Robert Plant and Alison Krauss Reunite to 'Raise the Roof' with New Album

Hear "Can't Let Go" from the duo's follow-up to 2007's 'Raising Sand'

BY Megan LaPierrePublished Aug 12, 2021

Like stars in the night, two legendary musicians' paths have once again come into alignment. After 14 years, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss have announced new collaborative album Raise the Roof, due November 19 via Rounder Records. They've also given us the first taste of the record with their rendition of "Can't Let Go."

The pair released their first album together — 2007's Raising Sand — to wide acclaim. Not that they needed it, given that bluegrass icon Krauss has 27 Grammys to her name, and Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Famer Plant is... well, Robert Plant. He was in a little band called Led Zeppelin, if memory serves?

Raising the Roof also sees Plant and Krauss reuniting with Raising Sand's producer T Bone Burnett. The album is a collection of 12 songs by legendary songwriters and personal artistic heroes for the duo, featuring the likes of the Everly Brothers, Merle Haggard, Allen Toussaint, Anne Briggs, Geeshie Wiley and Bert Jansch. The record features a rework of the classic "Can't Let Go," written by Randy Weeks and first recorded by Lucinda Williams. Additionally, there's "High and Lonesome," which is a Plant-Burnett original.

The songs chosen reflect not only deep-rooted influences, but more recent revelations for Plant and Krauss as individuals and partners; they didn't want to simply repeat themselves. "We wanted it to move," Krauss said in a statement. "We brought other people in — other personalities within the band — and coming back together again in the studio brought a new intimacy to the harmonies."

Plant added: "You hear something and you go, 'Man, listen to that song. We got to sing that song!' It's a vacation, really — the perfect place to go that you least expected to find."

Sounds like a true oasis of musical kindred spirits — and they've managed to capture the magic on record.

Stream "Can't Let Go" and see the full tracklist for Raise the Roof below.

Back in May, Plant said his vault of unreleased music will open when he dies. Led Zeppelin's first authorized documentary will premiere at the Venice International Film Festival next month.


Raise the Roof:

1. Quattro (World Drifts In)
2. The Price of Love
3. Go Your Way
4. Trouble with My Lover
5. Searching for My Love
6. Can't Let Go
7. It Don't Bother Me
8. You Led Me to the Wrong
9. Last Kind Words Blues
10. High and Lonesome
11. Going Where the Lonely Go
12. Somebody Was Watching over Me 

Pre-order Raise the Roof.

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