Raising Sand

On the coattails of Emmylou Harris and Mark Knopfler's genre-busting "All the Roadrunning" collaboration comes "Raising Sand," the intriguing pairing of Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant with bluegrass queen Alison Krauss. Produced by T Bone Burnett, who contributes his keen knack for proffering compelling, off-the-beaten-path tunes, the CD traverses multifarious roots styles, from country (the heart-rending Gene Clark waltz "Through the Morning, Through the Night") to Kurt Weill-like balladry (Sam Phillips' enchanting "Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us") to haunting melody (Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan's "Trampled Rose") to folk rock (the Plant/Jimmy Page beauty "Please Read the Letter"). But soft rockers rule, including the chugging "Rich Woman" and the Everly Brothers' "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)." Key to the magic is the delicious harmony vocals of the unlikely duo, best-displayed on the swaying "Killing the Blues," given trad-country depth by steel pedal ace Greg Leisz. —Dan Ouellette