Robert Plant
Carry Fire
(Warner Music Canada)
2.5/5
Robert Plant’s Carry Fire is a really good blend of light rock and sad, heartfelt ballads. At least “May Queen” and “New World” fit those bills. After that, the album is a genre jumble, alternating between tribal chants, world-music-influenced string and drum work, and Plant’s glass-like voice, which still has a raspy quality lingering behind it; it must be said that his voice has stood against the aging process well, unlike some of the other vocal greats from his era.
“A Way with Words” gives depth to the album with its slow, patient, grieving composition. “Bones Of Saints” picks Carry Fire up, and just when I thought the album was going to finish strong, the last three tracks are a weird blend of almost-techno-rock, half-assed metal, and a sombre, quiet sound.
It sounds like Plant couldn’t decide what he was feeling when he was writing this album, but there are some really creative artistic moments hidden among the brambles here.