Yeah, I now know this one’s been out for almost half the year. I was not aware of it and most of my fellow area Zep/Plant worshipping buddies also missed it somehow. Could this have something to do with it being on an indie label? Not sure, but with this kind of creativity you would not expect the majors to fight over it. But, shit on shinola, this fucking Robert Plant for Chissakes! For how artsy this release appears to be, “Mighty ReArranger” is fairly accessible. He also gave his current group an actual name so you know he must be pretty damn excited about it. I guess the record-buying public may feel differently, but who cares what they think anyways! Let them buy the new STAIND for all I care! Their loss. Maybe it’s our loss to, because his tour only hit two US cities in September.

“Another Tribe” kicks the album off in style with acoustic guitar, tribal drums, distorted bass, and eerie Mellotron-like strings. Off to a good start, for sure. “Shine it All Around” rocks pretty hard with a backwards-electric piano for maximum atmosphere. Plant is really a master in combining atmosphere, style, and substance. “Freedom Fries” has drums that pound so hard it sounds like “Poor Tom” on steroids. “Tin Pan Alley” features techno- synths and no drum machines to ruin it. The song has a super-heavy chorus that does make one pray to the Hammer of the Gods. In other words, it’s heavy as fuck all and not unlike some of the better moments of ‘93’s “Fate of Nations”! “The Enchanter” is a blend of blues, traditional eastern instruments and those techno synths again. “Dancing in Heaven” has laid-back feel, with its jazzy drumming. “Somebody Knocking” is a mostly acoustic piece that takes the listener back to Zep 3. Both “Let the Four Winds Blow” and the title track hit the blues rock thing quite hard, with a pleasant sparseness not found on many Zep recordings. In the hidden part of the last track “Brother Ray”, Plant goes fully techno (and it’s not so bad). The drum machines are augmented by the occasional swing tom-toms. David Bowie, Bill Nelson, Jeff Beck and various other rock alumni have had their stab at drum and bass with varying degrees of success. Plant’s stab at it is admirable although I am kind of glad he kept it down to one song.

This record really somewhat remedies those who keep hungering for the constantly rumored LED ZEP reunion. I am not gonna sweat it and I don’t think I have an extra hundred (or three) to attend such an event anyways. This, coming from a guy who listens to “Presence” at least once a week. It would be nice to see Plant onstage with this group. “Mighty ReArranger” is every bit as satisfying a listen as John Paul Jones' “The Thunderthief” from 2002. Most of you may remember Jones gave Plant a creative sucker punch in 1993 with his Diamanda Galas collaboration. Not that the aforementioned “Fate of Nations” was not great piece of music but…

- Herring

OFFICIAL SITE: www.robertplant.com

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