Customer Reviews

Dreamland

5 star:		(55)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

Robert Plant's Dreamland gives me the perfect excuse to go off on a rant about Classic-Rock Radio. Every radio market in America has at least one of these, the ones for whom time began around 1968 with the advent of psychedelic rock and ended ca. 1977 with the advent of Punk. The stations playing songs from a decade earlier than Classic Rock's birth at least have the honesty to call themselves Oldies stations. Meanwhile, the good old Classic Rock stations stay stuck in their endless, mindless time-warp loop of "Led Zeppelin A-to-Z Weekends" and "Let's roll some dice and see how many songs in a row to play by the Floyd Boys." What gets me about those stations is that I can understand their reluctance to play anything recorded since the invention of the CD. I disagree with them 100% but at least I understand the (closed) mindset. It is, after all, called Classic Rock for a reason, so it should be classic right? But what gets me is the way they turn on their own idols, worshipping only the fading black and white images of careers that are still extant and in some cases even vital.

Which brings me to Mr. Plant. Turn on a radio just about anywhere and spin the dial and you'll find Plant's three-decades-old work with Led Zep playing. But why in the name of all that is good and proper, is "Darkness Darkness" not played in heavy rotation? So the geezers love "Kashmir" so much it's practically a religion, while that song's spiritual descendent, and a hell of a great tune, gets ignored.

Dreamland is mostly made up of covers of old blues and folk songs, given the full-on psychedelic treatment, usually of the heavy variety. 36 years after he started, Plant is still reinterpreting classic blues songs like Bukka White's "I Believe I'm Fixin' to Die" exactly like he did back in the day. Only these days he gives proper credit to the original songs authors. The aforementioned "Darkness Darkness" was originally by the Youngbloods, and while I've never heard it I imagine it sounds little like the pachouli-scented skullcrusher that it becomes in the hands of Plant and his talented band (which includes former Cure guitarist Porl Thompson!) Ditto for the warhorse "Hey Joe," done a thousand times before but almost unrecognizable in this blasting psyche-out version.

Plant does bring down the room with a beautiful and heartfelt version of Tim Buckley's "Song to the Siren" and the closing "Skip's Song" by legendary Moby Grape co-founder Skip Spence, but the overall feel of this CD is heavy psych-blues with Middle Eastern overtones at times. in fact if this CD has one flaw it might be the overly psychedelic feel which can make a stone-cold sober person dizzy. Perfect if you're in the mood for it, but a bit more of the levity of "Skip's Song" might have made it a slightly better CD.

Robert Plant is still making great music, still challenging himself, still fronting a great band. Lord knows he doesn't need the money, so my hat is off to him for refusing to become a Vegas act. You have to respect his continuing determination to matter. But I wonder how many people know he still matters, and I largely blame the cold robotic churn that American Radio has become.

Some aging classic rockers whose muses are not currently tending to them are smart enough to realize it (although evidently not many). A number of these artists responded by recording collections of cover songs while waiting for inspiration to return. While these releases are certainly not ambiguous and almost never on par with the said artists' top work, they are definitely better than hearing one's favorites stumbling at composing new originals. Bob Dylan, for example, followed 1990's mediocre Under the Red Sky, with two admirable collections of traditional folk songs, 1992's Good as I Been to You and 1993's World Gone Wrong. Metallica, who gravely upset fans with their MTV-conforming 1996 and 1997 albums, Load and Reload, regained some esteem with their 1998 covers album, Garage Inc. Paul McCartney concluded a decade of baffling creative decisions with 1999's Run Devil Run, a very fun collection of fifties pop songs. Robert Plant, who has not been heard from since Walking Into Clarksdale, his ploddingly boring 1998 collaboration with his former Led Zeppelin band-mate Jimmy Page, is the latest veteran rocker to release an album of (mostly) covers, this year's Dreamland.

Dreamland consists mainly of songs from the American folk-rock scene of the nineteen-sixties. This is no new territory for Mr. Plant whose live repertoire has always included a few nods to Spirit, Love and Moby Grape. He understands the sonic textures and emotional atmospheres that make these songs tick and that is evident on each of Dreamland's ontarget renditions. He delivers a subtle, lush and ominous take on The Youngblood's "Darkness, Darkness," a gently lulling performance of Tim Buckley's "Song to the Siren," an excellent, epic and urgent-sounding version of Bob Dylan's "One More Cup of Coffee" and a forceful and combative performance of Skip Spence's' chilling account of his self-destruction, "Skip's Song." The decision to write only scarcely (The album contains just two originals) was a good one for Mr. Plant, only because it clearly allowed him to focus more on vocals and instrumentation. On Dreamland, his vocals are delightfully airy and emotive and the instrumentation is always completely appropriate, warm and encompassing (without ever becoming mushy) on the dreamier songs and twinkling and eerie (without ever becoming sluggish) on the downbeaten ones. Dreamland is obviously a well-planned and proficiently constructed LP. Mr. Plant had likely maintained a thorough understanding of these tunes for years and knew precisely what he wanted when it came time to record them. Likewise, Dreamland is a pleasure to listen to. As mentioned earlier, such latter-day cover collections from classic rockers are unlikely to be great, but they often do make for very pleasing listening experiences. Dreamland is one of the most enjoyable to date.

I'll have to admit up front that I've been a big Zepplin fan since I was a teenager. So now that I have grey hair and teenagers of my own I have had many years to let their music get into my soul. Now I have to admit that pretty much all of Plant's solo work has left me cold. I think it's just an utter lack of memorable music. Now I have to tell you how happy I was when I heard this CD. In my mind, this is easily the very best thing Robert Plant has done since In Through the Out Door. His voice, though clearly not as strong,is still plenty strong here, and more than that, it has that something extra that's been missing all these years, that edge, that feel that made him one of the greats. This CD is fantastic; the songs are great, and the band and the arrangements are again, better than anything Plant has done since Zep; superior! In many subtle ways the arrangements here sound like the best of Zep. This album could have come between LZIII and Houses of the Holy.

I am completely awestruck by this CD. While every song is a remake from older 60's tunes the only one I knew was Hey Joe and the version on this CD is completely different from any other version (Hendrix, etc.). Robert Plant has assembled a talented group of musicians from such groups as Portishead and The Cure that the combination has fused to create an inspiring CD. This is what music is all about. Funny in My Mind (I believe I'm fixin' to die) kicks off the CD with some punch. But I think it is the softer songs like Morning Dew and Song to the Siren that really draw me into the album. What they have done with these songs is not only breath new life into them but redefine them. This is definitely one of the best contributions to music I have ever heard. Someone called it a Cosmic Jukebox and I think the term fits well. This is one of those few albums where I love every single song.

It seems like everyone is having a crack at this covers-album business these days. Everyone for Bryan Ferry to Mark Lanegan is dusting off the old songbooks. This time your favourite lemon-squeezer from Led Zeppelin is giving it a whirl. The result is his most vital sounding collection in quite a while.

Freed of having to live up to the Zeppelin legacy - a millstone that dogged his recent underappreciated studio collaborations with Jimmy Page, Plant explores some of his favourite musical ground in a surprisingly tight set composed mostly of covers running the gamut from folkies like Bob Dylan ("One More Cup of Coffee") and Tim Buckley ("Song to the Siren") to forgotten psychedelic stylists like Moby Grape ("Skip's Song").

Especially brave is his attempt at Billy Robert's "Hey Joe" - the definitive version of which remains the one Jimi Hendrix recorded for his first album. Plant does the song justice in his own way but all the credit shouldn't go to him alone as he is backed by as good a band as any - in fact better -- than have graced many of his previous solo efforts. Former Cure guitarist Porl Thompson does an impressive turn as a Jimmy Page style foil to Plant, going as far as providing some tasty bottleneck guitar runs on the country blues workout "Red Dress." Meanwhile, Justin Adams adds eastern instruments - namely Darbouka and Gimbri -- to the mix of delicate string arrangements and spooky sounding organ. Other highlights include the album-opener "Feel Like I'm Fixing to Die" and the mournful folk-standard "Morning Dew."

Fans of Zeppelin would be well served in picking this one up. Parts of this album have some reviewers comparing it to the folky, laid back, and earnest Led Zeppelin III. Much of Dreamland's brooding tone and spare arrangements remind me more of Presence, a darker, lesser-known collection from the Zep canon. At any rate, it's reassuring to see an old master successfully honing his craft without resorting to self-caricature.

Lets hope not. It deserves more respect than that. Frankly this is the most original album I've heard in years. True 90% of the lyrics have been resurrected from Percy's deep blues catalog. It's the new band that makes it.

After catching the gang on Austin City Limits I immediately went digging around for the mp3's to see if the studio recordings were as good. Well, I quickly found them to be outstanding.

With Robert's vocals, you can get away with just about any ol hack band. The group he put together for this album is amazing. They really understand how to put together some great melodies. You can tell that Robert really enjoys playing with them. They all seem to be on the same musical wavelength.

As many other reviewers have stated, this is not Led Zeppelin II, nor should it be compared as such. This is also not "Tall Cool One". Anyone who has made the mistake of stereotyping Plant as just a hard rock front man will be quickly disappointed. If you really know Led Zeppelin, and are a fan for their more obscure pieces (like those from LZIII), then this will be a refreshing treat.

At the same time, no one should claim this is a "boring" album. The band's rendition of Hey Joe sends chills up my spine. Jimi did a great job with it and made a hit. This version is not intended to be a hit. It's another take on Dylan's lyrics; a very dark take that is extremely well presented. I would have bought the album for that piece alone. Boring? HAH!

Before buying this album, remember one thing. It's a blues album. Not Black Dog or Whole Lotta Love blues either. It's classic folk blues with a fun psychedelic twist.

Led Zeppelin was one of the greatest bands of all time for one fundamental reason: they embraced all genres with a uniqueness that was all theirs. Percy embraces that with all the passion he does towards all of his work. Do yourself and Robert Plant a favor...

Take the album for what it is, and enjoy it!

I'll start right off by saying that hard-rock junkies or Led heads who only want to hear "Whole Lotta Love" need not apply.

After his rather uninspired collaboration with Jimmy Page (although the No Quarter album was respectable), Robert Plant gets his oft-overlooked solo career back on track with this fine album. While Dreamland isn't as exciting or vibrant as his earlier solo work, it is the work of an artist who still has something to say, and the chops to say it.

This album picks up where Fate of Nations left off, in terms of style and atmosphere. But whereas FoN was heavily slanted towards folk (in addition to rock), Dreamland pays homage to Plant's blues past. The first song on the album, "Funny In My Mind," slinks right out of the Louisiana swamps but has a distinct modern feel to it. Excellent stuff.

I won't give a track-by-track review here. But as others have mentioned, Plant's backing band is 100% on the money. Although I still miss Robbie Blunt! And Plant's voice has...well, it's not 1973 anymore. But that's just fine with me. Just like your favorite pair of sneakers with the worn out soles, off-white leather and frayed laces, Plant's voice has a distinguished, well-worn feel to it that brings these songs to life. But to put your fears to rest, he still gets some energetic screams in there once in a while!

Bottom line - if you liked Fate of Nations you will like Dreamland. If you appreciate what Robert Plant has done with his whole solo career (looking forward, not backward) then this album is a worthy addition to your collection. But if all you want are songs that RAAWWWK!, pop in your copy of Houses of the Holy. ; )

Dreamland is fast becoming my favorite album in years. It has the occasional feel of The Principle of Moments and Shaken 'n Stirred, but is still new and exciting. I was in from the first notes of Funny In My Mind, a great, fast-paced blues tune set off with a touch of zydeco. He has taken soulful possession of the old classic, Morning Dew. And I'm sure the song is happy with the arrangement. One More Cup of Coffee, Song to the Siren, Darkness Darkness and Red Dress are full of surprises and all of them very pleasant. His arrangement of Hey Joe is strange and wonderful, almost [Asian], but also a bit futuristic. And for the Zeppelin fans, there is Skip's Song, which is reminiscent of some of the good old tunes from the good old days. Altogether, I would give this album a sky full of stars because it is obviously a labor of love. I am curious about one thing, however, and that is the meaning of the cryptic words printed on the liner. Elvish? There are a lot of consonants involved. I'm sure someone will enlighten me eventually.

I have waited a long time for the latest album from Robert Plant. Having ordered the limited edition of "Dreamland" proved it was well worth the wait. The songs on this album are songs that are dear to the artist's heart. He sings with such passion and purity that the listener is immediately aware that Robert is singing songs that have not only influenced his own writing and career but are songs he truly loves. Having seen Robert perform many of these songs with his former band The Priory of Brion it is a beautiful and compelling trip down memory lane for me. I have seen Robert four times in England and each performance was amazing and quite special for me. Listening to "Dreamland" carries me back to those four wonderful gigs in May and October of 2000. For the listener hearing Robert's take on these songs for the first time will undoubtably hear the power of Robert's voice is, as it was twenty some odd years ago,as amazing as ever. There are new tracks on this album as well that were composed by Robert and his band Strange Sensation. "Last Time I Saw Her" is excellent, as is "Red Dress." Listening to the new tracks makes one hope for future collaboration. For myself I have to say that the true highlight of the album is Robert's vocals on "Song To the Siren", the Tim Buckley song. There is also an excellent version of "Hey Joe." By all means get this album. It is a work of musical artistry by one of the greatest artists of our time. This is a man who truly loves life and loves what he is doing. This album is a must.

After seeing Robert and his band on an incredible "Austin City Limits" telecast, I picked this up. This guy really hasn't gotten all the respect due to him, even from myself in the past. The fact is that Plant was probably the most threatening frontman in the world as far as guys were concerned, a wicked unrepentant woman-stealer who could sing it as pretty or as hard as anyone. Daltrey you could see as your barroom buddy, Mick and Keith were getting clobbered for all our sins, and the Beatles were more pop than rock and no threat to anything, but Plant and Zeppelin were hard as nails. When it comes to being a vital, vibrant solo artist, he's pretty much trumped them all put together. This is a great album, and as much as many reviews emphasize the ballads, there is some scalding rock n roll here. "Hey Joe" is totally intense, and when the harmonica kicks in on "Red Dress" it's as heavy as the first time the levee broke. The band is dangerous, and the man in front of them has the taste, the leadership, and a voice that can still do it all. A surprise and a delight. I thought Jack White had the best album of last year until I heard this and Jeff Beck's "Jeff". The masters ain't masters for nothing. Lastly, "Song To The Siren" is one of the greatest recordings I have ever heard. And it FEELS like an album, there's no reason to skip anything here. The guy is on top of his game and if this was a new artist people would be doing headstands praising this. Right now if I could see any act in the world play live it would be this outfit. Anyway, to sum up, this disc will give you the chills when you're not rocking 'round the living room. Beautiful and edgier than a wildcat, often at the same time.