In the wilderness of home

I’m gonna buy you a Chevrolet
Just do somethin’ for you now
I wanna do somethin’ for you now

(Kansas Joe & Memphis Minnie/Donovan Leitch, “Chevrolet”)

After mowing so fiercely with his unsurpassed voice in the legendary line-up "Led Zeppelin”, giving meaning to hard-nosed hippie existences at the transition from the sixties to the seventies, and then achieved a quite respectable solo career, constantly trying as a famous individual to establish cooperation exclusively with musicians he loves and respects, Robert Plant released his twelfth studio album in a row a few weeks ago album Saving Grace, in collaboration with Suzy Dian and the band of the same name, with whom he has been performing since 2019.

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Robert Plant seems to have lived at least several different artistic lives at the age of 77, and some of them almost simultaneously. The songs he sang with his parent group "Led Zeppelin" will remain for eternity without any doubt. The brilliant series of albums he recorded with Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and his ill-fated countryman and friend John Bonham educates new generations of musicians and listeners, who at least consider them sacred. Among these relics, their sixth tablet Physical Graffiti this year 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of its release, not to mention the documentary film Becoming Led Zeppelin, which - since its premiere at the beginning of February - has once again brought the fascination with this band back to the center of interest and popularity across the planet.

But "Led Zeppelin" and each of its members, including Robert Plant, have remained a mysterious and unexplored area to this day. Although Plant was in his own way constantly in the public eye, without hesitation building a career that took him to extremely exotic meetings with creators like the group "Tinariwen" or one Ali Farko Toure, a certain shade of melancholy from the last days of "Led Zeppelin" has always colored his public presence. But, starting with the magical union with Alison Krauss, on their two flawless albums raising sand (2007) and Raise the roof (2021) – with T-Bone Barnett as producer and tracklist creator – Robert Plant seems to be coming into his own, clearly reviving the vision of the mythic duet with Sandy Denny from the album's unforgettable track “The Battle of Evermore” Led Zeppelin IV.

Now, Robert Plant and the band "Saving Grace" aren't quite as lightning fast as producers like T-Bone Barnett, and Suzy Diane is definitely not Alison Krauss, much less Sandy Denny. Still, her voice carries an entirely authentic sweetness and poignancy, insightful enough to find itself in an unusual sensual alliance with Robert Plant's gigantic format. And the band "Saving Grace" displays such subtle dexterity in the wise management of their own instruments that the word "mastery" comes to mind quite naturally.

At the very beginning, Dianova almost doesn't attract your attention at all with her seemingly shyly meager, albeit sincere participation, and almost at the very beginning you wonder why a colossus like Plant didn't, for God's sake, decide on a more powerful vocal friend to "smash" the selected classics with her. But the modesty that Robert Plant demonstrates with this decision, staying away from famous stars and established players in the composition, as well as well-known hit-themes, preferring to stick to his collection of unworn blues, indie rock, folk and psychedelic favorites from the past, as well as those that are quite modern, with an emphasis on female authorial contributions - illuminates the record Saving Grace absolutely irresistible light.

At the end of the day, that seems like enough, right?

Because how to describe the fateful frame of the album Saving Grace, and not to violate his dignity and honesty, truthfulness and awe in front of that huge, gaping hole of intimate history that calls to a man in his native land with millions of voices that once and for all were here, walked, sang. For Robert Plant has returned to the West Midlands of his origins, to the Welsh borderlands along the River Severn and Wyre Forest, to explore the sounds of the past that haunt him, in turn drawing upon them all his musical affinities and vocal skills.

It is a real good fortune that on his return home, in the wilderness of home, he encountered like-minded and equally enchanted enthusiasts like Matt Worley (banjo, acoustic guitar, quattro), Tony Kelsey (acoustic and electric guitar), Ollie Jefferson (drums) and Barney Morse-Brown (cello). And, of course, there's the beautiful lady Susie Diane, actually his first real English vocal partner since the days of the oft-mentioned Sandy Denny. Robert Plant, the former stadium hegemon, was transformed by these chaste and simple-minded music fanatics and compatriots into an even more valid artist and man, if that is possible to imagine.

Having therefore chosen a handful of unblemished songs, from "Memphis Mini" and "Donovan", through the band "Moby Grape", Blind Willie Johnson, the groups "The Low Anthem" and "Low", Sarah Siskind and Martha Scanlan, to a few tanned traditionals - Robert Plant seems to measure his voice here in micrograms of preciousness, venturing into singing backing vocals whenever he gets the chance, leaving the lead lines to Suzy Diane and Matt. Worley.

And it's as if he's dreamed his whole life of staying in his hometown boy band in deep personal anonymity vis-à-vis show business, not letting it lay its voluptuous paws on his still angelic golden curls. And if anyone got to know the music industry and its reverse side, being forever appalled by the unhappiness that it causes around them while defiling the purity and innocence of all the noble intentions of many a talented guy and girl on the stage with heartless money - it was Robert Plant, head and chin.

Because he knows everything and that's why this apparently unpretentious, yet so deep and humane record is a real balm for our straightened soul. Robert, thank you.