Robert Plant new album "Carry Fire" on Nonesuch/Warner (10/13/2017)*

Damn, I love Shaken. It's Robert's Talking heads lp. Ritchie Heywood is fantastic.

 

I have to agree, just listened to my vinyl copy, and it sounds great. Seems to me that you really need the LP to appreciate this release.

 

Great. Sounds like talking to a therapist

 

It's also an incredible sounding album from a fidelity standpoint, really well recorded. When this album came out, it was a shock. However, it grew on me and became a personal favorite. However, even when I was in shock and awe over Roberts musical style, there was never any question that Robert was in fantastic voice - that struck me immediately. Oooooooooh YES, Ya Brakin Ma Heart!!!!

 

Yes! He has one of the most consistent outputs of anyone out there! If you love Raising Sand you will definitely be interested in Band Of Joy, but as I stated, there really isn't a clunker in the bunch.

 

I think 'Now and Zen' and 'Manic Nirvana' are a bit weak, though there are still a few excellent songs on them 'Heaven knows', 'I cried', 'Liars Dance' etc..

 

I liked the new album. I don't think anything Plant does at this point will make me go wow but this new one was pretty good. It's nice to see him continue making new, fresh sounding music, rather than clinging on to the past.

“You can’t ever really go back. It’s tough enough repeating yourself with something that’s a year old, never mind 49 years old. I’ve got to keep moving”
Robert Plant has had his say on a Led Zeppelin reunion

 

A buddy of mine came over yesterday with a hard drive full of files - we listened to the 24/96.

I didn't get a chance to look at the waveforms or anything, or check out DR values, but one thing for sure - it is loud. I am saying this simply by how little my volume control needed to be cracked to get a "hey, turn it down in there" from my family! There is also a harshness, particularly on Roberts voice that I did not hear on the vinyl. That said, it is not bad by any means. On the plus side, it does exhibit deep bass at times and overall tonality is pretty good. If I didn't spin vinyl I would get this version no doubt. Also - been listening to this one more and more over the past few days and aside from the fact that it is really starting to grow on me - it dawned on me that this release may be the best fidelity of any Plant record in some time.

JQ

 

This is an expensive CD here in Toronto. My local 'indie' store had it for 19.99, while the bigger 'indie' store here had it for 22.99.
What gives?
Three years ago I only had to pay 12.99 for "Lullaby..."; same label...
Now that HMV is gone CD prices are up as much as 43% from where they were a year ago.
Which means you better really like what you buy.

I heard this whole album on Saturday night and while I'll say it's "good", I don't think it's as strong as his last album from 2014 and I also think this new one is a bit "samey" sounding to "Lullaby..."

Plant usually changes things up musically between albums a little more than he has here.

It's good, but not as great as I feel some are thinking it is. However, Plant albums are always "growers", so I'll listen a few more times. After all, Robert Plant doesn't release 'bad' albums (or even mediocre ones)
I'm not buying it, though, as it's too expensive for something I don't 'love' (and so far I'm just not really feeling this one like I have the last few...)

That's what it's now come to for me; if I don't really want it badly, I'm not paying these expensive prices for new CD's.

If the industry wants more sales, how is raising the price of cd's by 35% or more going to tempt people to keep purchasing physical product?

Call me disappointed in more ways than one.

 

Having given it a few listens now I feel the first half of the album is better overall than the last bit. 'Seasons song' is lovely, classic Plant. Could do without the turgid cover of 'Bluebirds' though.

 

Had to spend some time with this before posting comments. I got this on vinyl and very happy with the sound over all. It absolutely sounds better on vinyl than "Lullaby" on vinyl, and that release still sounded decent though in that format.

Very strong album and I would rank this fairly high on his solo output. I will point out that there are two songs IMO that just drag this album down...Dance With You Tonight and A Way With Words (especially) bring this to an almost crawl. Not saying they are bad songs, its just this type of album would have benefited strongly from a couple more upbeat style songs.

With that said, I would still give this 4.5 out of 5...Three of my favorites are the title track Carry Fire (awesome instrumentation), Bones of Saints, and Keep It Hid. But of course there are other gems as well.

Back to the vinyl comments...nice 2 lp set with 4th side etched on standard not 180G and also no down load card. At $27.99 one would have expected that, all though most likely would have never used as I would always play the vinyl for my best enjoyment.

Comment to fellow member "The Panda" I love Shaken n Stirred as well. One of my favorites by him. The crazy "timing" of the instrument interplay is really cool. An album well worth checking out, even if you were not fond of when it came out.

 

I received the vinyl copy today in the mail. Nice quality of the cover and good pressing quality as well. I also appreciate that they did not squeeze the whole album onto a single vinyl record.

Musically, I am not yet sure what to think of it. There were a few parts which were pretty cool I thought, but overall, I haven't really warmed up to it very much. Certainly not a bad record, but so far also nothing that really impresses me. Sounded to me a little bit like U2 here and there.

I will needledrop it and bring it along in the car for the daily commute, so I get to know the album better, before I can really say whether I like it or not.

 

Unfortunately, I just noticed that there is massive "non-fill" distortion in the left channel during the third track on side 1 of my pressing, in at least five different areas. Otherwise the pressing looked perfect, but this is too much, and I will try to get a replacement.

I have noticed in the past that RTI Netherlands seems to have non-fill issues on some pressings (I had problems with the EU pressing of the recent ZZ Top box set).

You might want to listen to your pressing of "Carry Fire" carefully to see if yours is o.k.

Otherwise, the pressing was really silent throughout.

 

$15.97 at Amazon.ca, did you try Sunrise?

 

Not sure if this has been posted, but a new interview with Howard Stern, great long interview, Stern likes to push those questions which is good;

Robert Plant Talks Losing John Bonham, Meeting Elvis Presley, and the Prank Led Zeppelin Once Pulled on The Who

 

Hello everybody,
I've been enjoying this new album but I have a question about the vocals: they sound .... it almost sounds like somebody who has false teeth singing without their teeth in. Has anybody else noticed this? Is this a recording anomaly or what? I'm pretty surprised nobody has mentioned this "elephant in the room" yet, but I thought I would address it. I look forward to your responses.

 

Might well be the case, he is 69...

 

Watched Robert on the BBC One Show last week, he performed one of the songs from the album, live, sounded superb. Also a live link to his five a side football team he plays for every week and enjoys a pint with down the pub after the game. Really nice guy.

 

Well assuming he did have false teeth: why would he record an album without them in?

 

So you noticed it too, then??

 

So he can get as close to the mic as possible without banging his teeth?!

 

Maybe there’s something wrong with your teeth while listening. How long ago was your last check up?

 

I mean his voice definitely sounds a bit older (obviously) and thus a little more scratchy sounding especially when he sings with that more quiet-breathy voice, but I wouldn't necessarily say I can hear what you mention in this post

 

To me, it sounds exactly like somebody singing without their teeth in. Like a very pronounced "mushy" slur.

I find it very interesting that you're not hearing this.

 

You mean like the way Paul McCartney sings sometimes?