Customer Reviews

Mighty Rearranger

5 star:		(84)
4 star:		(25)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

This is simply a fine album. Reflects the wisdom of a 56 year old mega rock star who's seen it all, done it all and has been surrounded by the best; coupled with the young raw talent of today. Unlike albums like Page/Plant, "Walking towards Clarksdale", where there is basically guitar/bass & drums, Plant has always, and continues to expand all horizons with jazz, techno, and instruments and beats from around the world. All of the above factors come together on Mighty Rearranger. What's different here, is Plant really speaks his mind about world affairs, as opposed to singing about lemons, shaking down nightgowns, and hearing the back door slam. He started the rant about world issues in the last song in Fate of Nations, but really ran with that baton with Mighty Rearranger. In fact, "Freedom Fries" could have been written by Eddie Vedder or Bob Dylan.

The sound mix is incredible. You are going to get a great soundstage effect on even a modest system. Go to a high-end stereo store, and have them play "Somebody Knocking". You feel like you are sitting across a 40 foot wide stage.

The whole album flows nicely. You can hear from afar as background, as well as enjoy as a listening centerpiece. Play it at a party! Here are the songs, blow-by-blow:

Another Tribe blew me away. I heard the album for the 1st time using headphones and I think I played this song 10 or 12 times before letting it roll to Shine it all around. Opens with them banging on a Bendir(Moroccan drum) to the beat of the opening of Zep's Rock n Roll, and with acoustic guitars, clever techno effects, and a waltz-like orchestra-like effect, I was completely living outside my body. Pure entertainment; mission accomplished! Subtly, the bass-line seems like a sped up version of the line used during the bow-solo in the studio version of Dazed n Confused.

Shine it all around has a Bonham type of drum beat with a murky bass line. A typical Plant-solo rocker. A perfect single for the album, also the one most unlike the others.

Freedom Fries is a venomous attack on the situation in the middle east. Musically, they're attacking the Bendir to an off-beat guitar. As one reviewer put it, you'd need 3 legs to dance to this beat. The song is sung in a similar fashion as Tall Cool One, or the song that opens the Manic Nirvana album.

Tin Pan Valley is Plant's introspection and statement about staying young in his profession. Musically, like a cross between Pearl Jam's Faithfull (slow part) with The Who's keyboards from Eminence Front while Plant whispers along. Then the song explodes in the climax like the Wanton Song on steroids. Should silence all the people maintaining Robert's lost his voice.

All the Kings horses is a cross between Song to the Siren(Dreamland) and Going to Calif(Zep IV).

The Enchanter is an album highlight. Like a Pink Floyd song in many respects. So many things going on here. John Baggot's keys are a highlight. When the solo hits, the speakers all but jump off the ground. Seems like you hear something new during each listen. In the outtro, play it loud and on good speakers. The pounding bass is at such a low frequency, you hear things in the house/car shaking as opposed to hearing the actual bass.

Takamba is a rocker, plain and simple. This attack on Blair has shades of Black Dog and Nobody's Fault but mine. This song could have easily fit onto Zep's Presence album.

Dancing in Heaven is a soothing listen. Similar to an acoustic version to Dancing Days.

Somebody Knocking is classic. Using a myriad of Moroccan and Malaian instruments, mixed very well, has Plant singing his heart out like southern blues. Again, a classic experience on very high-end audio equipment.

Let the Four winds blow is a rocker and features the rhythm section. The drum/bass is punchy like a heavyweight on the large hanging bag.

Mighty Rearranger reminds me of early, pre-Machine Head Deep Purple. The beat reminds me of a kid skipping down the sidewalk and the guitar riff is vaguely reminiscent of How Many More Times(Zep 1). Includes Honky-Tonk piano and Harmonica.

Brother Ray is about a minute of chanting; a small tribute to Ray Charles. Then 16 seconds of silence pass, and the hidden track is a 7 minute techno remix of Shine it all around. Not even vaguely detectable as originating from Shine it all around; but is fun nevertheless.

In summary, this is a great album for anyone into good rock n roll. It reflects talent, wisdom and the openness to experiment with non traditional instruments, and incorporate them into good rock songs to make them better. I strongly recommend this album.

I have suggested in this very forum that it is mystifying to me that people will fork over huge sums of hard earned money to see a middle aged rock "star" whose last relevant music was decades old (hello Mick Jagger, how ya doin' Rod Stewart?). That sentiment certainly does not apply to Robert Plant. He has never released a truly bad album and this one ranks with his best. There is not a bum track on this disc, and "Tin Pan Valley" alone is worth the price of admission.

While there are other 60's and 70's heroes of mine who have aged gracefully (see e.g. Van Morrison), only Neil Young comes to mind as being able to rock as convincingly thirty plus years into a career. Here's to another decade of great music from arguably the best rock and roll voice of them all.

While his contemporaries are playing the oldies circuit and imitating their 25 year-old selves to sparse audiences that are doing the same, Robert Plant is still looking forward and taking chances. Robert is no longer trying to avoid his Zep past, like he was on his first few solo albums, and instead he is now applying his past accomplishments toward the advancement of his new music. The key point about this album is that Robert has once again allied himself with a talented young band, The Strange Sensation this time around, and the youngsters whip up a fascinating mixture of new age, worldbeat, and mature rock that is the perfect compliment to Robert's sublime voice and mystical lyrics. These guys manage to make a completely run-of-the-mill grunge riff sound exotic in "Shine It All Around," and deliver more surprises like desert-fried delta blues in "Somebody Knocking" and New Orleans R&B in "Mighty Rearranger." Other intriguing tracks like "Tin Pan Valley" and "Dancing in Heaven" really feel like believable modern updates of the folkier passages from the third through fifth Zeppelin records, and even the obligatory techno remix hidden at the end of the album somehow manages to mix Robert's past and future. All guys in their mid-fifties should be this full of wonder and ambition. [~doomsdayer520~]

I never thought I would ever hear a work that melds North African music with the blues quite so well as this album does. It's almost uncanny in its naturalistic approach to the diverse sounds of all the myriad of influences that have made Robert Plant what he is today. Not once does the blending sound forced at all; and that is what amazes me.

Often when musicians try to blend a diversity of sounds it may sound great, but you can still hear the seperation between the different types of music...this is simply not so on Mighty Rearranger. In fact I dare say that it is aptly named; it sounds like a brand new music yet at the same time it sounds like a music that has existed for ages. It's like comparing a patchwork quilt with a solid piece of cloth: the usual patchwork feel of an attempt to combine diverse influences is avoided and instead it just feels like one solid piece of perfect cloth.

It all comes down to three factors for me: Plant chose an amazing outfit to realize his vision. It must be kept in mind, above all things when listening to this disc, is that it is not so much a Plant solo effort as it is a collaberation. In fact, being so deeply familiar with all of Plant's solo material, I can tell you that this has him placed more as a memeber of an outfit than as a featured artist. These men work together in an almost surrealistic way. It's as though they had been playing for years together; each knows exactly what the requirements of the songs are and their musicianship is of the highest order. They really do sound that perfectly locked into place. The atmospheric keyboard work, the lush guitar arrangements, the soild and well-tempered kit drumming combined with the North African tar work all come together in a way so natural that you might be onclined to forget you're hearing such an array of influences. In fact, to the layman it would be nearly impossible to be able to pick and choose which sound comes from what place. It's interesting to hear a bendir work so tightly with a drumkit that one may not even be able to discern where bendir begins and drumkit ends. The beats are often in odd meters and slightly polyrhythmic, but never once sound forced. The guitar work takes blues into the desert in such a way that you might not even notice the semitonality placed effortlessly into the blues scales, and North African fingerstyles being used to play distinctly blues or rock riffs.


The second would be the simple and yet effective songwriting which lends itself easily to almost any format. It is certainly true that no matter how interesting or originally conceived an idea may be, without a good melody and singable lyrics not many people will want to listen for too long. I believe that Plant proved the adaptability of a good, simple and well-written song in the UnLedded days. This album carries that tradition into new directions.

The third is the sheer atmosphere of the whole thing. It is beautifully recorded. I dare say that even the most negative listener would still have to admit this album has a sound that really sets it apart from the crowd. The acoustic intruments sound full and very natural, and at times are electronically manipulated to create new and interestingly luch textures without sounding tacky. The electronic soundscapes are perfectly subdued and blend with the acoustic sounds much in the way that diverse musical influences come together. Again, this album is aptly titled.

Now my only disappointment to admit is that I don't feel all of the songs live up to a quality that makes me want to listen to them intently. Plant is certainly not resting on his laurels, but I couldn't help but feel from time to time like Robert was just simply sounding like Robert. Now as a fellow musician I hate faulting people so do not assume that is what I am doing. In fact, I often get very upset whenever someone uses this website just to say they don't like something and so no one else should give it a chance. (I personally don't like peanut butter.) Everything is a matter of personal taste. I just personally don't like the usual blues-rock sound, and so a good deal of material on this disc just doesn't do it for me personally. But you might love it; and I wouldn't blame you. It's quality material. Give it a listen.

I don't know how to describe the music on this album - and that is the gist of my review. While many elements of everything from blues to trip-hop to Zep riffs and everything in between keeps popping up, I kept telling myself that in this day where SO MUCH current music sounds the same, this is almost like something I've never really heard before (and so much different, AND better, than "Dreamland", in my opinion). Yet, the songs are always catchy in the composition department, while being loose and free-formish at the same time. Wow - what an album of contrasts! Additionally, Robert's voice, which I thought had begun to wear out years ago, is in top form, oftentimes almost playing the role of another instrument than simply a delivery vehicle for the lyrics. Great album, from an artist that can still put so many of today's "hot alternative buzz bands" to shame!

This...is...the album...I've been waiting for. Unbelievable! Totally takes you on a journey! Whom ever says otherwise is stuck in past and has no taste whatsoever. I had a little preview of these songs when I went to see him at the House Of Blues a couple months ago and I couldn't wait for it to hit the stores. "Tin Pan Valley" is a classic Zeppelin-like song. Amazing! Turn the volume up, MUST be played loud! Personally I love the Delta Blues/North African sound on this album. I can't get enough of it. Enjoy...and remember...PLAY LOUD!!! If you don't, don't bother playing it.

I agree with most of the reviewers here that this is the finest solo release of Robert's career. I did really like dreamland, so I knew I would also like rearranger, but holy smokes, this is a sonic assault on the senses. There is not a bad track on this record. From sonic bombast (and I do mean BOMBAST) to psychadelic instumental breaks, this record has everything. Congrats to Mr. Plant for not resting on his laurels,but challenging his audience...ala. Neil Young. Also this is a great sound mix on this disc. It feels like the music is jumping out of the speakers at you.Best release of the year, hands down. Go buy it. You will not be dissapointed.

I'm getting older and so are my favorites. There are only a few of today's newer artists (not from the 60' or 70's) that I might spend money on (Black Crowes, Sheryl Crow) so I look for new or rare albums by my favorites. I also look for albums I may have overlooked when I was younger.

With Mighty ReArranger I think it's the best new rock album I have heard in years. I have never been too crazy about Robert Plant solo works but this is one that really shocked me. I love it.

Plant's vocals and band are terrific. There is enough guitar to make me happy and plenty of 'light and shade' which I love. This could have been a Zeppelin album.

Hving been a Plant fan since his early Zep days, i can tell you this album is a true gem. All the songs are equally amazing and the true rock sound is here once again! Rock on RObert!

For those of you who have been and always will be a Robert Plant fan, this is the CD for you to play everyday. The vocals and arrangements are excellent. On Tin Pan Valley you get to hear that awesome Plant Wail. I'll make it simple this a completely fantastic CD, Robert still totally has it.