Robert Plant: Band of Joy

"'I suddenly felt very free and liberated,' Mr. Plant said. ... Inspired by this emotion, and by the remarkable set of musicians he was working with ... Mr. Plant decided to title [his] new album 'Band of Joy,' after the group in which he and the drummer John Bonham played before the formation of Led Zeppelin in 1968. ... On paper 'Band of Joy' might sound a bit like a return to familiar territory, but the performances are consistently surprising. 'You Can’t Buy My Love' is a finger-popping back-porch rocker, while 'The Only Sound That Matters' offers an introspective meditation on love’s complications. Between the caliber of the musicians, the ambitious material, and Mr. Plant’s vocals (his signature banshee wail has modulated to a more weathered, expressive attack, which [guitarist and co-producer Buddy] Miller compared to jazz singing), the album — true to its title — genuinely feels like a band effort" (Alan Light, "With a Nod to His Past, Plant Moves On Again," New York Times, 9/5/10).
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