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Editorial Review:
Dreamland is Robert Plant's first solo album--in name at least--for nigh on a decade. Plant's latest backing band--who toil under the slightly naff cabaret-circuit moniker of Strange Sensation--have a lithe and serpentine approach to fusing American revivalist folk with the blues and modernist alt-rock (Plant even namechecks the Flaming Lips as an influence)--all this in spite of the fact that they are drawn from such non-Kerrang!-subscribing musicians as Porl Thompson (The Cure), Justin Adams (Jah Wobble), Clive Deamer (Portishead) and John Baggott (Portishead, Massive Attack). Occasionally, this spontaneity finds them following their investigative noses down a blind alley--"Hey Joe", for all its free-form psychedelia, has "jam session" written all over it--but these trifling shortcomings are eclipsed by the hauntingly meditative "Morning Dew" (Bonnie Dobson's flicker of light in the darkness of 1960's nuclear war neurosis) and terrifically reinterpretative versions of familiar standards and neglected jewels, particularly Tim Buckley's "Song to the Siren" (with warm Arabian strings) and an Anglicised-roots-via-heavy-rock shuffle through Bukka White's "Fixin' To Die". Often, covers albums are rot-stopping attempts to stall for time issued by dried-up "has-beens" but Dreamland exudes devil-may-care, barrier-smashing self-belief. --Kevin Maidment
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
plant's best solo album There is a great feel to this album. The tracks slither and glide around your sound system and grow on you over time. In the 5 years's I've had this album it has grown on me like a fine wine. There are two weak tracks, but don't all albums have those? The band Plant assembled here (and reprised more or less for Mighty Rearranger) are the best live band I have ever seen... sadly they arent currently touring as Plant is on the road with Alison Krauss. If they are to record together no more,... more info
This is Robert Plant. This isn't Led Zep 2 This is an ecclectic collection of cover versions - not bland copies of the originals but thoughtful and provocative reworkings. 'Hey Joe' becomes a sonic acrobatic drive through the cosmos, 'Song to the Siren' (always a treat, whoever does it) a gentle lament and 'One More cup of Coffee' a delicate introspection with muted vocal. Justin Adams seems to have brought some transendental N African qualities with him from his time with Jah Wobble's Invaders. 'Morning Dew' and 'Fixing to Die' contrast each... more info
Start here for the solo Mr Plant I was always apprehensive when approaching a new RP solo effort. Pictures was a LZ hang over; Moments was a new direction; Shaken 'n' Stirred he was lost; Zen was trying to be a Coverdale/Page copy. Manic Nirvana he'd sorted things, while Fate of Nations showed what a talent he is... Dreamland is simply astonishing. It showcases his vocal talents on his favourite songs as well as 4 original compositions.
I saw the Priory of Bryon a few years ago in a very intimate atmosphere. He said on hearing the cry... more info
Plant pays his dues An album of cover versions in which Plant tackles songs by those who influenced him - Hendrix, Tim Buckley, Skip Spence, Bob Dylan and a selection of old blues numbers. This is inevitably a bit of a mixed bag. Things perhaps not surprisingly work best with the more blues based tracks; Morning Due / Darkness Darkness, and not so well when he moves into territory his voice doesn't suite so well e.g. One More Cup Of Coffee.
It an interesting album which will hopefully send people out to trackdown some of the... more info
