Robert Plant and Alison Krauss

The duo of bluegrass singer Alison Krauss and Led Zeppelin front man Robert Plant is not as far-fetched as many decry. Krauss is self-admittedly a huge fan of classic rock, and Zeppelin took much of its inspiration from blues and folk music (see: Zeppelin I). What is most eclectic about their album Raising Sand is instead the obscure choice of covers, ranging from Tom Waits and Townes Van Zandt to the Everly Brothers and Sam Phillips. While the names may ring a bell, it is unlikely that the songs will.

But don't let this dissuade you. The album is full of pleasant bluegrass harmony, visceral southern blues sounds and the occasional rockabilly tune. And Plant even sounds like his old self here and there.

The album opens with two of its best songs: the eerie, bluesy "Rich Woman" and the twangy "Killing the Blues." Krauss and Plant work well together; they achieve similar tones while breaking into great harmonies. In fact, the album's least interesting and most forced songs are those where Krauss and Plant take turns going solo. Krauss's "Sister Rosetta" gives the false impression that it is building to something, and Plant's "Polly Come Home" follows suit, an elegiac ode that needs just a little more soul.

The album's single is the rockabilly "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)," an upbeat Everly Brothers cover that will get your foot tapping. It provides a nice contrast to some of the mellower songs of the album, without seeming out of place. Krauss and Plant also hit the mark with "Please Read the Letter," another upbeat tune with a satisfying chorus that features Plant hitting some Zepplin-esque high notes.

While sometimes overly ambitious in its variety of sounds, Raising Sand is a pleasant album that shows flashes of brilliance and demonstrates the musical versatility of these two musicians: one on the up and up; the other at the twilight of his career.