Robert Plant – Saving Grace (Nonesuch) (13th Floor Album Review)
Robert Plant continues his exploration of the “remote corners of recorded music” with this collection of covers and trad blues recorded in his own corner of the world…along the Welsh borders.
Saving Grace is the band (or collective) that the former Led Zep frontman has been touring and recording with since 2019.
The 10 tracks that make up this album are Plant-based folk and blues tunes originally recorded by the likes of Memphis Minnie and Blind Willie Johnson along with a few more contemporary composition by Low and…The Moby Grape.
While Zeppelin fans may be miffed…those who cherish Plant’s duets with Alison Krauss will find plenty to wrap their ears around.
Album opener Chevrolet is a prime example of how traditional songs evolve over time, yet retain their power. The song is based on Memphis Minnie and Kansas Joe McCoy’s 1930 song, Can I Do It For You, which in turn was revised and recorded by Donovan in 1965 as Hey Gyp (Dig The Slowness). Of course Memphis Minnie and Robert Plant go way back, as she and Kansas Joe first recorded When The Levee Breaks back in 1929.
With Suzi Dian on accordion and backing vocals, the track simmers along, setting the stage for what comes next.
Dian is part of the Saving Grace collective that also includes Tony Kelsey on acoustic and electric guitars, Matt Worley on banjo, acoustic guitar and cuatro, Oli Jefferson on drums and percussion and Barney Morse-Brown on cello…and they all sing.
Second track, As I Roved Out, is one of many highlights…Suzi’s harmonies blend beautifully with Plant’s hushed vocals and Jefferson’s skittering drums make a playful bed for what sounds like banjo and mandolin.
Plant takes up his harmonica on Blind Willie Johnson’s Soul Of A Man while Dian and Plant seems to be channeling Simon & Garfunkel on The Low Anthem’s Ticket Taker.
Suzi moves to the fore as the record proceeds, singing lead on Too Far From You and harmonizing on the dramatic Everybody’s Song…a track that might rock just hard enough to put a smile on any Led Zep fan looking in.
Robert Plant advises us to “keep your hand on that plow” on closer Gospel Plough, proving that he, at age 77, is still as musically curious as ever.
Or, as he recently told the BBC, he likes to “skip so much of the epidermis of contemporary music and find these amazing corners”.
So, go stand in the corner with Robert Plant and Saving Grace.
Marty Duda
Saving Grace is due out Friday, Sept 26th on Nonesuch Records.
