Robert Plant's Fate of Nations--The Led Zeppelin-Jimmy Page Magic is Missing

Are there any disadvantages that go with being a member of one of the most legendary groups in the annals of rock 'n roll history? To be sure, Robert Plant's career with Led Zeppelin, the premier British rock-blues-metal band in the world, afforded him many advantages--celebrity, money, fame and privilege were all things that Plant enjoyed in the Led Zeppelin days. In many ways, however, his stint with Led Zeppelin marked him--all of his solo work would be judged by his Led Zeppelin career, and that point of reference has proven to be a pretty daunting standard to live up to.

Plant will also be irrevocably linked to guitarist Jimmy Page (who I happen to think is the greatest player on the planet), whether it be from the Led Zeppelin days or from the later Page-Plant collaborations. Together, these two musicians captured a musical feel that's difficult to describe or quantify--separately, each is a premier performer of the first degree, but apart from the other, something seems to be lacking, particularly in the case of Robert Plant.

I have no idea where Fate Of Nations falls chronologically in Plant's solo career--to be honest, I really never followed him after Led Zeppelin broke up, because what little I heard failed to capture my interest. I've had Fate Of Nations in my collection for several years, but have only listened to it a couple of times before I decided to pull it out for a fresh listen and perhaps a new perspective.

Thematically, the liner notes of Fate Of Nations address environmental issues, but oddly enough the music and lyrics of the tracks really have nothing to do with social conscience. Instead, this rather murky, aimless collection refers at times to Plant's past association with the aforesaid Jimmy Page, the touching grief associated with the tragic loss of his son, and other meanderings that seem almost as disjointed as Plant's efforts to create a workable, flowing album.

Here's a track listing:

1. Calling To You
2. Down To The Sea
3. Come Into My Life
4. I Believe
5. 29 Palms
6. Memory Song (Hello Hello)
7. If I Were A Carpenter
8. Promised Land
9. The Greatest Gift
10. Great Spirit
11. Network News

Bright Spots

Calling To You attempts to recapture that old Led Zeppelin magic with a deliberate beat and a guitar line that's almost Jimmy Page, and it almost succeeds--the Middle Eastern flavor that Led Zeppelin dabbled with toward the end is predominant here, but the song really works as a subconscious message from Plant to Page. Listen closely to the fadeout and you'll see what I mean. 29 Palms is a not-so-typical expression of Plant's melodic side that's probably the best cut on the album, while Promised Land and The Greatest Gift are songs rooted in spiritual ideas. If I Were A Carpenter is an interesting song for Plant to cover, and his interpretation of this pure folk piece puts a whole new spin on an old standard.

Not So Bright Spots

Actually, the rest of the album--I mean, Down To The Sea and Come Into My Life are pretty well crafted songs, but they just seem to lack the energy that I know that Plant is capable of projecting onto a recording. A sugary synthesizer dooms I Believe from the start, while Memory Lane (Hello Hello), Great Spirit, and Network News suffer from a seemingly endless droning that has its inception in a production that seems to lack clarity and purpose.

After I listened to this album again, I realized why I haven't played it in quite some time. Robert Plant is a great vocalist and writer, but as I said earlier, his solo work will always be judged by his association with Led Zeppelin and Jimmy Page. Perhaps that's unfair, but that's just the way it is with me--he just can't live up to the heights attained before with Led Zeppelin and afterward in his Page-Plant endeavors.

I give it a thumbs down.

Thanks for dropping by.