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Zero 7
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
Raising Sand
EMAILPRINTby Robert Plant And Alison Krauss

Universal acclaim
Based on 20 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 70 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Rounder
Release Date: 23 October 2007
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Folk
Summary
The Led Zeppelin singer pairs up with Bluegrass singer Alison Krauss.
Also On The Web: Official Artist Site (Alison Krauss) Official Artist Site (Robert Plant)
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Mojo
The most remarkable collaboration since Norah Jones and the Foo Fighters is also one of the best albums of the year. [Nov 2007, p.92]
Uncut
The pairing of the wily old tomcat and the classy country thrush turns out as magically in reality as it seemed unlikely on paper.
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly
These aren't "duets" but exercises in sublime harmony. [2 Nov 2007, p.65]
Dot Music
A deeply special album, and one you hope enough people will allow to get under their skin.
Read Full Review >Hartford Courant
The breadth of new realms both singers explore is one of many highlights of a collection that is nothing short of remarkable.
Read Full Review >No Ripcord
This collection is simply a joy to listen to, with great singers lovingly rendering great songs with a talented producer at the helm.
Read Full Review >Hot Press
You don’t have to be a fan of the country, blues or folk genres to appreciate the heartbreaking brilliance of this inspired collaboration.
Read Full Review >The Onion (A.V. Club)
At just under an hour, Raising Sand borders on indulgent sometimes.
Read Full Review >musicOMH.com
All involved have created one of the most unusual and surprisingly moving records I have heard in some time.
Read Full Review >Observer Music Monthly
Raising Sand is an album of deep, dark Americana, a scintillatingly stitched patchwork of country, R'n'B and singer-songwriters that represents what Plant describes as "the America I have always loved musically."
Read Full Review >Village Voice
Though Alison Krauss and Robert Plant make strange bedfellows indeed, the result is an engrossing, powerfully evocative collection.
Read Full Review >All Music Guide
What seems to be an unlikely pairing in the duo of former -- and future apparently--Led Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant and bluegrass superstar Alison Krauss is actually one of the most effortless-sounding pairings in modern popular music.
Read Full Review >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
Read Full Review >Billboard
Key to the magic is the delicious harmony vocals of the unlikely duo, best-displayed on the swaying 'Killing the Blues,' given trad-country depth by steel pedal ace Greg Leisz.
Read Full Review >Blender
Even more surprising is how dynamic the duo sounds, as their voices both blend together and draw each other into fresh territory.
Read Full Review >Boston Globe
Raising Sand is the stuff of which music lovers' dreams are made: an unexpected collision of two distinct but complementary worlds that transcend the sum of their parts to create something unique and mesmerizing.
Read Full Review >Paste Magazine
More revelatory are Krauss’ splendid R&B turn on Little Milton’s 'Let Your Loss Be Your Lesson' and Plant’s Dr. John impersonation on Allen Toussaint’s 'Fortune Teller'--just two of the many eye-openers on this surprising, and surprisingly effective, collaboration.
Read Full Review >PopMatters
The melding of Plant’s hard rock vocals and Krauss’ sweet sound requires them both to stretch their talents in unexpected ways. The new album’s triumph lies in the fact that they both seem to do this so effortlessly.
Read Full Review >Austin Chronicle
Robert Plant's pilgrimages to the Deep South led him to Nashville for Raising Sand, an imaginative, seductive collaboration with bluegrass goddess Alison Krauss that explores the desolate valleys between his Delta blues and her Appalachian folk.
Read Full Review >NOW Magazine
So even though Burnett has assembled a crack acoustic support unit to play the choice material he's selected from Gene Clark, Townes Van Zandt and the Everly Brothers, without that magical X factor you've got nothing but two good vocalists trying to stay out of each other's way.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 8.7 (out of 10) based on 70 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Chris M. gave it a9:
Interesting and more than a little challenging, great combination but I can see why its a little to laid back for some.
Jon M. gave it a10:
Beautiful...fresh...earthy...ethereal...the best "new" sound I've heard in years.
Blair S gave it a10:
One of my favourites of 2007. Krauss' voice is absolutely unreal throughout this album. Sparklingly clear, emotive, stunning, ethereal, haunting, angelic....I was blown away (as someone who has never really given her a good listen before). Great pairing between Robert and Alison, and I hope they do it again. This album is truly a gem, and much thanks goes to Burnett for that as well.
Kenny boy gave it a10:
Wow, great album. So moody and etheral. The two voices mesh really well, and the song choices are great. Never heard Robert Plant sound so good.
Andy C. gave it a9:
A beautiful album. T Bone Burnett really deserves his name along side Plant & Krauss on the front of the album but thats not really his way. When you combine stellar talent like this it will either be awful or brilliant and thankfully its the latter.
chris p. gave it a9:
Never really was a fan of Zeppelin before, even when introduced to LZ3, a beautiful rock out album. But the combination and atmosphere captured by these two icons of rock and their magical weaving of voices, create such stunning results, that it makes me feel so good. Definitely one of my favorites of the year.
Bobby M. gave it a10:
A unique and stunningly fine album. Plant and Krauss have remarkable chemistry. Nothing seems forced or out of place. This album will age extremely well. Don't miss it.
