(The title is keeping the silly theme of comparing this band to a variety of beverages...)
Led Zeppelin III. Five Stars
How did they do it? How did Zeppelin go from a band on the verge of becoming a sausage machine of blues/metal riffs to something far more rewarding? This is their acoustic record, and the one where song writing comes to the foreground. It's diverse in both mood and style, and is to my mind their greatest record.
The storming opener, Immigrant Song, is one of their best rockers; short, driven by Plant's phenomenal voice (here finally branching out from the "my baby's such a devil, but I can't stop loving her" motif).
Friends is built on a rather ominous acoustic guitar line. In fact, this whole song has a very dark quality, yet the lyric has a lovely sentiment attached. The moods conflict, and I think it's a fascinating song.
It segues into the more jaunty Celebration Day. Great, weird guitar. Bizarre lyric. It's a lot of fun.
The above three are all short tracks, but Since I've Been Loving You is a real ode to last year's model. A seven minute heartbroken, bluesy piece. The subtlety on display here is great, as it begins in a laid-back, resigned way, building up as Robert Plant bleeds his heart out all over the song. Yes, we've heard it all before on I and II, but I personally feel this is their most successful attempt at the subject, and I love that guitar solo, too.
Out on the Tiles is an upbeat tune (which is a bit of a relief after that last one). It's "traveling man" themed, and the fade-out is my favorite part of it.
Gallow's Pole is a traditional ballad, about a man petitioning to his friends and siblings to save him from the hangman. It builds, via a wonderful arrangement, to a real frenzy. Always a favorite.
Tangerine, after a false start, turns out to be one of the band's finest ballads. I wish they'd indulged in more, but that's another story. This is just a beautiful, finely wrought ode to a lost love.
And it's followed by another gorgeous ballad - That's the Way. Evocative, ambiguous, breathtaking and heartfelt. It evokes a beautiful end-of-summer melancholy to me.
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp is an unsurprising footstomper. An uplifting county song, and where I usually stop the record.
Because Hats off to (Roy) Harper is a pointless inclusion. A bizarre blues thing that sounds entirely wrong for the album. I'd never miss it if it were gone, and always think it's an awful way to end Led Zep III.
Despite that minor reservation, it's still a great CD, and to me, it's where they really took off as a band.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Dregs
Led Zeppelin II. Two and a half Stars.
Two albums in one year? Bound to be some superfluous material then.
Still, the opener holds all the promise in the world. Whole Lotta Love rocks, but not as much as you might expect. It's got a weird little midsection that actually works really good at lengthening the track. It's the best song on II.
What Is and What Should Never Be is also very good. Alternating between quiet verses and an easy to remember, slamming chorus.
The Lemon Song has a good riff. It's six minutes long, and functions as a rewrite of the bluesy unhappiness from the band's debut. Only this time, it lacks panache. First time I've wanted to describe one of their songs as angst-ridden complaining. I just find this one boring. It goes nowhere and accomplishes nothing.
Thank You sports acoustic flourishes. It's kind of sweet and romantic. But after the last song, I think an attention-grabbing track would have been better appreciated. I've nothing against this song, but it might have been better served by a later placement.
Heartbreaker has a great riff. But just listen to the lyric sometime. How many ways can Plant write a she-devil song before it gets old? There's a definate feeling on II of fishing for material...
That one ends very abrubtly, and Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman) starts in the same way. It's short and pretty fun. Another cool riff.
Ramble On sports more acoustics, a reference to Tolkien, a return to the rambling man theme, another rocking chorus and one of the better lyrics you'll hear on this CD. I'd say it works pretty well.
Moby Dick is filler in every sense of the word. It consists of... another riff, and a drum solo. Yep, I'm serious. Now, I don't find it annoying, but come on guys... if you've got that little material, why not wait a little longer?
Of course, you could look at it as them clearing out the salt cellars for a fresh start with III...
Bring it on Home is a paean to the blues (who's surprised?). It's interesting and weird, before it leapfrogs into a typical Zeppelin tune, that is...
It concludes this unfortunately weak entry in the Led Zeppelin saga. The whole thng has a simpler feel than the debut, a real sophomore effort. A few tracks make it worth a listen, but I know it won't be getting many more plays from me...
No, I don't always agree with AllMusic...
Two albums in one year? Bound to be some superfluous material then.
Still, the opener holds all the promise in the world. Whole Lotta Love rocks, but not as much as you might expect. It's got a weird little midsection that actually works really good at lengthening the track. It's the best song on II.
What Is and What Should Never Be is also very good. Alternating between quiet verses and an easy to remember, slamming chorus.
The Lemon Song has a good riff. It's six minutes long, and functions as a rewrite of the bluesy unhappiness from the band's debut. Only this time, it lacks panache. First time I've wanted to describe one of their songs as angst-ridden complaining. I just find this one boring. It goes nowhere and accomplishes nothing.
Thank You sports acoustic flourishes. It's kind of sweet and romantic. But after the last song, I think an attention-grabbing track would have been better appreciated. I've nothing against this song, but it might have been better served by a later placement.
Heartbreaker has a great riff. But just listen to the lyric sometime. How many ways can Plant write a she-devil song before it gets old? There's a definate feeling on II of fishing for material...
That one ends very abrubtly, and Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman) starts in the same way. It's short and pretty fun. Another cool riff.
Ramble On sports more acoustics, a reference to Tolkien, a return to the rambling man theme, another rocking chorus and one of the better lyrics you'll hear on this CD. I'd say it works pretty well.
Moby Dick is filler in every sense of the word. It consists of... another riff, and a drum solo. Yep, I'm serious. Now, I don't find it annoying, but come on guys... if you've got that little material, why not wait a little longer?
Of course, you could look at it as them clearing out the salt cellars for a fresh start with III...
Bring it on Home is a paean to the blues (who's surprised?). It's interesting and weird, before it leapfrogs into a typical Zeppelin tune, that is...
It concludes this unfortunately weak entry in the Led Zeppelin saga. The whole thng has a simpler feel than the debut, a real sophomore effort. A few tracks make it worth a listen, but I know it won't be getting many more plays from me...
No, I don't always agree with AllMusic...
Black coffee blues
I'm back again, this time to review the Led Zeppelin catalouge (In Through the Out Door not withstanding. I don't happen to have a copy.)
Led Zeppelin. Four and a half stars.
The debut of Led Zeppelin has a few detriments to its name (bite your tongue, girl!) and I'll get them over with quickly: a lack of originality and diversity. It's a blues bash with thunderous guitars. Now for that genre it's easily one of the best, thanks to the band's finesse, enthusiasm and power. Also thanks to Robert Plant, one of Rock's classic voices. He brings an awful lot to this show.
Enough with the vagaries... Song by song is my style.
It opens pretty well with Good Times Bad Times. It rocks, has a memorable chorus, and for a two minute track, there's a surprising amount happening in that frame.
Babe I'm Gonna Leave You is my absolute favorite track from the early days of the band. It starts with acoustic guitar and some almost flamenco flourishes. Heavy atmosphere is conjured and kept at just the right pitch throughout. It launches into hard rock riffing with Plant just wailing his heart out. The standout track. The masterwork.
You Shook Me is about the same length (six minutes) and states its intention right away - all-out blues. The song (such as it is) doesn't stick around long, serving more as a bookend to a great big blues jam. To Zeppelin's credit, it doesn't try your patience. When all's said and done, though immensely morose, it's quite good.
Dazed and Confused. A signature tune. Need any more be said? Well, it's on a grand scale; another six minute powerhouse with epic guitar soloing and Plant carrying off another miserable lyric. Most people singing this song would sound like a total sap. A credit to Plant that he pulls it off.
Your Time is Gonna Come. Okay, can anyone say athemic rocker? It's a relief to hear something a little more laid-back, as it does open with a stately organ solo; but I'm not fond of anthemic choruses (they just beg for an audience singalong, to my ears). Even with that reservation, this is still pretty good.
It segues into Black Mountain Side, an acoustic folky instrumental. It's short, odd, like a sore thumb on the record, but it points the way to Led Zep III and is a nice little interlude.
Communication Breakdown is a short, classic tune. Frenzied, kind of fun and very direct.
I Can't Quit You Baby is another bluesy, wretchedly unhappy, female devil story. With soloing included. Nothing new here...
Lastly, How Many More Times has some real jive, at last to start. It's not the most memorable track here, as it wanders off course. But it's a good way to end this record, and the quality of the musicians in this band really saves a lot of these longer tunes.
Well, diversity will come later. This early, their enthusiasm for the blues is a bit distracting, but I do like this CD nonetheless. Cover art is a classic, by the way.
Led Zeppelin. Four and a half stars.
The debut of Led Zeppelin has a few detriments to its name (bite your tongue, girl!) and I'll get them over with quickly: a lack of originality and diversity. It's a blues bash with thunderous guitars. Now for that genre it's easily one of the best, thanks to the band's finesse, enthusiasm and power. Also thanks to Robert Plant, one of Rock's classic voices. He brings an awful lot to this show.
Enough with the vagaries... Song by song is my style.
It opens pretty well with Good Times Bad Times. It rocks, has a memorable chorus, and for a two minute track, there's a surprising amount happening in that frame.
Babe I'm Gonna Leave You is my absolute favorite track from the early days of the band. It starts with acoustic guitar and some almost flamenco flourishes. Heavy atmosphere is conjured and kept at just the right pitch throughout. It launches into hard rock riffing with Plant just wailing his heart out. The standout track. The masterwork.
You Shook Me is about the same length (six minutes) and states its intention right away - all-out blues. The song (such as it is) doesn't stick around long, serving more as a bookend to a great big blues jam. To Zeppelin's credit, it doesn't try your patience. When all's said and done, though immensely morose, it's quite good.
Dazed and Confused. A signature tune. Need any more be said? Well, it's on a grand scale; another six minute powerhouse with epic guitar soloing and Plant carrying off another miserable lyric. Most people singing this song would sound like a total sap. A credit to Plant that he pulls it off.
Your Time is Gonna Come. Okay, can anyone say athemic rocker? It's a relief to hear something a little more laid-back, as it does open with a stately organ solo; but I'm not fond of anthemic choruses (they just beg for an audience singalong, to my ears). Even with that reservation, this is still pretty good.
It segues into Black Mountain Side, an acoustic folky instrumental. It's short, odd, like a sore thumb on the record, but it points the way to Led Zep III and is a nice little interlude.
Communication Breakdown is a short, classic tune. Frenzied, kind of fun and very direct.
I Can't Quit You Baby is another bluesy, wretchedly unhappy, female devil story. With soloing included. Nothing new here...
Lastly, How Many More Times has some real jive, at last to start. It's not the most memorable track here, as it wanders off course. But it's a good way to end this record, and the quality of the musicians in this band really saves a lot of these longer tunes.
Well, diversity will come later. This early, their enthusiasm for the blues is a bit distracting, but I do like this CD nonetheless. Cover art is a classic, by the way.
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