Robert Plant
“Dreamland”
(Universal)
“Dreamland,” in contrast to Robert’s eighties hit “Tall Cool One”, is a humble album full of musical self introspection by way of covering other musicians’ songs, some of the covers are originally by Plant’s contemporaries like Bob Dylan. Robert is backed up by a diverse group of performers including ex-Cure guitarist Porl Thompson. Robert’s legendary vocal chords are still very much under his own power but gone are the long wails and youthful hyperbole. One can’t help being a bit taken with this album for its modest laid back approach. In its own way it feels like Robert is striding forward by not cannibalizing his past but by trying to understand the past of other popular music that was side lined by his devotion to and all the hoopla surrounding Led Zeppelin. Gone is Jimmy page and gone is the grotesquerie of attempting to recapture his past. This subtle and quiet album is welcomed in an age of noise and teenage masturbatory pre-packaged rebellion. The well-worn thoughtfulness of age heard in Plant’s careful yet energetic vocals might be able to teach the current glut of young musical dudes out there that there’s more to life than foaming at the genitals and walking the stage like a moody runway model exhibiting this years tattoo fashions.
