It’s been said that blues singers have a much longer shelf life than rock ‘n’ roll singers. And there’s no doubt that rock god Robert Plant’s blues roots are serving him well on his new album, Lullaby and… The Ceaseless Roar. Due out today from Nonesuch Records, the album’s first music video, for the single “Rainbow”, just debuted on The Colbert Report’s website.

At the age of 66, when most gentlemen have retired to a life of watching sports and gardening, Plant is still singing about love and hope, his world-weary yet optimistic voice wafting through nostalgic, ghostly images — from the amusement parks and drive-in theaters of the ’50s to the supermodels of the ’80s — backed by a steady guitar and a sprinkling of world-music grooves. It’s the kind of material that could be a bit cheesy in the wrong hands, but the Staffordshire native ennobles it, showcasing wisdom of maturity and offering inspiration for musicians a third his age. See for yourself when you watch the video below.

Plant appears briefly in the video (directed by filmmaker Brett Sullivan), on flickering TV screens and, at one point, a zoetrope flooded with the titular phenomenon’s spectrum of colors. It must be said that the former Led Zeppelin frontman still looks like a character out of his beloved Tolkien, albeit a bit less Aragorn and a bit more King Theoden these days. But he wears it well.

For more on Plant, including the UK and US autumn legs of his current world tour, be sure to visit robertplant.com.

What do you think? Does Plant still deliver the goods? Let us know in the comments below!