A HUGE Glastonbury set in the summer has proved that 66 year old Rob has still got it. So the next logical step for the former Zeppelin frontman was to release a new album and announce a string of European shows

Plant has been in the transition from rock to folk for some time now, but this isn’t your typical Mumford and Sons shit. No, it’s much more than that, the only way that it can be described is that it’s a mix of dark, psychedelic, folk which goes hand in hand with Plants mesmerizingly husky vocals.

Zeppelin fans will not be disappointed with the former frontman’s newest solo work, it is a far throw from the Led Zeppelin catalogue and even his earlier solo work like ‘Pictures At Eleven’ but it’s still jam packed with riffy guitars and real prominent bass lines. The album is effortless with a real raw sound to it, which is what makes it very endearing and also mirrors the traits of Plants live performances.

The album is a huge contrast to the majority of Plants musical catalogue over the year and his work with the international shape shifters, over the past few years has really shown off his versatility as an artist. All of the new sounds that he’s introducing are a huge breath of fresh air whilst the stripped back feel of it really works well, There are three tracks which really stand out:

Arbaden (Maggie’s Baby)

I really wish that he had used this as the opening track because at the start, you really don’t know what to expect. Then all of a sudden, it launches into a melody of distorted vocals, which really give it its psychedelic edge, in conjunction with a strong melodic bass-line which draws your attention in from the very first note. But the icing on the cake really is the blues-like guitar riffs that really bring a bit of the old Zeppelin sound into the album.

House of Love.

This is one of the songs with a thicker texture, it still has its folk feel to it, but it’s also got a combination of strings and page-like guitar. In terms of vocals, it’s definitely one of the most interesting songs on the album. You don’t hear the old high screeches that he is so well known for, but he still hits those high notes effortlessly, this song really gives him the chance to show off his range. The track also has a great solo, which sounds like its being played with a bottle neck, which helps tie in the folky element.

A Stolen Kiss.

This is the one song that steers away from the folk sound. It’s composed of mainly, piano and voice and is one of the more intimate moments on the album, it is literally oozing with passion, and that is something that is prominent in the vocals especially. You can really hear it. Yet again, this is such a good opportunity for Plant to show that he’s still got it. This track is definitely one of the strongest, if not the strongest track lyrically, on the album.

@abbilennon.