Led Zeppelin I (Atlantic ‘69) Rating: A
After tinkering with a new version of The Yardbirds, Jimmy Page and session veteran John Paul Jones teamed together with a couple of then unknowns, Robert Plant and John Bonham. The band’s chemistry was immediately and spectacularly apparent, and the rest, as they say, is history, as the mighty Led Zeppelin (so named because Who drummer Keith Moon suggested that they would go over with audiences “like a lead zeppelin”) was born. And yeah, they did rip off old blues artists, sometimes without according the proper credit, but they did so brilliantly. Besides, that was just a small part of their recorded legacy, and I’ve yet to hear any of the old bluesmen sound half as majestic or as powerful as Led Zeppelin does on “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You” or “Dazed And Confused,” this album's two best songs. Recorded over a sweat soaked 30 hours, Led Zeppelin I is the band’s rawest and most blues based recording. Page’s guitar is on fire throughout, Bonham’s drums thunder away in awe-inspiring fashion, Jones plays some terrific bass guitar and keyboards, and Plant’s high-pitched vocal wail (with many a “baby baby” lyric) became the template for all future hard rock singers. Yet for all of their individual excellence, and they do all take spectacular solo turns here (particularly Page), it is the band’s ensemble playing that remains most mind-blowing over 30 years later. As for the songs, in addition to the amazing above-mentioned classics, the multi-sectioned “How Many More Times” is another exceptionally strong take on the blues, “Good Times Bad Times” is a great short rocker, and the relentless “Communication Breakdown” flies along at a breakneck speed that few future punk rockers would ever be able to replicate. On the mellower side, “Your Time Is Gonna Come” is a beautiful sing along ballad led by Page’s acoustic guitar, Jones’ Hammond organ, and another inspired vocal from Plant, while “Black Mountain Side” is a short Page solo acoustic instrumental that offers a nice break in the action. Ironically, the two Willie Dixon covers, “You Shook Me,” and “I Can’t Quit You Baby,” are arguably the album’s weakest songs (least great songs is more like it), proving that Led Zeppelin were at their best when unleashing a fury (or a beauty) all their own.
Led Zeppelin
II (Atlantic ‘69) Rating: A
A menacing riff for the ages begins “Whole Lotta Love,” one of Led Zeppelin’s greatest songs that’s highlighted by some ahead of its time studio experimentation and a devastating Page/Bohnam guitar/drum volley. Next up is the excellent “What Is And What Should Never Be,” which features dreamy verses and catchy, hard-hitting choruses, not to mention superbly understated playing by the whole band. “The Lemon Song” is a bit of a blues ripoff on which they were successfully sued for stealing Howlin’ Wolf’s “Killing Floor” without giving any credit. The song is only partially successful, anyway, highlighted by some good guitar from Page and some none too subtle Robert Plant (by way of Robert Johnson) vocalizing. “Thank You” closes out what used to be side one with a gorgeous ballad with wedding song worthy lyrics that must have shocked some of the band’s critics, as Plant gives one of his finest vocal performances and Jones again plays beautifully on his Hammond organ. Side 2 begins with “Heartbreaker,” a great Page guitar showcase that famously segues into the catchy but repetitive rocker “Livin’ Lovin’ Maid,” while “Ramble On” (lyrically inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord Of The Rings) again shows the band’s ability to be both beautifully understated (the verses) and incredibly powerful (the choruses). The song also features a memorable fadeout, which was fast becoming another band trademark. Closing things out are “Moby Dick,” a disappointing showcase for Bohnam’s drumming whose best feature is actually Page’s great guitar playing, and “Bring It On Home,” which overcomes its slow Sonny Boy Williamson-inspired start to become another memorably amped up take on the blues. Many critics call this the first heavy metal album, but that (as usual) undersells Zeppelin’s eclecticism, and II really isn’t any heavier than I. However, it is another classic, though II is a little less consistent than I. Note: “Whole Lotta Love” was the only single that Led Zeppelin ever released in the U.K., the band being none too pleased with the edited version that became a smash hit on both sides of the Atlantic.
Led Zeppelin III (Atlantic ‘70) Rating: A
This record came as quite a surprise in 1970, and it holds up immaculately today. Completely shedding their unfair reputation as blues copycats, many of these songs are acoustic based, as the band displays a dazzling versatility and an almost encyclopedic knowledge of various musical forms. Not for the first time, “Immigrant Song” started the album off with a classic short rocker, one that is highlighted by its memorable siren calls and Viking-inspired lyrics. The exotic, string-flavored “Friends” then showed the ever increasing influence of Eastern music in Led Zeppelin’s songs, while “Celebration Day” and “Out On The Tiles” are exuberant straight ahead rockers. This album’s centerpiece song comes in the form of “Since I’ve Been Loving You,” a slowly smouldering blues epic that’s highlighted by one of Page’s most expressive guitar solos. Elsewhere, “Gallows Pole” offers a brilliantly frenzied take on a traditional folk tune, while “Tangerine” and “That’s The Way” are understated beauties that proved once and for all that Led Zeppelin were about far more than pure power; this point is further reinforced by “Bron Yr Aur Stomp,” a playful showcase for Page’s vigorous acoustic guitar strumming. Granted, “Hats Off To Roy Harper” meekly ends the album with one of the band’s weakest efforts (the band should have instead closed with the great “Hey Hey What Can I Do,” which was released in the U.S. as a b-side around the same time), but this was the band’s most consistently excellent album yet, though its peaks don’t rise quite as high as its predecessors. Amazingly, the album was initially perceived as a disappointment by both critics and fans alike, but time has only been kind to Led Zeppelin III, its stature having grown steadily over the years. In fact, many of these songs were featured prominently during the Page and Plant reunion tour of 1994, and this often-overlooked gem is especially enjoyable because these songs aren’t played constantly on classic rock radio stations.
Untitled (Atlantic ’71) Rating: A+
Also commonly known as Zofo or Led Zeppelin IV, this album was mysteriously released without any information about the band or its songs on the cover. The concept behind this daring statement was that the music inside would speak for itself, and it did just that in spectacular fashion. Regarded by most people as Led Zeppelin’s masterpiece, this album represents the band’s peak, as it’s simply one of the most perfectly realized albums of all time. It begins with two superb rockers: “Black Dog,” which is best known for Plant’s a capella vocals, and “Rock ‘n Roll,” a high octane ‘50s styled rocker that features an unstoppable beat, yet another great Page guitar solo, and Bonham’s famous drum solo at its finish. Meanwhile, the acoustic, Eastern influenced “Battle Of Evermore” is a brilliantly atmospheric song that’s aided by Plant and guest Sandy Denny’s (formerly of Fairport Convention) hypnotic vocal performances, as well as more Lord Of The Rings inspired lyrics. And what can be said about their ultimate masterpiece, “Stairway To Heaven,” that hasn’t already been said? Simply put, there’s a reason that this song has often been cited as the greatest rock song of all time. Starting with a beautiful, almost classical beginning (that’s clearly inspired by Spirit’s “Taurus”), the song builds and builds until it reaches its crashing crescendo and ultimate denouement. On a personal note, growing up my main rock n’ roll fantasy was to be Jimmy Page taking his amazing solo at a packed out Madison Square Garden – to me that was the ultimate possible rock n’ roll moment. Returning to reality, suffice it to say that I’ve somehow never tired of the song despite its endless rotation on classic rock radio, not to mention mystical lyrics that now seem somewhat silly. Continuing, the strong “Misty Mountain Hop” and “Four Sticks” (the album’s worst song that’s still pretty good) are both upbeat rockers before “Going To California” follows with another beautifully understated acoustic folk song. Finishing with a flourish, “When The Levee Breaks” is a magnificent blues epic (one of the band’s very best) that’s most notable for Bonham’s unbelievable “hammer of the gods” drumming - when he unleashes his titanic drum fill (you know the one) it gives me the chills every single time. The greatest album by arguably rock’s greatest band, Untitled is a cornerstone of any serious rock collection.
Houses Of The Holy (Atlantic ’73) Rating: A
Arguably Led Zeppelin’s most underrated album along with Led Zeppelin III, Houses Of The Holy was another classic recording whose primary failing was merely that it was less groundbreaking than its two bookending masterpieces. This was perhaps the band’s most pop friendly album aside from In Through The Out Door ("Dancing Days” and “The Ocean” - the latter familiar to all fans of The Beastie Boys - were simple, upbeat rockers that showcased Zep at their catchiest), but even so Houses Of The Holy still contained some exhilaratingly experimental stuff. For example, “D’yer Maker” is an interesting pop reggae excursion with Plant’s effective “oh oh oh oh’s” leading the way along with Bonham’s big beat, while “The Song Remains The Same” features a galloping rhythm and some beautifully shimmering, multi-tracked guitar from Page along with Plant’s weary (some would say "whiny") vocals, which explode come chorus time. Fine though these songs are, however, it is three epic songs that are this album’s primary claim to greatness. “The Rain Song” is a beautifully lush song whose orchestral and ambient elements coalesce into an almost classical perfection - that is until it explodes into a splendor that is Zeppelin’s alone, highlighted by Plant’s powerhouse vocal. “Over The Hills And Far Away” begins with an acoustic intro that has long been a favorite testing ground for prospective guitar players - then the electric guitars and hippy lyrics kick into what is simply a sublime rock song. Finally, “No Quarter” is indescribable, but what can be said about it is that this strange, menacingly atmospheric song is one of Zeppelin’s most magnificent creations; its single best feature is probably Plant’s dramatic, studio manipulated singing. “The Crunge,” a failed attempt at funk, is the only song here that wouldn’t be a contender for a greatest hits package, as Houses Of The Holy saw Led Zeppelin grasp an ever greater stranglehold on the title of “world's greatest band.”
Physical Graffiti (Swan Song ’75) Rating: A+
By now Zeppelin was larger than life, being the biggest band in the world with their own record label (Swan Song) to boot. The band reveled in rock n’ roll excess to a dangerous degree, led by John (“Bonzo”) Bonham’s gonzo antics and goaded by their bloated bully of a manager, the oversized Peter Grant. But even though a dark cloud always seemed to hover over the band, they always got it together when it came down to producing the musical goods. Befitting the band’s big stature, Physical Graffiti was their most ambitious outing. A double album covering a vast amount of musical territory, Physical Graffiti contained new songs along with excellent leftovers from previous sessions. This was their White Album, and no other Led Zeppelin album ranges as far or better showcases the depth of their talents. Only Led Zeppelin IV (or whatever you want to call it) can seriously rival Physical Graffiti for the title of “best Led Zeppelin album,” and the band immediately delivers on the muscular “Custard Pie,” which is followed by the melodic “The Rover,” one of the band’s most underrated songs. The band’s take on the traditional “In My Time Of Dying” (which had previously appeared on Bob Dylan’s first album) in an often spectacular 11-minute showcase for the band’s great group interplay and chemistry, while “Houses Of The Holy” is a swinging, upbeat rocker that’s fittingly of a piece with the band’s previous album. “Trampled Under Foot,” an explosively funky workout (led by Bonham) on which Plant’s vocals are noticeably ragged, is another undeniable classic, but even this song pales in comparison to the towering “Kashmir.” Led by Jones’ brilliantly brooding orchestration, this majestic track slowly builds to several soaring crescendos (again led by Bonham), and no less an authority than Plant felt that the song captured the essence of everything that Led Zeppelin was all about. And that’s just the first cd! What used to be side 3 may very well be the albums best. “In The Light” is another criminally underrated epic, led by Jones’ eerie keyboards and its soaring “in the light” vocal climax. This track leads into the pretty acoustic instrumental “Bron-Yr-Aur” (named after the band’s country retreat), which segues perfectly into the beautifully relaxed melody, shimmering guitar textures, and catchy chorus of “Down By The Seaside.” “Ten Years Gone” then takes over with a powerful Eastern-tinged epic that majestically showcases the band’s light/shade dynamics, led by Page, whose multi-tracked guitar is all over the place. The funky power riffing of “The Wanton Song” and the fifties-styled piano rocker “Boogie With Stu” are other highlights, and even when the band missteps on side four they do so with giant strides, causing Plant to proudly proclaim to Mojo magazine: “if I’m going to blow my trumpet about anything I’ve been connected with, then it would have to be that album.”
Presence (Swan Song ’76) Rating: B+
This is the forgotten Led Zeppelin album, largely because it features less memorable material than any of their other albums. Hastily recorded after the massive success of Physical Graffiti, this album was rushed together before they had gathered the customary allotment of first rate material. That said, Presence is still a damn good album whose relatively simple songs are driven by powerful performances. For example, Robert Plant, whose voice has grown rougher over the years, gives a compelling, stuttered vocal performance on “Nobody’s Fault But Mine,” an excellent, hard rocking song in part due to some uncredited help from Blind Willie Johnson. Other highlights include “For Your Life” and “Hots On For Nowhere,” which feature strutting riffs and funky backbeats, with the latter adding a catchy “la la la” chorus as well. The band remains an amazing instrumental unit, and though their reliance on overly repetitive song structures marks Presence as something of a placeholder release, Page still grabs many a great guitar part from his resourceful bag of tricks. Granted, “Royal Orleans” is forgettable, and the slow, understated blues of “Tea For One” is interminable, but “Achilles Last Stand” stands as one of the bands most powerful epics. In fact, this 10 minute track alone is worth the price of admission, led by its unwavering groove, a particularly haunting Plant vocal, and several show stopping give and take segments between Page and Bonham. During these thrilling exchanges, Bonham’s volcanic drum fills interlock with Page’s wailing guitar parts, seizing several moments of tension that build to the bursting point.
In Through The Out Door (Swan Song ‘79) Rating: B+
After a three-year lapse between releases that was caused in part by the tragic death of Plant’s son Karac, Led Zeppelin’s final studio album was a significant departure from anything that had come before it. More than any other Zeppelin album this one belongs to John Paul Jones, who co-wrote all but one song here (the worst one), and whose synthesizer/piano parts are all over the place. The album begins with the eerie effects and powerful guitar swirl of “In The Evening,” which also contains a cocky Plant vocal that confidently told the punk pretenders (who had cropped up in the band’s absence and who were supposed to render older rockers such as Led Zeppelin irrelevant) who was still boss. “South Bound Suarez” is an upbeat piano rocker highlighted by Page’s guitar solo and some sunny “sha la la” harmonies, while the somewhat overrated “Fool In The Rain” presented more catchy piano pop while also creatively making use of the studio. Unfortunately, “Hot Dog” is an unsatisfying slight Elvis-styled ‘50s rocker, and the 10+ minute “Carousalambra” is rather low-key compared to past epics. It’s still a solid song with a bright synthesizer melody, but it definitely doesn’t completely warrant its long running time. “All Of My Love” continues the album with a pretty, if somewhat schmaltzy, love song that registers due to the band’s beautifully understated playing and Plant’s heartfelt vocals, while “I’m Gonna Crawl” enjoyably closes the album with a slow, confident blues performance, albeit one that still features modern synthesizers most prominently. In short, this album was an enjoyable affair that saw the veteran band keeping pace with the snarling young punk upstarts by, ironically enough, toning things down. Yet Zeppelin’s slicker new sound was notably less powerful than on previous albums, and though the band was still very relevant they were no longer revelatory. Ironically, John Bonham’s death by asphyxiation and Led Zeppelin’s subsequent breakup prevented the band from hanging around past their prime, leaving an untarnished musical legacy.
Coda (Swan Song ’82) Rating: B+
Consisting of unreleased leftovers put out to fulfill contract obligations after the band’s breakup, Coda should be purchased only after obtaining all of the band’s other original albums. That said, these songs are pretty damn good for a bunch of rejects, though my guess is that none of them would qualify for your Led Zeppelin mix tape. Considering that the album barely passes the 33-minute mark and consists of a mere eight songs, it would also be nice to see the three previously unavailable songs from the box set tacked onto a future reissue, which would give the band’s fans more bang for their buck while also boosting this album’s stock considerably. However, as for what’s already here, their cover of B.B. King’s “We’re Gonna Groove” and their own “Wearing And Tearing” both rock hard and well, “Walters Walk” and “Ozone Baby” are garage rockers bashed out with plenty of energy and enthusiasm, and “Darlene” (probably my favorite song here) is a funky ‘50s-styled rocker. Though none of the material here is first rate, it certainly is well played, and it’s good to hear Bonham pound away one last time. I like his showcase tune “Bonzo’s Montreux,” and I definitely dig the Led Zeppelin III-styled folk rocker “Poor Tom,” though “I Can’t Quit You Baby” doesn’t seem completely necessary a second time around (fine though this version of that song predictably is). Like I said before, this isn’t an essential Led Zeppelin release, but fans who already love this great band will be likely glad that they own it – I know I am.
Led Zeppelin (Atlantic ‘90) Rating: A
At the time of its release this four-cd box set was a great investment, since its sound quality blew away the original album recordings. However, those original albums have since been remastered to equal the superlative sound found on this 4 cd box set. Since Led Zeppelin were consummate album artists whose studio albums were meticulously thought through affairs - from the artwork down to the song sequencing - listening to the original classics is the best way to get to know the group. Quite frankly, hearing “Heartbreaker” end and not jump right into “Livin’ Lovin’ Maid” was jarring to me the first time I heard it, and likewise “Black Dog” was meant to be followed by “Rock n’ Roll” (to cite but two obvious examples). However, if you already know the original albums by heart, the new sequencing, which was programmed by Page himself, might present an enjoyable change of pace. Furthermore, the songs chosen for this box set can’t be argued with too much, except for a few inexplicable omissions such as “Good Times Bad Times.” Lastly, it has the great b-side “Hey Hey What Can I Do,” which is unavailable elsewhere, along with an excellent, previously unreleased rendition of Robert Johnson’s “Travelling Riverside Blues,” and an elongated live BBC performance of Page’s acoustic showcase “White Summer/Black Mountain Side.” Note: This set renewed interest in the band and brought about a critical reassessment of their virtues. It didn’t hurt the band’s stock any that the past few years had seen an onslaught of bands seeking to replicate their sound but failing completely in capturing their magic.
Box Set II (Atlantic ’93) Rating: B+ The rest of the best, though most of the songs here are second stringers compared to the first volume. Still, there’s some first rate stuff here, and if you already have the first box set and don’t feel like shelling out the $$$ for their original studio albums, then this is a good investment.
BBC Sessions (Atlantic ’97) Rating: A-
Capturing one of the last performances of a very long tour, the band’s only previous official live release, The Song Remains The Same (which accompanied the movie of the same name) too often saw an exhausted band going through the motions. Now that these much bootlegged BBC Sessions have finally been released (with superlative sound quality), any lingering doubts about the band’s live prowess have officially been obliterated. Disc one features three BBC sessions from 1969, and these raw performances focus primarily on Led Zeppelin the blues band - albeit the heaviest damn blues band on the planet. Disc two comes from a single show recorded live at London's Paris Cinema studios (which the BBC used regularly to showcase new and current bands at the time, according to reader David Pearson) on April 1, 1971, and this disc is notable for some spectacular performances (“Since I’ve Been Loving You,” “Thank You”), and for previewing three songs (“Stairway To Heaven,” “Black Dog,” “Going To California”) from the band’s not yet released fourth album. BBC Sessions shows off Led Zeppelin’s improvisational essence, and it’s also cool to hear such an early version of “Travelling Riverside Blues,” or how the riff on their cover of Sleepy John Estes’ “The Girl I Love She Got Long Black Wavy Hair” would soon morph into “Moby Dick” (uncredited, of course). The band also covers Eddie Cochran’s “Somethin’ Else” and interrupts “Whole Lotta Love” with an oldies medley containing songs such as “Boogie Chillun’” and “That’s Alright Mama.” Most of these songs come from the first two Led Zeppelin albums, and the performances are uniformly excellent and incredibly powerful. On the downside, Robert Plant tends to go over the top at times with his histrionics, and the inclusion of multiple versions of several songs (including three takes of “Communication Breakdown” on disc one) amounts to overkill. Granted, there’s some credence to the liner notes’ claim that "the band could play the same song ten nights in a row and come up with ten different versions", and the two versions of “Dazed And Confused” and “Whole Lotta Love” don’t have a hell of a lot in common with each other (and at least they’re on separate discs). But a better idea would’ve been to pick the best versions of each song, though few will find fault with the performances themselves.
How The West Was Won (Atlantic ’03) Rating: A
Jimmy Page: "When I was searching though the archives for visual and audio material for the Led Zeppelin DVD I re-discovered these 1972 performances from the 25th June, L.A. Forum and 27th June, Long Beach Arena. This is Led Zeppelin at its best and an illustration of How The West Was Won." As if the West had so much as a fighting chance, and not more really needs to be said beyond that this is Led Zeppelin at its best. OK, I'll add that this 3-cd set is even better than BBC Sessions (there's no song duplication, for starters), and that I'd recommend also splurging for the DVD, which is being released simultaneously and which contains completely different yet equally spectacular performances. Sure, some of these songs ("Dazed And Confused", 25:25; "Moby Dick", 19:20; "Whole Lotta Love", 23:03) go on seemingly forever, but that's what Led Zeppelin did live. Besides, this "Dazed And Confused" demonstrates that Jimmy Page was the master of the violin-bowed guitar, and when they ad lib into "The Crunge" even that song sounds good. "Whole Lotta Love" again incorporates an oldies medley a la BBC Sessions, and "Moby Dick" is about as entertaining as any 19-minute drum solo can be. Truth is, above all else it is John Bonham who shines brightest on How The West Was Won, though all are in exemplary form on other extended workouts such as "Heartbreaker" and "Bring It On Home." Elsewhere, acoustic nuggets like "Going To California" and "That's The Way" positively shimmer, concise performances such as "Immigrant Song," "Dancing Days," "Rock And Roll," and "The Ocean" show the band tight and taut, and "Since I've Been Loving You" and "Stairway To Heaven" (sequenced back to back) are appropriately epic. Granted, I would've liked to have seen songs such as "When The Levee Breaks" and "Hey Hey What Can I Do" that have yet to be documented on an "official" live release, and some of this stuff will likely seem familiar to those well versed with "unofficial" releases (and perhaps even to some who aren't). But (as previously stated) rock n' roll at its best never got any better than Led Zeppelin, especially Led Zepplin live, and this point is proven time and time again on How The West Was Won.
