Log #158 - Plant Returns To His Roots

The Decemberists Picaresque

 Robert Plant Band Of Joy

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss Raising Sand

Belle and Sebastian If You're Feeling Sinister

Palace Brothers Palace Brothers (Days In The Wake)

Felice Brothers Yonder Is The Clock

Listening back now it is difficult to understand why Belle and Sebastian became such indie media darlings. If You're Feeling Sinister is pleasant enough acoustic whimsy which may have been fresh and original at the time (1996) but it's pretty lightweight stuff - a lightweight that is giving further airiness by simple nursery rhyme like melodies, that are echoed by trumpet on several tracks, and lead singer Stuart Murdoch's fey vocals. 

I'd pass over this much admired album for the stronger (albeit less well received) follow up, The Boy With The Arab Strap. 

More brothers this week - the Palace Bros joining the Felices. This Palace Brothers album actually being a solo acoustic guitar album pretty much from one Will Oldham, better known as Bonnie Prince Billy, plus real brothers Ned and Paul. Also slight and very short, like a few of his albums actually, but there's always quality with Oldham and I don't think I've ever heard a bad album from him: An artist of whom I could invest in many other albums, with confidence of not being disappointed. My personal favourite to date?: Lie Down In The Light.

Continuing to enjoy Picaresque. Having dipped into some other albums from the boys and girls I do conclude, as my friend told me, they all sound very different. This one shows The Decemberists' indie folk side, but I've also heard the band branch out into heavy rock, synth pop and even prog - a multi talented band. I will investigate further albums and examine whether they can really pull off these multiple styles. I suspect Picaresque will remain a favourite and probably their default sound (and I'm pleased I started here).

When listening to Robert Plant's solo music it is tempting to compare it to Led Zeppelin - a comparison Plant himself has been keen to distant himself from via ventures into different styles and collaborations with various world artists (his alternative takes on some classic Zeppelin tunes met with mixed reactions from fans). He has also reportedly been the sticking point in any attempts to reform the band, save for the famous O2 gig way back in 2007 now. However the voice is still strong and still his and particularly when playing with a rock band the comparisons are inevitable. When I hear a track I therefore find myself thinking where would this sit in the pantheon of Led Zep music? Which album would it suit, and indeed would it have been good enough to make any of the albums?

Would any Plant solo music make it on to a Led Zeppelin album?

The answer to the last question is on the whole positive. In both of the albums featured here there are songs that would have been good enough for the mighty Zep - although note that this whole premise is off the mark as both albums consist entirely of covers! Perhaps more valid to say the best performances or tracks are the equal of some Led Zeppelin tracks. 

His Band of Joy project is probably Plant's most deliberate and closest approach to past glories (save for the Page/Plant reunions in the 90s).

Band of Joy were originally formed in Birmingham in 1965 with John Bonham (and Dave Pegg, later of Fairport Convention) before disbanding in 1968 without recording any albums (two albums were released by a new version of the band, without either of their Led Zeppelin members, in the late 70s and early 80s). Then Plant himself revived the band's name again in 2010 for this album and a tour, albeit without any of his original colleagues.

The preceding country rock Raising Sand album with Alison Krauss came out in 2007 just before the fabled Zeppelin gig. Critically acclaimed it went on to pick up five Grammys including Album Of The Year for 2009.

With a preponderance of Nashville session players in Band of Joy's ranks the expectation was for a follow up (further sessions with Krauss herself were apparently on the cards but never came to pass).  There are indeed some up beat light touch R&B / country tinged tracks favoured by the mighty Zep themselves in later albums, but generally the album has an intense depth of distorted grungy guitars. There are a even a couple of covers from low-fi Minnestota rockers Low - Silver Rider is a magnificent slow burner which could have come off Neil Young's Zuma album:

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Students Messing Around With Guitars and Sharp Sticks

Who are Belle and Sebastian? What is an Arab Strap and why is the man on the cover impaled on a nasty looking stick? These and other questions may have crossed the minds of the audience when, in the wake of their rather lovely third album The Boy with the Arab Strap, the previously secretive and unassuming Glaswegian 8-piece incongruously beat off the likes of Billie and Steps to take the best newcomer award at the 1999 Brits.

Offering a gentle alternative to the rampant Oasis and Blur dominated lad culture of mid-90s Britpop, Belle and Sebastian (borrowing their name from a cute 70s children’s TV series about a boy and his dog in the French Alps) shunned publicity and acquired cult status largely through word of mouth. Building on the delicate songwriting of their first two albums The Boy with the Arab Strap adds orchestration whilst essentially retaining a low-fi core of fragile vocals backed by acoustic guitar, piano and soft snare “one-twos”, throughout a dozen catchy pop songs of nostalgia, adolescence, inadequacy, innocence, longing, desire, endless childhood summers, and odes to the joys of generally lazing around.

But this is no ordinary disposable pop; It Could Have Been a Brilliant Career starts the album with the line “He had a stroke at the age of 24”, and we immediately realise these are not songs you’re likely to be singing around the campfire this summer despite the accessibility of the simple nursery rhyme like melodies. The wistful and sometimes surreal lyrics will appeal to fans of Morrissey or Nick Drake, and conjure romantic images of colourfully dressed bohemians reading French poetry outside North Laine coffee houses on a sunny day. But then again Seymour Stein, recounting the band’s rejection of overtures from the wonderfully named real life major label boss, is far closer to the sound of latter day Velvet Underground than Greenwich Village.

After googling “arab strap” I noticed singer Stuart Murdoch mischievously changes the lyrics in the infectious hand clapping title tune to “You were laid on your back, with the boy from the Arab Strap”, a nod to fellow Scotch indie-band named after said item of bedroom-wear. I’ve yet to learn the story behind the cover picture, if any, despite posting a question on the band’s website; probably just students fooling about.

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