Robert Plant and Alison Krauss - Raising Sand [Vinyl-180g]

Robert Plant/Alison Krauss - Raising Sand - 180 Gram Audiophile Virgin Vinyl LP - 2nd release!



Posted By : bh80231 | Date : 25 Mar 2010 02:15:49 |

Vinyl rip in 24-bit/96kHz | FLAC | 1.22 gb

Artwork | Bluegrass, Folk | 2009



Robert Plant and Alison Krauss Raising Sand on 180g 2LP Set



Raising Sand Sweeps 2009 Grammys by Winning 6 Awards, Including Record of the Year



Completely Re-Done with Oversight by Producer T Bone Burnett. This New Version is AMAZING! Do Not Miss This Release!



For Alison Krauss, musical collaboration has been a way of life. Her latest musical collaboration, Raising Sand, is an astonishing album recorded in tandem with rock vocalist and songwriter Robert Plant. Raising Sand is their first recorded endeavor, and will prove revelatory to fans and the media on two counts: first that it happened at all, and, more importantly, that it is as successful and illuminating as it is.



From its embryonic, conceptual stages - well before any music materialized - the mere idea of Raising Sand held infinite fascination for both its creators and those around them. As word spread of an impending musical collaboration between Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, imaginations ran wild. Two artists, each at the pinnacle of their respective pantheons, Robert and Alison have seemingly little in common. But just below the surface, an elemental understanding flowed between them, waiting to be tapped...



Under the careful sonic stewardship of producer T Bone Burnett, Raising Sand is pitched three steps beyond some cosmic collision of early urban blues, spacious West Texas country, and the unrealized potential of the folk-rock revolution. Shockingly evocative, it is an album that uncovers popular music's elemental roots while sounding effortlessly, breathtakingly modern. Despite hailing from distinctly different backgrounds, Plant and Krauss share a maverick spirit and willingness to extend the boundaries of their respective genres. Raising Sand finds Plant and Krauss functioning as sympathetic equals: creating a powerful new sound from both their common musical ground and their unrivaled sense of empathy. Optimized for vinyl release by T Bone Burnett. - musicdirectFollowing what can only be described as surprisingly high sales and an immensely successful supporting tour, Rounder Records has issued a second vinyl pressing of Robert Plant and Alison Krauss' 2007 release, Raising Sand.



This Grammy-winning effort from the unlikely pairing of a folk/bluegrass star with the former Zeppelin frontman resulted in much more than the two singing duets together--and at their best, they mesh together so well that their voices almost sound like one. The material on the record is also varied, showcasing bluegrass, country, blues, and even a hint of rock and roll.



Despite my appreciation for the vocal talents of Krauss, both live and in the studio, I find the duets with Plant to be more compelling than are the Krauss-led numbers. Highlights of the disc include a re-working of the 1955 song, Rich Woman, a mid-tempo number steeped in the delta blues. In Gone, Gone, Gone (Done, Moved On) and Please Read the Letter, both duets with Krauss, Plant recalls his roots and peppers his vocal delivery with Zeppelinesque flourishes. And listen to the ballad, Stick with me Baby, for what perhaps best captures the duo's voices sweetly melding into one.



Quickly going out of print last year, the vinyl edition of this record began to routinely sell on Ebay for many times the initial selling price, despite complaints of pressing defects and noisy vinyl following its release. With the second pressing, veteran mastering and cutting engineer Kevin Gray replaced Ron McMaster and the pressing was done at Gray's own RTI facility in Camarillo, California.



If you were disappointed with a noisy first pressing or were hesitant to buy one, the second pressing appears to have no such issues. The two-disc, 180 gram set arrived clean, and flat as a pancake and is among the quietest sounding vinyl I have recently acquired. The gatefold cover includes the full lyrics and production credits. Produced by T Bone Burnett, this vinyl edition includes a sticker indicating that it was optimized for vinyl release by T Bone Burnett.



The sonics are above average for a modern-day release. Voices are well-articulated, though not quite captured with the holographic quality heard on Krauss' efforts with Union Station. Individual instruments are also fairly well deliniated, with a decent left to right soundstage, but without much depth of field. The bass has a tendency to sound boomy and undefined on a majority of the tracks. Although I have not fully compared the cd, this boominess seems to be present to an even larger degree on the cd, and I suspect it is primarily a product of the recording as opposed to being created by the mastering.



Any disappointment in this release really stems from what this recording could have been. This kind of small ensemble, primarily acoustic music, in this author's view, is ripe for the sort of production that results in the full, deep soundstage and intimate "in the room" ambiance that audiophiles crave. But, by going with a more murky, swamp-like production style, Burnett obviously had something else in mind--and who am I to question that decision? While the sound quality may fall short of being an audiophile experience, this is likely a situation where the vinyl is the best it will get and we will just need to accept it for what it is.



This is one of those records that might challenge you to expand your musical horizons. In particular, if you're a fan of Zeppelin or Plant, but don't necessarily like bluegrass or folk music, this could be a bit of a stretch--and if you're like me, you'll probably prefer the duets and Plant-led vocals over the numbers with Krauss on lead. Nonetheless, even the most ardent rockers will likely find that something on this record draws them in--and Plant hasn't been in such fine voice in years. -myvinylreview.blogspotTRACKLIST



Side One:

1. Rich Woman 4:04

2. Killing the Blues 4:16

3. Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us 3:26

4. Polly Come Home 5:36



Side Two:

5. Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On) 3:33

6. Through the Morning, Through the Night 4:01

7. Please Read the Letter 5:53



Side Three:

8. Trampled Rose 5:34

9. Fortune Teller 4:30

10. Stick With Me Baby 2:50



Side Four:

11. Nothin' 5:33

12. Let Your Loss Be Your Lesson 4:02

13. Your Long Journey 3:55



Technical log

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