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 The Mighty Rearranger Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation
 CD Review by Mike D'Ariano / 10/2005

Track listing:
1. Another Tribe 2. Shine It All Around 3. Freedom Fries 4. Tin Pan Valley
5. All The Kings Horses 6. The Enchanter 7. Takamba 8. Dancing In Heaven
9. Somebody Knocking 10. Let The Four Winds Blow 11. Mighty Rearranger 12. Brother Ray

 Label: Sanctuary Records / Release date: 5/10/2005

At times during my teenage years, like most people born after 1955, I became infatuated with Led Zeppelin the mystery of Page's dealings with the occult, the power of Bonzo's drumming, blah blah blah . . . well, you know the story. Then, unlike most people, I fell violently out of love with the band. Everything they did just sounded pretentious, with one exception which wasn't even a real album. It was the BBC sessions, which was always good. In the end, or more accurately in the now since I hope I'm nowhere near the end, I think Zep is okay. I can handle listening to them, but almost never put them on myself.

That said, I was very surprised when I heard Robert Plant's latest solo album, and found it to be absolutely fantastic. The record is a weird mix of Zeppelin-ish power, and new age-ish instrumentation and mystique. Then there's also some trip hop style stuff near the end on the eight-minute-plus closer, "Brother Ray." Oh, and there's one song in the middle, "Dancing In Heaven" which sounds like a Plant-ish version of a post-bubble gum, pre-Pepper Beatles tune.

All in all the record is great, and I currently find it more enjoyable than those dusty old Zeppelin discs or any of the various post-Zeppelin Jimmy Page projects that were not very interesting. Nicely done Robert, nicely done.

Notable noises: "Let The Four Winds Blow," "Tin Pan Valley," "Mighty Rearranger," "Brother Ray," "Dancing In Heaven."