Presence. Four and a half stars.
For the public and critics alike, every Zeppelin album from I to VI are looked upon as golden, essential works from a band at their peak. And then...
Presence, from '76, is the first to fail at capturing enthusiasm. I can't speak for the ones to follow, as I don't have them. But I think what made this a forgotten album is its subtlety. Unlike prior records, there is little in the way of big riffs or other classic Zeppelin tricks of getting attention.
The opener is the strongest moment, bar none. Achille's Last Stand is a rock epic, stretching to ten minutes, and gaining a powerhouse performance from everyone. Plant is more of an accent than usual. Bonham's drums are very noticable. It keeps your interest all the way, and bears no excess that I noticed. Surprising, after their last record.
Its strength does put the rest of the songs at a disadvantage. None of it is as likely to blow you away. But For Your Life does pretty well. It draws you in as it goes. It's quite impressive, though it takes awhile to realise that. No chorus or catchy bits. Nothing obvious.
Royal Orleans is a three minute piece, and though high quality, it doesn't last long enough to really make an impression. It just skates on by.
Nobody's Fault but Mine is our customary blues track. Big theatrical pauses for the main line, placed inbetween some great musical jams. This tends to be most people's favorite Presence track.
Candy Store Rock was apparantly a flop single. It makes for an unlikely Zeppelin tune, I'll admit. Sort of a tribute to the long ago early days of rock and roll. Plant does a good impression of... whoever he's affecting. It's the light moment, and a good change of pace. I wish it had been shorter, which is more in keeping with oldies.
Hots on for Nowhere is a casual rocker, with Plant taking his usual center stage role. It carries on very nicely.
Tea for One wraps the album very well. It returns to the long gone "late night bar" atmosphere of Since I've Been Loving You, only as the title points out out, you don't need coffee or whiskey to feel this bad. Alright, I do prefer their previous forays in this direction, but as my last Led Zeppelin record, this is a fitting closer.
I am of the opinion that this carefully thought out product trounces the bountiful Physical Graffiti, which was too much of a good thing. It ranks alongside their debut in my eyes. Severely underrated, and yet without a drop in quality. I must put its lack of popularity down to it being a rather difficult set of songs to immediately grasp.
And did I mention how good it sounds on headphones?
Friday, January 22, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
A small mire
Physical Graffiti. Three and a half stars.
Odd that there are so many double albums out there, given that they always end up sounding overlong (The Who's Quadrophenia being an exception). Certainly it's the case with this one, the last of the Zeppelin "classic" records. Overall quality is lower, as this brew of songs just doesn't rise to former heights. Especially in the lyric department...
Despite all that, the first CD opens with Custard Pie, a stately rocker that shows Led Zeppelin at the top of their game. It holds together well, has a nicely heavy sound and doesn't meander too much.
The Rover is also excellent. Cool riff, great vocal, decent lyric, good guitar solo. There's just nothing wrong with this piece.
In My Time of Dying is an eleven minute blues extravaganza. If it were a bit shorter, I'd have less to complain of. As it is, yeah, cool slide guitar and all that, but Robert Plant comes across as a bit overwrought. And though it is interesting in an instrumental sense, it seems a tad grandiose. Epic songs just don't have to be this long. On the other hand, I can't really say it's bad. Zep always could handle a blues jam.
Things tighten back up with the song Houses of the Holy. And on a record rather caught up in sleaze and excess, this is made all the nicer. Idyllic. It could have fit in well on the album of the same name, methinks.
Trampled Under Foot is the exact opposite. The car metaphor is hit-you-over-the-head obvious, but the riff is killer, and Plant plays it up well.
And last is Kashmir. In the right mood, this one'll send a shiver up your spine. Epic drama, surreal and fitting lyric and of course, those unforgettable strings. Very different from all their other songs, but undeniably Zeppelin.
Disc two doesn't rock so much, and it has some pacing problems. It seems to be mostly filler and throwaways. Not nearly of the previous quality.
In the Light starts atmospherically, but soon bogs down. What momentum the song contains is lost as it is unreasonably stretched to eight and a half minutes. There's not enough there to sustain interest.
Bron-Yr-Aur is a lovely, acoustic throwaway. One of their rare instrumentals and pastoral as all get out. I found it charming.
Down by the Seaside is a leisurely tune. Unexpectedly staid for this band. Yet quite nice in its own right. Though the disc's pacing problems are now apparant. Case in point:
Ten Years Gone takes ages to get going. After all the previous languid tracks, the last thing you want is a dignified, laid-back rock ballad that goes on for six minutes. On its own, though hardly memorable, Ten Years Gone isn't bad. It's the layout that's bad.
Night Flight has a great little chorus. And it's short. So I like it, for what that's worth.
The Wanton Song finally kicks off right away. It's a punchy number, and typical of the band.
Boogie With Stu, on the other hand, is not at all what one expects out of them. It dips into old times rock and roll, and it sure as hell boogies. It's got a honky-tonk piano and is the most fun on Physical Graffiti.
Black Country Woman is a sad, plaintive "love-gone-sour" epistle. Good vocal from Plant, even if the lyric does repeat itself.
And last of all is Sick Again. Sleazy, macho rock tune with a rich teenage girl. It's a strong endnote.
All in all, I really must protest the length of this album. But consider this: with some trimming, it would lose a certain amount of personality. It's the eternal quandary... All the extras ruin the highly polished flow of listening, yet it is those same extras that can reveal so many of a band's creative eccentricities.
Oh well. Suffice to say, Physical Graffiti is overlong, poorly plotted and studded with some very good material nonetheless.
Odd that there are so many double albums out there, given that they always end up sounding overlong (The Who's Quadrophenia being an exception). Certainly it's the case with this one, the last of the Zeppelin "classic" records. Overall quality is lower, as this brew of songs just doesn't rise to former heights. Especially in the lyric department...
Despite all that, the first CD opens with Custard Pie, a stately rocker that shows Led Zeppelin at the top of their game. It holds together well, has a nicely heavy sound and doesn't meander too much.
The Rover is also excellent. Cool riff, great vocal, decent lyric, good guitar solo. There's just nothing wrong with this piece.
In My Time of Dying is an eleven minute blues extravaganza. If it were a bit shorter, I'd have less to complain of. As it is, yeah, cool slide guitar and all that, but Robert Plant comes across as a bit overwrought. And though it is interesting in an instrumental sense, it seems a tad grandiose. Epic songs just don't have to be this long. On the other hand, I can't really say it's bad. Zep always could handle a blues jam.
Things tighten back up with the song Houses of the Holy. And on a record rather caught up in sleaze and excess, this is made all the nicer. Idyllic. It could have fit in well on the album of the same name, methinks.
Trampled Under Foot is the exact opposite. The car metaphor is hit-you-over-the-head obvious, but the riff is killer, and Plant plays it up well.
And last is Kashmir. In the right mood, this one'll send a shiver up your spine. Epic drama, surreal and fitting lyric and of course, those unforgettable strings. Very different from all their other songs, but undeniably Zeppelin.
Disc two doesn't rock so much, and it has some pacing problems. It seems to be mostly filler and throwaways. Not nearly of the previous quality.
In the Light starts atmospherically, but soon bogs down. What momentum the song contains is lost as it is unreasonably stretched to eight and a half minutes. There's not enough there to sustain interest.
Bron-Yr-Aur is a lovely, acoustic throwaway. One of their rare instrumentals and pastoral as all get out. I found it charming.
Down by the Seaside is a leisurely tune. Unexpectedly staid for this band. Yet quite nice in its own right. Though the disc's pacing problems are now apparant. Case in point:
Ten Years Gone takes ages to get going. After all the previous languid tracks, the last thing you want is a dignified, laid-back rock ballad that goes on for six minutes. On its own, though hardly memorable, Ten Years Gone isn't bad. It's the layout that's bad.
Night Flight has a great little chorus. And it's short. So I like it, for what that's worth.
The Wanton Song finally kicks off right away. It's a punchy number, and typical of the band.
Boogie With Stu, on the other hand, is not at all what one expects out of them. It dips into old times rock and roll, and it sure as hell boogies. It's got a honky-tonk piano and is the most fun on Physical Graffiti.
Black Country Woman is a sad, plaintive "love-gone-sour" epistle. Good vocal from Plant, even if the lyric does repeat itself.
And last of all is Sick Again. Sleazy, macho rock tune with a rich teenage girl. It's a strong endnote.
All in all, I really must protest the length of this album. But consider this: with some trimming, it would lose a certain amount of personality. It's the eternal quandary... All the extras ruin the highly polished flow of listening, yet it is those same extras that can reveal so many of a band's creative eccentricities.
Oh well. Suffice to say, Physical Graffiti is overlong, poorly plotted and studded with some very good material nonetheless.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Glorious follow-up
Houses of the Holy. Five Stars.
I rank this CD right behind III as my favorite Zeppelin album. It's not as eclectic as the former, but on the other hand... It's a very fun record, lighthearted and with a sense of humour. I don't tend to associate Led Zeppelin with that quality, but it's on hand here.
The opener (The Song Remains the Same) is very immediate and infectious. It rocks with glee. These are the experts, after all... It slows down for a set of verses done in a higher register than Plant usually goes for. You might find it eerie and offputting, but he uses it all through the record, so you'd best get used to it. Meantime... this rocks.
The Rain Song is a bit overambitious, but it has a certain mellow appeal. Heck, it's even romantic. Slow moving, heavily draped with keyboards, very long and winding. It's really a nice interlude, though these two long songs ensure that the CD gets off to a slower start than the previous ones do.
Everything is fixed with Over the Hills and Far Away. It has a folky, appealing intro, before launching into an equally appealing, jaunty rock song. It's fun and has a keyboard solo placed on the end, which is an interesting addition.
The Crunge is an abrasive "song." It's more along the lines of a stand-up comedy act. The lyric is completely ridiculous, made even more so by Plant's ludicrous delivery and the brash, in-your-face instrumentation. It's not really a song, so over-listening to the record will make this one wear thin faster than the others.
Dancing Days returns to the usual Led Zep territory. It does nothing new, but it's cool. Great riff, classic rock attitude is presented, really short and packing a punch. Easiest song on here to like.
D'yer Make'er is weird, but very pleasing nonetheless. It has a sense of... drama, for lack of a better word. It's my current favorite song off Houses of the Holy. It's so well structured, and the music is so sunny, despite the sad lyric; which also contains an upbeat quality in its odd delivery.
No Quarter is the one that doesn't fit. It's a very dark mood piece, and reminds me of When the Levee Breaks, as it has the same majestic quality. It's a quieter track though, stately and dignified. The strange thing is that it doesn't sound that out of place, despite the fact that it should.
The Ocean is the closer. It's a rocker, obviously, but surprisingly layered. Just when you have it pinned, it cartwheels into some sort of pastiche of cheezy pop backing vocals. There's no reason for it, but it's nice.
Houses of the Holy proves that, as of '73, Zeppelin weren't boxing themselves in and repeating the megahit formula. It sounds like a creative, good times record. I don't know if that's true behind the scenes, but I'm too afraid to look, for fear the band will pull a Deep Purple on me. :)
Makes me curious about Physical Grafitti though. I haven't heard it in years...
I rank this CD right behind III as my favorite Zeppelin album. It's not as eclectic as the former, but on the other hand... It's a very fun record, lighthearted and with a sense of humour. I don't tend to associate Led Zeppelin with that quality, but it's on hand here.
The opener (The Song Remains the Same) is very immediate and infectious. It rocks with glee. These are the experts, after all... It slows down for a set of verses done in a higher register than Plant usually goes for. You might find it eerie and offputting, but he uses it all through the record, so you'd best get used to it. Meantime... this rocks.
The Rain Song is a bit overambitious, but it has a certain mellow appeal. Heck, it's even romantic. Slow moving, heavily draped with keyboards, very long and winding. It's really a nice interlude, though these two long songs ensure that the CD gets off to a slower start than the previous ones do.
Everything is fixed with Over the Hills and Far Away. It has a folky, appealing intro, before launching into an equally appealing, jaunty rock song. It's fun and has a keyboard solo placed on the end, which is an interesting addition.
The Crunge is an abrasive "song." It's more along the lines of a stand-up comedy act. The lyric is completely ridiculous, made even more so by Plant's ludicrous delivery and the brash, in-your-face instrumentation. It's not really a song, so over-listening to the record will make this one wear thin faster than the others.
Dancing Days returns to the usual Led Zep territory. It does nothing new, but it's cool. Great riff, classic rock attitude is presented, really short and packing a punch. Easiest song on here to like.
D'yer Make'er is weird, but very pleasing nonetheless. It has a sense of... drama, for lack of a better word. It's my current favorite song off Houses of the Holy. It's so well structured, and the music is so sunny, despite the sad lyric; which also contains an upbeat quality in its odd delivery.
No Quarter is the one that doesn't fit. It's a very dark mood piece, and reminds me of When the Levee Breaks, as it has the same majestic quality. It's a quieter track though, stately and dignified. The strange thing is that it doesn't sound that out of place, despite the fact that it should.
The Ocean is the closer. It's a rocker, obviously, but surprisingly layered. Just when you have it pinned, it cartwheels into some sort of pastiche of cheezy pop backing vocals. There's no reason for it, but it's nice.
Houses of the Holy proves that, as of '73, Zeppelin weren't boxing themselves in and repeating the megahit formula. It sounds like a creative, good times record. I don't know if that's true behind the scenes, but I'm too afraid to look, for fear the band will pull a Deep Purple on me. :)
Makes me curious about Physical Grafitti though. I haven't heard it in years...
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
One of the crown jewels
Led Zeppelin IV. Five Stars.
This is where it's at. The Holy Grail of 70's rock music. Everyone's heard it, knows it, loves it. Even I'll admit it's great. So why am I going to review it, I ask...
Black Dog is a wonderful opener. It's got a lot of panache and confidence, and is complex to boot... I'm trying to avoid saying it sounds like Led Zeppelin, but why not? This record is the pure distillation of their sound.
It moves on with Rock and Roll. Hard not to like this one. It's everything you'd expect - drums, guitars, a beat that never falters, Plant wailing... Great housecleaning tune.
Things wind down for the more artistic, mandolin-driven fantasy The Ballad of Evermore. Sandy Denny of Fairport Convention guest stars. She helps give this song a completely unique flavor in the band's canon, and her voice meshes with Plant's extraordinarily well. Excellent from start to finish.
But it's Stairway to Heaven everyone knows is the centerpiece. It's a casualty of Classic Rock Radio, but if you're very lucky and haven't heard it to death, then you can fully enjoy the breathtaking beauty of it. When I first heard it, I never wanted the song to end, it was that good. Nowadays I'm more cynical. It's Misty Mountain Hop I'm here for.
Misty Mountain Hop is an amusing piece of work. The beat is what everybody will remember, but I just like the poor, confused narrator's encounter with hippies in a park. It's really a fun track, just like Rock and Roll .
Four Sticks is a good song. I like the chorus and John Bonham's percussion. It's oddly forgettable, which left it as my least favorite for years, but now I'm starting to really appreciate the track. Plant's voice is quite eerie toward the end.
Okay, I vote for Going to Calafornia as the real weak link. It's a nice interlude, but somehow quite wishy-washy. A bit overwrought. It picks up as it plays, but really isn't great.
And it's eclipsed by When the Levee Breaks. A positively apocalyptic, unholy blues epic. The whole thing rocks with splendid grandeur. It finishes the record on a very strong note.
It's hard to fault this record. So why isn't it my favorite? Why doesn't it make it onto my top 20? Perhaps it's because there are other albums with more personality quirks, or because I like to root for the underdogs. It certainly isn't because this doesn't measure to its reputation.
This is where it's at. The Holy Grail of 70's rock music. Everyone's heard it, knows it, loves it. Even I'll admit it's great. So why am I going to review it, I ask...
Black Dog is a wonderful opener. It's got a lot of panache and confidence, and is complex to boot... I'm trying to avoid saying it sounds like Led Zeppelin, but why not? This record is the pure distillation of their sound.
It moves on with Rock and Roll. Hard not to like this one. It's everything you'd expect - drums, guitars, a beat that never falters, Plant wailing... Great housecleaning tune.
Things wind down for the more artistic, mandolin-driven fantasy The Ballad of Evermore. Sandy Denny of Fairport Convention guest stars. She helps give this song a completely unique flavor in the band's canon, and her voice meshes with Plant's extraordinarily well. Excellent from start to finish.
But it's Stairway to Heaven everyone knows is the centerpiece. It's a casualty of Classic Rock Radio, but if you're very lucky and haven't heard it to death, then you can fully enjoy the breathtaking beauty of it. When I first heard it, I never wanted the song to end, it was that good. Nowadays I'm more cynical. It's Misty Mountain Hop I'm here for.
Misty Mountain Hop is an amusing piece of work. The beat is what everybody will remember, but I just like the poor, confused narrator's encounter with hippies in a park. It's really a fun track, just like Rock and Roll .
Four Sticks is a good song. I like the chorus and John Bonham's percussion. It's oddly forgettable, which left it as my least favorite for years, but now I'm starting to really appreciate the track. Plant's voice is quite eerie toward the end.
Okay, I vote for Going to Calafornia as the real weak link. It's a nice interlude, but somehow quite wishy-washy. A bit overwrought. It picks up as it plays, but really isn't great.
And it's eclipsed by When the Levee Breaks. A positively apocalyptic, unholy blues epic. The whole thing rocks with splendid grandeur. It finishes the record on a very strong note.
It's hard to fault this record. So why isn't it my favorite? Why doesn't it make it onto my top 20? Perhaps it's because there are other albums with more personality quirks, or because I like to root for the underdogs. It certainly isn't because this doesn't measure to its reputation.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Iced tea with lemon zest...
(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.
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.
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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