ALBUM OF THE WEEK # 221 ROBERT PLANT - NOW AND ZEN (1988)

[RJhog (Admin)]

Artist: Robert Plant

Genre: Rock

Country Of Origin: England

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Member: Yes (Led Zeppelin, 1995)

Album: Now And Zen

Producer: Robert Plant/Tim Palmer/Phil Johnstone

Release Date: February 29, 1988

Running Time: 46:59

RJ's Top 5 Songs: 1. Heaven Knows...2. Ship Of Fools...3. The Way I Feel...4. Tall Cool One...5. Helen Of Troy

Disclaimer: All info that does not reside in my brain is gathered from wikipedia.com (mostly because Jon can't stand it). 

This week I've got solo Robert Plant for you. It's Now And Zen from 1988.  Here are some nuggets regarding the album:

• Now And Zen is Plant's fourth solo album.
• It reached number 6 on the U.S. charts and was certified Triple Platinum.
• Heaven Knows, Tall Cool One and Ship Of Fools were released as singles.
• Jimmy Page plays guitar on Heaven Knows and Tall Cool One.
• Tall Cool One samples some Led Zeppelin tracks.
• Walking Towards Paradise was originally the b-side for Heaven Knows and only included as a bonus track on the CD version.
• Ship Of Fools was featured on the final 2 hour episode of Miami Vice.

So there you have it.  I don't consider this a great album, but I do think it's good.  Heaven Knows is probably my favorite Robert Plant solo track, closely followed by Ship Of Fools. The Way I Feel is also terrific and I remember thinking the sampling that takes place in Tall Cool One was really cool.  I think I originally bought this on cassette, but I have no idea if I still have that laying around somewhere.  Overall, I prefer the first half of the album to the second half.  You can find it now, along with three live bonus tracks, for about 5 dollars used.  What are your feelings on Now And Zen?

1. Heaven Knows

2. Dance On My Own

3. Tall Cool One

4. The Way I Feel

5. Helen Of Troy

6. Billy's Revenge

7. Ship Of Fools

8. Why

9. White, Clean And Neat

10. Walking Towards Paradise

[TageRyche]

I liked this album a lot, based mainly on the best known songs from the album. I saw Plant on the tour for this album which sadly wasn't a good performance because the volume was so high you couldn't hear Plant's vocals.

[Scott]

Plants first two solo albums (Pictures at Eleven, and The Principle of Moments) comprise my entire Robert Plant solo album collection.  Both of which are very good IMO.  But then he lost me.

Heaven Knows is obviously familiar and is a very nice track.  Dance On My Own is an OK track, his writing is clearly become more mainstream and Mtv friendly at this point.  Tall Cool One is a tune I never really got into but at least his sampling of Zeppelin isn't a rip-off like what other acts do.  (I hate sampling) ... 

I do like some of the middle eastern instruments that are used here though.  The Way I Feel is a very nice tune, I love the geetar©™ work, its reminiscent of Principle of Moments work.

Helen of Troy started and I immediately thought Zeppelin as the geetar©™ hinted of some connection, but the tune quickly moved into a different feel.  Strange tune indeed...  But I liked it, it has a quirky goodness to it, and the geetar©™ works to tie in the smooth melodic chorus with the quirky goodness.

Billy's Revenge is the first misstep, its OK though..

Ship of Fools, there's that cool geetar©™ sound again, love that!  Really like this tune!  Followed by Why which really sounds like an attempt at an Mtv hit, wonder if they did a video for this, very much a period piece.  I would have liked in the 80's now its just an OK tune.

White Clean and Neat, weird...

Love the closer though!  Walking Towards Paradise has a very nice melodic goodness to it that works for me, and 10 tracks, this is nice!

Nice Post and nice lead into someone's post of the newest Plant solo entry in an upcoming NMC!

[Jon]

After "Shaken 'N Stirred", I kinda gave up on RP. After "Pictures At Eleven" and "The Principle Of Moments" that album was such an incredible letdown, at least back when it came out. Really no rock, just weirdness. 

So, when this came out, I didn't care. Heard most of the album thru friends, but still didn't care. Then, when "Manic Nirvana" came out, I was back. However, I still didn't want this album. This came out in the late 80's, I didn't buy it until the remaster in 2007.

It's really not a bad album, definitely different than the previous album. Still, this ranks below PAE, TPOM, MN and FON for his rock albums. It's before SNS, but I kinda like SNS a bit better now. 

And really, there's no horrible tracks on this, every song is quite listenable.