Robert Plant - Carry Fire

The Guardian 80

(Nonesuch/Warners)

In recent years Robert Plant has been defined by a stylistic restlessness, but his 11th solo album doesn’t deviate wildly in tone from 2014’s Lullaby and … the Ceaseless Roar. He’s backed once again by the Sensational Space Shifters, who artfully flesh out the rock and folk elements with splashes of bendir, oud and djembe. Lyrically Carry Fire sees Plant address bigger issues, whether the evils of colonialism on New World (for its diametrically opposed perspective, it’s a yin to Immigrant Song’s yang) or nationalism on Carving Up the World Again. Other highlights include the heavy blues and Chrissie Hynde duet on Ersel Hickey’s Bluebirds Over the Mountain, and the knowingly titled The May Queen.