FATE OF NATIONS

All subjective of course but this one of Plant's finest studio releases, and most progressive too." Calling To You" immediately kicks the album off in fine form, great percussion and complex riffs. A great chorus and some very neat violin from one Nigel Kennedy. Robert Plant never afraid to collaborate with a whole host of current/past artists to ensure his delivery is of high quality music. " Down To The Sea" follows and is another fine song, reminiscent perhaps to Physical Grafitti days." Come Into My Life" makes up a hattrick a great songs with Francis Dunnery of It Bites fame ( on Prog Archives) lending his guitar and backing vocal skills to possibly one of the highlights of the album. " I Believe" is a wonderful pop song, not sure why it gets lambasted so severely here, probably because it is more commercial/crossover? " 29 Palms" has a great hook and is rumoured to lament his time with a certain Alannah Miles and the lyrics point at this famous hotel destination in the USA and a how a certain lady virtually chewed him up and spat him out. Quite literally broke his heart by the sound of his plaintive vocals.

After the covered accoustically led " If I was a Carpenter" the album continues to build with some excellent numbers namely " Colours Of the Shade", the LZ influenced " The Greatest Gift" and the spacey " Great Spirit" which has some really neat riffs. " Network News" finishes the album off on a frenzied high note with swirling guitars and dizzy violin playing from M Ali Whan, not to mention some duruba & sarod instrumentation too. Network News has a world music feel to it's fitting title, so does Fate Of Nations. Damn right it does!! One of Robert Plant's top three solo efforts for sure. Four solid stars.