Robert Plant and the Band of Joy
”Band of Joy”
Rounder
Released: Sept. 14
7.8/10

It seems that reprising your first band (or at least its name) for an album and a “glory days” tour with the boys is the fashion amongst rock’s greatest statesmen these days.

While the 2008 incarnation of Tom Petty’s Mudcrutch (originally formed in 1970, before Petty hit it big with The Heartbreakers in 1979) included most of its original members, Robert Plant’s Band of Joy is a name-only enterprise, boasting five members, none of whom were among the quintet that formed in West Bromwich, England in 1966, which famously featured a pre-Led Zeppelin John Bonham (God rest his soul) behind the drums.

“Band of Joy” is also the name of the album, which is composed mostly of blues and folk standards like “Cindy I’ll Marry You Someday,” as well as more modern covers of various traditionalist artists like Los Lobos and Milton Mapes. Judging by the selections Plant makes here, he’s still rocking and rolling well into his sixth decade of life.

“Angel Dance” kicks the album off appropriately by adapting the south Texas blues over to a folkier, Appalachian-hillbilly style that Plant neatly perfected with the lovely Alison Krauss for an Album of the Year Grammy Award on 2007’s “Raising Sand.” “Raising Sand” fans will be very happy with the country sass of “You Can’t Buy My Love” (Plant’s backed by Krauss stand-in Patty Griffin), which boasts red-dirt guitar breakdown and uptempo blues soloing.

And for all those Ledheads, yes, Plant trots the devil out for an appearance, but only a brief one that’s free of any worship. “Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down” invokes Jesus to come do the devil in, complete with Plant’s “Gallows Pole”–era wailing that’s so shrill and hard that you’ll think the levee’s gon’ break. This careful song selection is the singer’s wink to the past, a reward for hanging with the record all the way through.

With those signature blonde curls and grizzly white beard, 62-year-old Plant sure looks like hell. He sounds that way too, but trust me, that’s a good thing.

— Matt Carney

John Legend & The Roots
“Wake Up!”
Columbia
Released: Today
8.7/10

The Roots are the royal family of socially conscious hip-hop, churning out quality music that is both current and consistent, even in the midst of its new gig as Jimmy Fallon’s late night band.

Crooner John Legend caught on with audiences in the mid-2000s with his Grammy Award-winning album “Get Lifted” that proved to be one of the first new tastes of old soul for a mass public that hadn’t seen anything in the mainstream like this in quite some time.

The pairing of John Legend and The Roots is nothing short of splendor; Legend’s voice and The Roots’ musicianship is a match made in heaven.

But for those unfamiliar with the release, “Wake Up!” consists solely of covers — albeit unknown ones unless you happen to be a connoisseur of ’60s and ’70s soul — most dealing in matters of social and political protest.

The supergroup gives new life to tracks from Marvin Gaye, Nina Simone and more; under less capable hands it could have been a disaster, but Legend’s voice is serviceable and the vintage stylings of The Roots act like some sort of time warp.

The punchy “Our Generation (The Hope of the World)” and swanky “Compared To What” are certainly the strongest offerings, and neither The Roots nor Legend drop the ball at any point.

The merits of a cover album can only go so far, but as their inspirations have either been forgotten or were never really widely accepted, “Wake Up!” feels fresh and new; a delightful product for those pining for yesteryear.

— Joshua Boydston

Maximum Balloon
“Maximum Balloon”
DGC/Interscope
Released: Today
9.0/10

When Dave Sitek (TV on the Radio) announced a solo project under the moniker Maximum Balloon, it was met with equal parts anticipation and speculation as early singles gave a revealing glimpse at what was happening.

Sitek — in addition to his multi-instrumentalist role in TVOTR — has been one of the biggest, most innovative names in record production of the decade, putting his touch on releases from the likes of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Wale, Foals and more.

Much like fellow producer Mark Ronson did with his second solo effort, “Version,” Sitek enlists many of the artists he has worked with over the years (Karen O, Holly Miranda), TVOTR vocalists Tunde Adebimpe and Kyp Malone and others.

But unlike Ronson, Sitek maintains clarity, using his guests’ strengths for his own vision rather than bending to theirs, though he could remain even more steadfast in this effort.

Sitek contorts the blippy nature of Little Dragon into a slicker, modern form in “If You Return” and updates the untouchable flair of David Byrne in the immaculate “Apartment Wrestling.”

The comfortable couplings with Adebimpe (“Absence of Light”) and Malone (“Shakedown”) get downright funky compared to the sleek, futuristic spirit of the majority of the album, but it’s thoroughly danceable as a whole.

The scattered, unpredictable “Groove Me” wouldn’t sonically sound all that out of place on “Dear Science,” but paired with the smooth delivery of Theophilus London, it meshes into a flawless piece of pop art.

The ravenous “Tiger” — anchored by it scratchy base — feels dangerous and relentless with its guitar flares and synth explosions, and “Communion,” with Karen O’s particularly chilly voice, bounces with a runway rhythm and shadowy sparseness.

All in all, Sitek holds his vision constant, and by imprisoning his guest stars into his world, he finishes his self-titled debut with few fluctuations and steady doses of genius.

— JB>