Patty Griffin - American Kid and Silver Bell

Has there been a better album released this year than Patty Griffin's American Kid? Not that I can remember. Traditional country, Americana, folk, call it what you will, I call it a stunning album of melancholy and melody, a masterpiece of storytelling and raw emotion.

It doesn't hurt that Cody Dickinson and Luther Dickinson play on the album, as well as some guy named Robert Plant. He lends backing vocals on Ohio, even adding a subtle touch of Eastern drone which you may find familiar.

Ohio


Go Wherever You Want to Go

Don't Let Me Die in Florida


Tiny Desk performance


Griffin actually released another album this year; Silver Bell was ready to be released in 2000 but was shelved by her label at the time. Luckily, it's out now. Truth #2 features someone else you might know on backing vocals, someone named Emmylou Harris. And if you don't like Emmylou Harris then you're in the wrong place, because Scruffy knows that Emmylou is the bee's knees - don't you?

Truth #2 - From Silver Bell


Buy Patti Griffin from New West Records. Buy Patti Griffin on Amazon.

Robert Plant - Getting Better All the Time

Just found out that Robert Plant is going to be gracing Scruffy's town. Should we go? I think he may be making the best music of his career. The last one with Krauss was superb, but the new one is even better, though I can't stand the cover art. And he's doing it by doing his versions of others' songs - he only has one co-write (with Buddy Miller) on the newest album, and the one before he redid himself (and Jimmy Page) with Please Read the Letter. Plant has said words to the effect of when he goes to write, it's unsatisfying. That kind of admission reminds me of another of rock's elder statesmen, Nick Lowe, who says why work your butt off to write new songs when there are great ones out there that need singing? Both Lowe and Plant are aging kinda gracefully, which is tough to do in the entertainment industry and almost impossible in pop. Plant seems to be doing fine not covering Lowe, but Low, who allowed the Former Zep frontman to cover two songs (Monkey and Silver Rider) that stand amongst the best things he's ever committed to tape. Or ones and zeros. Next post? Why, Nick Lowe, I think.





Low-Monkey by sonsmusica


The Low songs covered by Robert Plant on Band of Joy by subpop

Low - Silver Rider (live) by gbabuts

Silver rider (low/robert plant cover) by alper anik

Low - Monkey (Dirty Knobs Remix) by ZacBentz



The Ballad of Robert Plant by The Donkey & The Tulip

Hey. If you read this far, take a minute and leave a comment, Scruffy loves that stuff for some reason.

The Rebirth of Robert Plant, Forget Zep Already

Good thing Robert Plant has been vetoing the Zeppelin reunion. Otherwise, he wouldn't be making the fine records that he has lately. Zeppelin would just be a nostalgia trip; the Page and Plant album shows that new writing endeavours would only be passable.

Who would have guessed that Plant would be working with Alison Krauss, T-Bone Burnett, Patty Griffin and Buddy Miller? No one. That's why he's still cool. Who would have predicted that his new single would be faithful cover of a Los Lobos tune? Not a soul. I heard this song on my local Three Days Grace/ Nickelback/ Godsmack/ Disturbed sausagefest of a rock station, which made for a sweet change from that growling angst sludgepit. Plant could be making millions playing Stairway to Heaven over and over again, but he's leaving the reputation-tarnishing to the Rolling Stones; I can appreciate that.

Angel Dance



Los Lobos - Angel Dance



My only complaint with the craggy-faced about-to-turn-62-year old fella is that his new album, Band of Joy, has terrible album art. It looks like rejected Marillion cover art.





The album's out September 14th in North America as far as I can tell. You can watch the man talk about it here.



If you didn't pay attention to Plant's collaboration with Aison Krauss, you should have.



If you haven't done so yet, Krauss and Union Station are worth checking out.



You can pre-order Band of Joy now here, the single Angel Dance is available now.