Robert Plant’s latest project, Saving Grace, takes its name from the band he assembled in 2019 to play Americana covers in small venues across Britain.
Though it has been eight years since his last solo album, Carry Fire, Plant hasn’t been idle, recording Raise the Roof with Alison Krauss in 2021 and appearing on Paul Weller’s Find El Dorado. Now, alongside vocalist Suzi Dian, Plant presents ten carefully chosen covers that stretch from Blind Willie Johnson to The Low Anthem — all reimagined through a distinct folk-Americana lens.
The album opens with Donovan’s “Chevrolet,” transformed into something darker and weightier than the original, its banjo lines and deliberate drumbeat contrasting with Donovan’s playful version. The traditional “As I Roved Out” blends classic Americana instrumentation with melodic phrases recalling the Arab and Berber music Plant absorbed in Morocco during the early 1970s. Those echoes reappear later on Low’s “Everybody’s Song,” a haunting, penultimate track that carries subtle shades of Plant’s Zeppelin past.
One of the most serene moments arrives with Moby Grape’s “It’s a Beautiful Day Today,” pared down to acoustic guitar, cabasa, and Dian’s delicate harmonies entwined with Plant’s voice. By contrast, Blind Willie Johnson’s “Soul of a Man” brims with grit, shedding the static of the original recording while preserving its dustbowl spirituality.
Elsewhere, “I Will Never Marry” — associated with the Carter Family — is given a windswept, Cornish-folk flavour, while The Low Anthem’s “Ticket Taker” gains new resonance as a duet, intensifying its Leonard Cohen–like atmosphere. Dian shines on Martha Scanlan’s “Higher Rock,” where a rhythmic lift evokes hints of The Beatles’ “Get Back,” and she leads again on Sarah Siskind’s “Too Far From You.” Instead of mirroring Siskind’s raw grief, Dian and Plant reshape the song into a more hopeful, gently up-tempo ballad.
The closing “Gospel Plough” begins with ethereal winds before banjo and harmony vocals carry it into a rousing, contemporary folk anthem. Regardless of belief, its rise and release are profoundly moving, leaving the listener with a sense of transcendence.
While there are fleeting, unintended nods to Zeppelin, Saving Grace is its own creation. Plant has shed the weight of his rock legacy here, committing instead to a band that thrives on restraint, reinterpretation, and shared storytelling. For die-hard Zeppelin fans hoping for reunion fireworks, this may disappoint. But for those willing to follow Plant’s ever-evolving journey, Saving Grace is a richly rewarding work — a masterclass in how tradition can be honoured while still sounding fresh and vital.
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