular prices are nuts. You gotta watch out for their sales, though. They'll have a lot of good backlog stuff for $7.99 and $8.99. I even got the remasters of Aja and Gaucho for $5.99 at one of Tower's freak two-day sales.
Another place to look is J&R Music in Manhattan, or at their website. I just ordered a bunch of Ellington, Monk and Miles Davis remasters for $6.99 each. Unfortunately, they don't offer free shipping; but on the other hand, if you go to NYC you have to pay like 9% sales tax, so it could be cheaper to have them ship it to you.
5 - Bob Roberts
Everybody likes to be a critic these days. Actually, it's more fun than just enjoying the music! So, I find it startling how many music critics show up in one form or another on the internet and in publications these days.
What's even more startling is how the only reviews you'll ever find on the internet, in particular, are the positive ones. It's like the music companies pay a certain amount to writers as a "gratuity" for saying something nice about a new product.
No matter what your age or what your tastes, music and sung lyrics either have an addictive catch sound to them - or they don't. To say that Mighty Rearranger is the best offering by Robert Plant ever in his solo career is pure bullshit. Unless you're fortunate enough to be financially well off and able to get a little "messed up with the mekon" all day and listen to this oddly flavored mess of "head shop wanna be" world music - I'd say ROBERT HAS JUST LEFT THE BUILDING- and in this case that's a good thing.
6 - Eric Berlin
Bob -- You sound just like a critic... which puts you right at home at BlogCRITICS.org.
And I'd be surprised if many "Internet reviewers" are getting paid to write positive copy about Plant's album or any other album.
In fact, I'd be startled silly if any were.
7 - Mark Saleski
so...if i'd said that this was just another limp, watered down, derivative (just to bring up a few tasty reviewer negative cliches) Robert Plant recording, that wouldn't have been bullshit?
right.
8 - Jake
Well, I posted a review (above) after listening to the CD only once. I have now had it in my car going on a week now. The songs that initially didn't reel me in, now have, and there's really only one track I don't care for.
Of course Robert's voice is not what it once was, but this CD puts any prevous solo effort to bed. I mean if you played this back to back with, say, "Now and Zen", the latter would sound downright silly in comparison. This music and lyrics are rich in texture and drama. However, topping any of his previous solo works is not a big challenge.
I wish this CD had an eye more toward making catchy, more ear friendly songs instead of being a little too self conscious in it's seriousness, and incorporating world music.
I hope that Robert and this new band record again after this tour, I think it would be even better, particularly if Plant steers a little more clear of North African instrumentation.
Overall a very good effort from Plant. This is by no means just a product put out there to sell and tour behind, this is very good, and in some places, outstanding. A track called "Dancing in Heaven" is one of those places.
9 - Les Hill-Pruden
I picked up Mighty Rearranger at a used CD store not expecting to enjoy it one bit. I have every Zep CD, all of Page's solo work, as well as most of Plant's. From all of Plant's solo work i have only found one song that i enjoy enough to put on my iPod..."Anniversary" from Manic Nirvana. After listening to Rearranger, i was shocked. It was a breath of fresh air. It's good to see that Plant can still put out awsome music after so many years.