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Review No: 275
Added 5th May 2006

Musicians

Robert Plant: Vocals and Harmonica

John Baggott: Keyboards, Electronica, Moog bass

Clive Deamer: Drums, Bendia

Justin Adams: Electric Guitars, Lap Steel, Bendia, Tehardant, Bass

Skin Tyson: Acoustic and Electric Guitar, Lap Steel, Bass

And Introducing Billy Fuller: Electric and Double Bass

At last after twelve studio albums (including two special collectors editions for fan club members only) since the break up of the world’s greatest rock ‘n’ roll band, Led Zeppelin, after the tragic death of drummer John Bonham, Robert Plant has released an album that stands up to the work of his illustrious previous band. The Mighty Rearranger is a mighty album which should be included in any record collection of people that like serious rock.

There are many mitigating circumstances why Robert Plant has made such a successful return to the scene. Firstly, on this collection of works Robert Plant has not been afraid to admit his history, and influences. I am not for a moment suggesting that he has gone out and tried to create an album that sounds like a new Led Zeppelin album, but on the other hand he has not allowed them to stand in the way either. Quite naturally Robert Plant was the lead singer and one of the main songwriters within Led Zeppelin, so of course there are moments which are very Zepplenish, but so what? There are also many other influences on the album: Robert Plant’s fanaticism with Moroccan music is heard, with a lot of use of modern technology to give each song a very up to date sheen. There is of course a lot of purely original Robert Plant in there to.

But most importantly, although this album will be known as the new Robert Plant CD, it’s actually credited to Robert Plant and The Strange Sensation, and the boys in the band have made no small contribution to the album.

After the demise of Robert Plant’s previous band ‘Priory Of Brion’ in 2001, he wasted no time getting a new band together calling them ‘Strange Sensation’. Now the nucleus of the band has been together for over four years, and they are as tight as the All Blacks back row. Little idea was given of how successful a union this was going to be when they released their first album together, the quite frankly appalling ‘Dreamland’ (2002), a collection of hurriedly put together cover versions that lacked any soul or direction.

Songs

Another Tribe
Shine It All Around
Freedom Fries
Tin Pan Valley
All The Kings Horses
The Enchanter
Takamba
Dancing In Heaven
Somebody Knocking
Let The Four Winds Blow. Mighty Rearranger
Brother Ray

But after almost two hundred concerts as a band this has already been put behind them. All twelve songs on the album are originals, with thankfully not a cover version in sight. The writing, conceiving and creating of each song is credited equally amongst the band; so is the mixing, recording and producing. So for the first time since his Zeppelin days Robert Plant finds himself in more of a band situation, and if this is the result long may it continue. Not one note is wasted here. The dual guitars of Skin Tyson and Justin Adams weave in and out of each song providing the necessary textures.

For those of you missing the old rock ‘n’ roll thunder of the Zeppelin days you will not be disappointed by the bluster of ‘Tin Pan Valley’ or the title track. In fact any song on this collection could have fit into the Led Zeppelin catalogue.

Clive Deamer has the impossible job of no matter how much time has past, John Bonham left huge footprints to follow in when you are drumming for an ex-Zeppelin man, but instead of avoiding the issue this very talented skinsman meets the problem head on. If a song requires some percussion that resembles the style of the great man, then that is what the song gets. There is no use being coy about it, the job has to be done, and I’m sure the great man himself would have approved of the job done here by Clive Dreamer. Although, of course, for most of the time he just sounds like the very good musician that he is.

John Baggott plays all the keyboards and is the man probably the most responsible for giving this album it’s cohesion, setting up a wall of intricate keyboards and allowing the guitars and Robert Plant’s vocals to sparkle over the top.

The find of the album, though, is the bass playing abilities of a certain Billy Fuller, who is such a unique bass player that I would go as far as to say he has created a completely new way of playing the four string. His work can be heard all the way through the album, but is at it’s most prominent best during second song, and first single off the album, ‘Shine It All Around’ where he achieves a bass sound that can only be described as filthy. He is even allowed enough space for a short solo.

Unfortunately, due to all musicians having such tight schedules these days, well the good ones anyway, since the recording of this album there have been two changes to the Strange Sensations line up: Billy Fuller moving on up the rock ‘n’ roll family tree to be replaced by Robert Plant’s old cohort Charlie Jones, and Skin Tyson being replaced by Porl Thompson, who had played with Page and Plant on their reunion tour. It’s a pretty fair swap in both cases I feel.

This must not of course take the focus of attention away from the main man himself, Mr Robert Plant, aka Percy to his friends (a reference to his affection for gardening and Percy Thrower, the man behind the gardening programmes on the British Broadcasting Television network. Led Zeppelin’s gardening exploits whilst on the road are nearly as well documented as their music). Robert Plant is now in his sixth decade, and although he can still belt out a rocker with the best of them, he uses the new maturity in his voice, that only comes with the accumulation of years, to full effect. He’s not kidding when on ‘Shine It All Around’ he sings “These are the best days of my life/Bright, strong and golden’, or perhaps more tellingly on ‘Tin Pan Valley,’ showing his new re-found confidence and comfort with the past. “I come from Tin Pan Valley, and I’m moving right along/I live in a former glory, so long ago and gone/I’m turning down the talk shows, the humour and the couch /I’m moving onto higher ground, I’ve found a new way out.”

Mighty Rearranger brings out all the best nuances of the Plant vocal chords using all his middle eastern phrasing, other worldly voices, soft blues accents, gorgeous psychedelic swooshes, and the customized heavy rock roar, plus, as an extra bonus, there is some devilish harmonica playing during the title track.

‘Brother Ray’ was a late addition to the album, giving us a genuine heartfelt tribute to the great Ray Charles, starting out with some great barrelhouse piano before leading into the main body of the song. So don’t click your CD off as there is a ten second gap between sections, where the band get into something much more modern.

The Mighty Rearranger does not miss a trick. Not only does it have great impact upon first listening, but it also grows on you more and more after each new listening. If you have been put off the solo work from Led Zeppelin’s old singer with his previous dabbling with such diverse musical styles as doo-wop, synth pop, and even bass and drums, give ‘Mighty Rearranger’ a try. If you enjoy class you will enjoy this.

Mott the Dog resides at Jameson's the Irish Pub