Robert Plant – “Bluebirds Over The Mountain” (Feat. Chrissie Hynde)

Robert Plant – “Bluebirds Over The Mountain” (Feat. Chrissie Hynde)

Robert Plant’s recorded output in recent years has largely skewed toward soft acoustic material that doesn’t necessarily capture the rock ‘n’ roll power of his louder songs with Led Zeppelin. Plant’s new cover of Ersel Hickey’s oft-recorded “Bluebirds Over The Mountain,” a collaboration with Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders, contains some of those signifiers — acoustic guitars, fiddles, the skeleton of a traditional folk song — but it’s also a slow-burn rock track carried along by a heavy rhythmic undertow and a fog of guitar noise. It’s on Plant’s new solo album Carry Fire, but it wouldn’t sound out of place on a Led Zeppelin record, which means it’s something you’ll probably want to hear. Do that below.

Carry Fire is out 10/13 on Nonesuch. Pre-order it here.

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