2018 will see two major landmarks in the life and career of Robert Anthony Plant. As well as seeing his 70^th birthday, it will mark 50 years since the genesis of Led Zeppelin. The incredible journey that Plant has been on since then has marked him out as a true musical pilgrim, always exploring new worlds from which to draw inspiration. Carry Fire, his second album with the Sensational Space Shifters, pulls together strands from his entire body of work and stands as yet another masterpiece from one of rock’s original titans.

The album begins with ‘The May Queen’, a track built on a slow rhythmic groove as a reminder of the sort of psych-folk that his original band excelled in during some of their quieter moments. The sheer artistry on display by the band throughout is simply exceptional, perfectly complimenting Plant’s weathered (yet still immaculate) voice. Plant’s lyrics pick a path through meditations on ageing, as well as the contemporary issues facing the world. ‘New World…’ shines a light on the parallels between the treatment of Native Americans during the New World discovery and invasion as opposed to the modern day. Plant sings of the arrival of immigrants, who refer to the native population as “They’re barely human, it’s time to move them”. It strikes a powerful note of the world not learning from its mistakes, as does ‘Carving Up The World Again…A Wall And Not A Fence’ with its description of: “Trouble on the borders…call up the cavalry and double up the guard”. ‘Bones of Saints’ asks urgently: “Tell me who makes the bullets, tell me who sells the guns”. All those years of experience and his vast travels give Plant a unique perspective, and it’s clear that he doesn’t approve of everything he sees.

Alongside the political, Plant is ruminating thoughtfully on the passing of time. Whether it is ‘My senses have escaped me, my mind is on the run” (‘Season’s Song’) or “Can time conspire to steal our crown?” (‘Dance With You Tonight’), there is a beautifully poetic element on display. As the first generation of true rock icons reach their later years (those we are still lucky enough to have with us), it provides a fresh perspective on that which faces us all eventually. This is not an album that is content to rest up with a pipe and slippers, and the second half of the album bursts with a startling amount of creativity and ingenuity.

As ‘A Way With Words’ slowly builds, it draws attention to what Plant has described in interviews as “a mélange a trois”. Combining classic British rock, with Bristolian trip-hop and African beats, it is a staggering track that only lights the fire for what is yet to come with hints of THAT voice bursting through. The title track follows, a desert blues number with an interplay between viola and oud that is impossible to resist moving to. The pulsing, surging rhythm then transforms into the dirty blues riff of ‘Bones of Saints’, before ‘Keep It Hid’, a track that begins like Radiohead doing classic rhythm and blues and evolves into a thrilling, brooding riff finish. The best is yet to come with a cover of ‘Bluebirds Over The Mountain’ with Chrissie Hynde, that manages to sound like every single era of Robert Plant somehow contained within a five minute duration.

As the album ends on the contemplative ‘Heaven Sent’, most listeners will instantly flip the record and start it all over again. Plant has described his next steps recently when he said that, “I rejoice in my previous work but must continue the journey to new worlds, after all there are so many songs that are yet to be written.” Long may that journey continue.

Jamie Macmillan

Website: robertplant.com
Facebook: facebook.com/robertplant
Twitter: twitter.com/RobertPlant