Robert
Plant: Album Review - "Carry Fire"
The
voice that launched ten million singers, carries a wiser man that still sings with
the spirit of youth. Robert Plant just released his new album called “Carry
Fire” on Oct 13th, 2017 on Nonesuch/Warner Bros. Records…and indeed,
the fire still burns in Robert Plant’s poetically passionate lyrics delivered
perfectly by a cast of great musicians and the wide range of Plant’s creative
voice.
Robert
Plant has created a very memorable Album, as “Carry Fire” will do just that,
and for a very long time. A solid high five from the Minstral Show!
My
passion for good music compelled me to write a review of Robert Plant’s new
album “Carry Fire”, but also because I love poetry, and I have to say the depth
of the lyrics on this album really struck me, so I just had to do it.
The lyrics are provided
after each song with a full playlist of the album at the end of the review for
streaming purposes. Be sure to subscribe to Robert Plants Official website and
/ or his Facebook, YouTube and Twitter pages to keep up to date with
music, tours and everything else.
First,
a little about Robert Plant and what he’s been up to:
Robert
Plant made his first commercial recordings in 1966. In 1967, he had also formed
a group called the Band of Joy, with drummer John Bonham. Soon, Bonham, Plant,
guitarist Jimmy Page, and bassist John Paul Jones assembled to become The New
Yardbirds which became Led Zeppelin. The Led Zeppelin era ended in 1980 when
John Bonham died. Since that time, Plant has put his wide-ranging musical
fascination to good use on solo albums, with Jimmy Page, and in recordings with
bands like The Honeydrippers, Priory of Brion, and Strange Sensation. His
performances have reflected his embrace of West Coast psychedelic rock, roots
blues, African music, and traditional folk.
Before
his recent projects in Nashville with Alison Krauss and Band of Joy, Plant
worked alongside the very interesting force, “Strange Sensation”, recording the
critically acclaimed, multi-Grammy nominated albums – “Dreamland” and “Mighty
Rearranger”. From this platform, Sensational Space Shifters has developed. Now
together these confederates and conspirators dig deeper and more intensely,
always twisting and turning, bringing the past into a brilliant technicolour
present. It is impressive company:
Band Members:
Robert Plant – Vocals,
Production
John Baggott - Keyboards,
Moog, Loops, Percussion, Drums, Bass arrangement, T’Bal, Snare Drum, Slide
Guitar, Piano, Electric Piano, Bendir
Justin Adams – Guitar,
Acoustic Guitar, Oud, E-Bow Quartet, percussion, Snare Drum, Tambourine
Billy Fuller – Bass,
Keyboards, Drum Programming
Liam “Skin” Tyson – Dobro, Guitar,
Acoustic Guitar, Pedal Steel, 12 String
Dave Smith – Bendir,
Tambourine, Djembe, Drum Kit
Guests on “Carry
Fire”
Richard ashton – Drums on “Bluebirds
Over the Mountain”
Redi Hasa – Cello on “A Way
with Words”, “Carry Fire”, “Bluebirds Over the Mountain”
Chrissie Hynde – Vocals on “Bluebirds
Over the Mountain”
Seth Lakeman – Viola on “The
May Queen”, “Carry Fire”, “Bluebirds Over the Mountain”
Robert Plant –
“Carry Fire” - Album Review
SONGS
01
The May Queen
02
New World...
03
Season's Song
04
Dance With You Tonight
05
Carving Up the World Again...a wall and not a fence
06
A Way With Words
07
Carry Fire
08
Bones of Saints
09
Keep It Hid
10
Bluebirds Over the Mountain
11
Heaven Sent
Song # 01: The May
Queen:
(Plant, Adams, Baggott, Fuller Tyson)
“The
May Queen” starts off with a tease and then the royal show begins with an
acoustic wall of sound carried by a beat that then turns into a golden voice
from the past. The opening track of the “Carry Fire” album “The May Queen” is
an energetic and captivating song from the first note to the last. A song well
received that is unmistakably a classic tune that reminds of earlier days with
Led Zeppelin. “The May Queen” is a Fantastic song, long anticipated by fans
around the World.
Lay
down in sweet surrender
Your
love so warm and tender
Inside
my waves are breaking
Oh!
Light of my salvation
Oh,
my waves are breaking now
I'm
seeking love and glory just like I always do
The
bosom of the freedom I very rarely choose
Out
here the fire's still burning
Still
captive and still yearning
Surrender
to your light...
A
heart that never falters
The
dimming of my light...
The
dimming of my light...
The
dimming of my light...
The
dimming of my light...
The
dimming of my light...
(Plant, Baggott,
Fuller, Smith, Tyson)
“New
World” is a cleverly worded song about hypocrisy and conflict…A very important
song with a sobering conscious message. Both my thumbs are up for this song in
its lyrical meaning and its musical content.
On
yet another virgin shore
Out
here the immigrant takes all
Across
the plains and over mountains
Put
flight to all who came before
they're
barely human, It's time to move them
Let
them kneel before the sword
Educate
the "noble savage"
The
great white father's word is law
Subjugate
them to liberate them
The
poison pen the bloody sword.
SONG # 03:
Season’s Song:
(Plant, Adams,
Baggott, Fuller Tyson)
A
very poetic song that speaks of life and love; written and sung with a longing
passion and empathy for one lost, and yet held immortal within.
Oh
my love, what is there left to do
The
youth that slept inside me
ran
away when I found you…
Oh
my love, what is there to be done
My
senses have escaped me,
There’s
snow upon the hill…
of
summer’s slow farewell…
Who
stole the pretty songbird/
Who
no longer for me sings…
Of
peace along the wayside
Oh
my love when all is said and done…
I
hear the sounds of heaven in
your
wondrous season’s song…
SONG # 04: Dance
with You Tonight:
(Plant, Adams,
Baggott, Fuller, Smith Tyson)
The
love and spotlight of days gone by will never truly be gone while memory is
sung from the heart. “Dance with You Tonight” is a poetic dance with youth,
love and memory, in eternity. Simply wonderful.
Lyrics: Dance with
You Tonight
And
now the carnival is over
Someone
turned out the light
Our
fields of plenty filled with clover
So
long ago and out of sight
This
little light that keeps on shining
All
through the darkness through the night
That
ever more will keep reminding
The
road is long the flame is bright
And
if there's one more time I can dance with you
Let
me dance with you tonight
Maybe
the last chance our hearts
Will
dance into the lovers night
Out
in the land of never ending
The
rich parade the roar of life
We
shared a world forever changing
Through
dancing days and wondrous nights
I
offered up the secret places
Reveal
the magic of the land
All
bound by blood and lipstick traces
Till
time conspired to steal our crown
And
if there's one more time I can dance with you
Let
me dance with you tonight
Maybe
the last chance our hearts
Will
dance into the lovers night
And
if there's one more time I can dance with you
Let
me dance with you tonight
Maybe
the last chance our hearts
Will
dance into the lovers night
Come
on and dance another mile
Come
on and wear your late, late smile
The
flame still burning bright
Across
the days. Across the years
If
there's one more, only one more
Come,
come, come on and dance with
Me
baby make me feel alright
If
there's one more, only one more
Come,
come, come on and dance with
Me
baby make me feel alright
SONG # 05: Carving
Up the World Again...a wall and not a fence: (Plant,
Adams, Baggott, Fuller, Smith)
“Carving
up the World Again…a Wall not a Fence” is Political poetry sung by the master.
Robert Plant reaches down into the depths of political hubris and pulls out the
truth in a heart beating rhythm that paints a picture of what drives our world.
Two thumbs up from this humanitarian activist. 😉
Lyrics: Carving Up
the World Again...a wall and not a fence
The
Russians, the Americans, the British and the French
They're
carving up the world again, it's getting kind of tense
A
whole lotta posture and very little sense
It's
no surprise they hide behind a wall and not a fence
The
Irish and the English and the Scottish and the Welsh
A
damp and misty history they keep it to themselves
All
lost in dark antiquity and smouldering descent
Invisible
divisions "behind a wall and not a fence"
Trouble
at the border. In the eleventh hour
Ditch
and wire and palisade in the line of fire
Call
up the cavalry and double up the guard
Preparing
for catastrophe inside the house of cards
In
China they got worried they built themselves a wall
They
built it big and long and tall. To keep away the hoard
A
hundred years of blood and toil. A million lives expend
The
steely grip of dynasty "behind a wall and not a fence"
Trouble
at the border. In the eleventh hour
Ditch
and wire and palisade in the line of fire
Call
up the cavalry and double up the guard
Preparing
for catastrophe inside the house of cards
Trouble
at the border. In the eleventh hour
Ditch
and wire and palisade in the line of fire
Call
up the cavalry and double up the guard
Preparing
for catastrophe inside the house of cards
Emperors
and Sultans, Kings and Presidents
Dictators
and ambassadors engaged in our defence
A
lifetime of great service, of selfless good intent
Guaranteed
immunity "behind a wall and not a fence"
Trouble
at the border. In the eleventh hour
Ditch
and wire and palisade in the line of fire
Call
up the cavalry and double up the guard
Preparing
for catastrophe inside the house of cards
Trouble
at the border. In the eleventh hour
Ditch
and wire and palisade in the line of fire
Call
up the cavalry and double up the guard
Preparing
for catastrophe inside the house of cards
SONG # 06: A Way
With Words:
(Plant, Adams,
Baggott)
Robert
Plant delivers a Hauntingly Beautiful blues number of return, in his “A Way of Words”…it’s
hard not to recognize the talented voice that graced the passionate Led Zeppelin
songs from earlier days. A very well received song that holds reflection,
forgiveness and understanding.
For
just as long as it takes
Waiting
for the weather to break
Many
times I fell from grace
Once
again our world will change
Across
the miles I find you
Reaching
for your sweet embrace
Hit
beyond your world I wait
Is
your heart still warm?
A
little flame, a special place
And
once again our world will change
Crossing
miles to find you
All
we built but falling down
Holding
you and hit the ground
Blaming
tears, the lonesome sound
Hopes
and tears will burn the ground
Across
the miles I find you
I'm
back again, back again
I'm
reaching out to find you
'Cause
I'm back, I'm back, I'm back, I'm back, I'm back
Song # 07: Carry
Fire:
(Plant, Adams,
Baggott, Fuller, Smith, Tyson)
The
vocals and music of the title track “Carry Fire” are simply brilliant! Robert
Plant’s voice breaths life and passion into the song which carries an
infectious Middle Eastern dream-like mystique. The song is very hypnotic that effortlessly
gathers the imagination and consciousness into a Trance. “Carry Fire” does just
that, like a voice calling from across the distance of time to launch a million
poets. The vocals and music are simply brilliant!
Inside
your promised land
That
turned me inside out
And
turned me upside down
I
feel the gathering years
Beyond
these lonely wastes
SONG #08: Bones of
Saints:
(Plant, Adams, Fuller,
Smith, Tyson)
Outspoken,
poetic and not afraid to say how things are in the World, Robert Plant
expresses the madness that has gripped the world, as it always has, on the “Bones
of Saints”. I love the play on words here. There is so much depth and truth in
the lyrics as so much is said in very few words. A solid rock tune through and
through. Both thumbs up again. 😉
They're
loading up the ships
They're
loading up the planes
There's
madness in the sky
Above
the bones of saints
Now
everything is burning
There's
a fire up in the sky
And
I said, no no no no no no no no no
We're
up against the bench
While
all the walls fall down
I
hear the children scream
And
that's the leading question
Where
all the money comes
I'll
say who makes the bullets
If
you tell me who sells the guns
And
I said, no no no no no no no no no
No
no no no no no no no no
And
the wheels go round and round
When
the best fair deals come down
And
the wheels go round and round
When
the best fair deals come down
No
no no no no no no no no
No
no no no no no no no no
SONG # 09: Keep It
Hid:
(Plant, Adams,
Baggott)
“Keep
it Hid” is an infectious funky electro Blues number driven by Robert Plants iconic
voice, a percussion backdrop and buffet of tasty music pieces delivered in a
nicely crafted package.
What
you gonna do when it's cold outside?
And
who'll keep you warm when the sun won't shine?
And
who you gonna call when the day is done?
And
who you gonna rock when your man has gone?
Now
baby take the wine from the loving cup
Mamma,
take your time, don't you spill a drop
Fine
little mamma, let me be your kid
Keep
it to yourself, baby keep it hid
To
yourself, baby keep it hid
Keep
it to yourself, baby keep it hid
To
yourself, baby keep it hid
Baby
takes her time, likes to walk by the sea
She's
got some trouble in mind, life in a minor key
At
the end of the world when the sun comes up
There's
a silver key and a golden cup
Silver
key and a golden cup
Silver
key and a golden cup
Silver
key and a golden cup
Silver
key and a golden cup
Silver
key and a golden cup
SONG # 10:
Bluebirds Over the Mountain:
(Ernest Hickey)
“Bluebirds
Over the Mountain” is a remake of Rockabilly singer Ersel Hickey’s song
featuring a feast of music delicacies to make your soul dance including the amazing
Cello work of Redi Hasa, the drums of Richard Ashton and the vocals of Chrissie
Hynde, and Seth Lakeman.
Lyrics: Bluebirds
Over the Mountain
"Bluebirds
Over The Mountain"
Bluebirds
over the mountain, seagulls over the sea
Bluebirds
over the mountain, bring my baby back to me
Boy
and girl they fell in love, each was like the hands above
He
looked in the eyes of blue, she vowed to him that she'd be true
Bluebirds
over the mountain, seagulls over the sea
Bluebirds
over the mountain, bring my baby back to me
I
miss you, oh, can't you see? You're the only one for me
Since
you've gone, I'm all alone, c'mon, baby, come back home
Bluebirds
over the mountain, seagulls over the sea
Bluebirds
over the mountain, come on and bring my baby back to me
SONG # 11: Heaven
Sent:
(Plant, Adams,
Baggott, Fuller, Smith, Tyson)
“Heaven Sent” casts a mysterious ambience, held by the vision of an
angel at the gates who’s lost his immortality. A very good experimental composition that
borders on Progressive rock with a hint of psychedelia to enhance the mystique
and ambience of the song. “Heaven sent” is another poetic reflection for all of us to ponder and was well chosen to close out a very poetic and reflective album that surely does
“Carry Fire.”
Carry Fire receives a 5 on 5, Full marks from the Minstral Show
There's
an angel at the gate singing
A
stolen kiss, a fall from grace, singing out
He's
heaven sent, he feeds the flame of everlasting love
His
empire falls, his spell will break
Once
cast aside, his song awakes
He's
heaven sent, he rides the waves of freedom's golden flood
Now
shadows fall, the hour is late
Still
hear your song, but time won't wait
Once
heaven sent above the world
All
that's worth the doing
All
that's worth the winning
All
that's worth the doing
All
that's worth the winning
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