For his debut solo album,
Robert Plant
doesn't exactly succumb to everyone's expectations. With a less-potent vocal style,
Plant
manages to carry out most of the songs in smooth, stylish fashion while rocking out rather convincingly on a couple of others. He gets some pretty good help from guitarist
Robbie Blunt
, who truly comes to life on
"Worse Than Detroit,"
and both
Phil Collins
and
Cozy Powell
give
enough of a solid background to lean his sultry yet surging
rock
voice against.
channels his energy quite effectively through songs like
"Pledge Pin"
"Moonlight in Samosa,"
while the single
"Burning Down One Side"
is a creditable one, even though it failed to crack the Top 50 in either the U.K. and the U.S. The most apparent characteristic about the album's eight tracks is the fact that
is able to escape most of his past and still sound motivated. Without depending too much on his
Led Zeppelin
days, he courses a new direction without changing or disguising his distinct vocal style whatsoever.
Pictures at Eleven
peaked within the Top Five on both sides of the Atlantic, successfully launching
's solo career. [The 2007 reissue adds two bonus tracks including a live version of
"Like I've Never Been Gone"
that has
Phill Collins
on drums.] ~ Mike DeGagne