Robert Plant and Alison Krauss - 'Rich Woman'

Alison Krauss is, of course, the reason why most of us are yet to see the reformed and rejuvenated Led Zeppelin. So smitten is the old cock-rock demigod with their blissful folk-blues that Robert Plant and Krauss are following last year's remarkable 'Raising Sand' album with a full-on world tour of their own. 'Rich Woman', the album's subtle throaty opener, is out just in time for the European leg. Tom Waits regular Marc Ribot supplies a cool-ass blues guitar backing while Krauss and Plant waltz along on a smoky blues groove. For a guy whose infamous misogyny graced lyrics like "Squeeze me baby, till the juice runs down my leg", it's refreshing to hear Plant now cuckolded into cooing "I got a woman with plenty of money / She got the money and I got the honey".

Released 14/04/08 on Rounder.