LED ZEPPELIN

The Zeps second album is one of their best in my opinion, and essentialy why? Firstly because i listen to it over and over in my teens, and the `power of memory must not be overlooked. But why did i liked so much? Maybe the response must seem strange, but i think nowadays it was because is the less specialized of the first Zeps albums: The first one is the heavy-blues record. The third one the folky record. The fourth the epic eternal record. But the second one is not so heavy, not so folky, not so epic... but there you can hear best Zeppelin, maybe because is not polarized you are able to see what the Zeps were as a whole ( not an easy joke). The other albums were like hearing the different sides of the Zeps in a very distintive way. They were more serious in their intentions, but Led Zeppelin II is pure fun, is the "on the road" album not necesarily something bad for a group like this. Yes, is for its relative deluted caracter that i like it. The first one always have been to heavy for me ( and i dont mean the style, it feels like you are carrying a thousand kg). The third is cool but i miss more rock in it. Second one is perfect- Theyr macho attitude turns from a complaining style to a more satyric over the top sexual style( in the way of the Rolling Stones "Under my Thumb"), what is way out a more sincere attitude for them. Examples? Living loving maid- Whole lotta love-Lemong song. Theres a hazy easy and not so deep feeling around the discm, it dont attack your nerves like the first one. It floats, we get the zeppelin and leave the Led. The best example of that blown almost sleepy mood is "What is and should never be", a great leazy song for losing your mind into the clouds.. i see a lot of people dispise this song but i find it irrestible, one of the Zepps best ones. And in the middle it burst to flames( two sides of the same Zep) Ok is the less progresive of the albums, is the less pretentious with III, allright is like a jam sesion and its whats wonderful about, this confidence, this hilarious funny sometimes cinical disc, its enjoyable from start to end without any mediation ( ok its a commercial album). I have the theory that in the first one they are just musicians but in the second they are Led Zeppelin- Kings of rock...thats why they take it easy. "Thank you" is a comercial love song, but the magical thing about is it doesnt matter, great love songs...and yes indeed one of the most beatifull lyrical solos from Page, the aerie church like sound is deep and suggestive to imagination. "Ramble on" a clasic with all this tolkienesque references, a folky laydown, sweet and blissfull, with a master bass by Jhon Paul Jones. And from the hard side i get with "Bring it on home" a blues clasic they improved and made comercial at the same time ( the magic of the Zeps), Plant voice and style is superb-this is how a rockand roll singer is suposed to sing like-even better than Jagger in my opinion ( but of course just in this song). He howls quietly in a uber-sexual kinky way. So finally i gave four stars to this awesome disc, because its not the most crafted album, but not always what´s difficult is greater than whats easy....

I have reviewed very little singles out here (maybe four or five). The reason why I do this exercise with this huge Led Zep one is that it fully belongs to my early teens. I bought it in December 70 together with "Paranoïd".

A great experience for sure. As an almost twelve years young boy, I listened to these tracks an awful lot of times without understanding the lyrics. But I really didn't care. But I spread the music within my class mates?

Later on I purchased the album and got acquainted with the classic end of "Heartbreaker" immediately followed by "Living Loving Maid". For sure a great b-side. I was quite fortunate though (even if I had no clue about this at the time): Led Zep were not releasing any single in the UK. Only in continental Europe (and some other parts of the world).

"Whole Lotta Love" is the archetype of the heavy rock genre: powerful vocals and great guitar riff. But the middle and fully disjointed psychedelic part is just fantastic. The band already had a similar approach with the great "How Many More Times" available on their debut album.

The flip side is not a second-hand track either. But in those days, Led Zep didn't release second-hand songs. Let's say that I listened to this side once out of two. This is a great single which I rate with four stars. It deserves a max rating in terms of influence and great music, but I can really not consider a single as being worth as much as an album.

But it was a great moment of initiation in my long musical process. Only therefore I have reviewed it.

To be a rock and not to roll.

But it rolled hard for Zeppelin, HARD. This is, in my opinion, one of the greatest rock albums ever made. And it has its prog moments too. The album starts with the bluesy "Black Dog" which i absolutley love, Plants vocals are on their peak here. Then there's "Rock N Roll". This tune ROCKS. Hit the play button, turn the volume up to maximum, jump on the gas and live your life. That's what Zeppelin is.

Then there's Battle of Evermore, one of the most haunting and mellow sounds Zeppelin ever created. And when you think you have almost heard it all, the fourth track starts playing. Needles to say that it's one of the greatest tracks in the history of the universe. Yes, it's got much radio attention, but guess why? There's a reason someone wants to listen to this piece over and over again. I've probably heard the stairs a thousands of times, i still get goose bumps when Pages solo starts. Am Am G G F F F F G! Then Plant comes in with a face melding vocal line that have made peoples heads explode on instant the first time they heard it.

"Misty Mountain Hop" is just what this album needed after that pinnacle. A groovey bass line and a nice jam beat. "Four Sticks" is a maybe the weakest link here, but by no means a weak track by itself. Then there's the two absolutley fantastic tracks in the end. The chilly "Going to California" and the haunting "When the Levee Breaks".

You probably own this record already, if not, oh well. 5 stars, absolute masterpiece of rock and prog related music.

We've come from the land of the ice and snow.

I'm a real fan of Zeppelins first four albums. In Zeppelins third Zep had managed to build their sound to a more versatile ground. The album would include a full out rocker song, maybe the best live tour opener ever, the overplayed "Immigrant Song". There's folkier tunes on the album that give a new dimension to Zeppelin, but my favourite on this album is the bluesy "Since ive been loving you" which just blows my mind everytime i listen to it. Plants high soaring screams and Pages immortal axes makes the skin on my back crawl. The fact that bassist John Paul Jones now had been given more freedom in experimenting the keyboards on Zep tracks really adds to the whole album. The bluesy organ that he adapts to "Since.." probably makes him one of the greatest multi-instrumentalists ever lived, and this was Zeppelin.

There's plenty on this album to like, except for the tracks i mentioned, i also like the Roy harper one and "Out on the tiles". The problem with this album is that it lacks the master touch that the first had shown, and what the latter would come to show. Still a great Zep album. 4 Stars

More iconic songs would follow, but never a better full set

It was October of that year that this mammoth slab of vinyl finished recording, putting the world on notice that new rock Gods were on the rise. A band preceded by Hendrix and Cream yes, but a band that would take things to the next level and the next level after that. A band that would rule the 1970s in many ways. And a band that gave us a perfect debut with this road map of where they would take us. The Zeppelin debut is one of the most consistent sets they gave us and they would not equal it again until perhaps Physical Graffiti. Here on one album is the perfect mix of blues, rock, and crushing hangover relief. What is truly amazing is that this is not a band that had been working together in dance halls for years, not a band who knew each other musically or even personally. These are mates whom Page and Peter Grant (along with the soon departing Dreja) had cobbled together merely weeks earlier. They assembled in late August, played their first gig Sept 7, and logged their first recording session on Sept 27 1968. For a band that had less than 2 months of scrapping together, the results are jaw-dropping. Page and his three new mates sound as if they were always meant to play together. Zeppelin 1 is a timeless and consistent piece of work that stands out for its immediacy, passion, and bravado.

What I really love about Zep 1 is the aggression. You can hear the hunger in the playing, the sheer will to reach the top. I especially love hearing the young Bonham attack with such ferocity, breathing new life into old blues numbers and basically daring the other band members to up the ante. Many of the tracks run together, it sounds like the guys are so enthused that they are falling all over themselves to launch into the next song, no break, like they would at their live gigs. If you've played in a band yourself you know that feeling well. There are no weak tracks present here as there are on Zep 2 and Zep 3. There are some good heavy rock numbers with pop accessibility (GTBT and Your Time is Gonna Come) along with the more ferocious (Communication Breakdown.) There is the introspective (Babe I'm Gonna Leave You) with its gritty, thrashy chorus balanced out with the sublime acoustic workout (Black Mountain Side.) But most of all there is the early blues-rock blend that Zeppelin would redefine post-Cream, nice working-class stompers like "You Shook Me, I Can't Quit You, and How Many More Times". While not as well developed as later gems like "Since I've Been Loving You" or "Tea For One," these are nonetheless very good. And last there is the big Zep anthem (Dazed and Confused) that would become their "Dark Star" in concert, expanding in both length and purpose to what by 1973 would be a show-stopping centerpiece. As the Grateful Dead did with Dark Star, morphing a short studio cut into a 30 minute nightly excursion to the cosmos, Zeppelin would allow Dazed to become an experimental vessel for soloing with violin bows and vocal histrionics. If I have one complaint, it's that "We're Gonna Groove" is not on this album. It was probably in their arsenal around this time and it's the highlight of Coda.

A rare debut masterpiece for hitting the public like a right hook, for its pure vibrancy, and its great consistency (every track a winner). Along with Physical Graffiti and Presence, you have the 3 essential Led Zeppelin classics. (2/3/4 and Houses all have great moments but also inconsistencies.)

I've never understood why this album made Led Zepplin into instant superstars.I'm sure that at the time it was released it was quite grounbreaking (and I mean merely grounbreaking ,not revolutionary-there is a difference) but I just don't think it has stood the test of time well.The opener Good Times Bad Times is basically a passable 60's pop song, albeit with a blistering guitar solo.Babe I'm Gonna Leave You isn't actually their song.The hard chorus bit was perhaps something fresh in 1969, but by today's standards it's nothing special. You Shook Me again isn't their song and again,by todays standards it seems pretty lame.Dazed And Confused is perhaps the song that made this album, but it's a song I've never liked. It's basically a blues song that has a kickin chorus and a "blistering" (for 1969) guitar solo.Yeah in 1969 it was somthing new, but after we've had Van Halen, Black Sabbath, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai,Randy Rhoads etc. is it something we should be listening to all the time ?In my opinion, no. Side 2 has Your Time Is Gonna Come which is a pleasant enough song although the chourus makes me cringe a bit.Black Mountain Side is a nice acoustic ditty.Communication Breakdown sounds,frankly, lame by today's standards. At the time I'm sure that Zeppelin thought they were really mean hard rockin' dudes but ,sorry, when I hear it today it sounds almost quaint. I can't Quit You Baby is a dreary blues song with some sloppy guitar playing.How Many More Times,contrary to popular belief isn't their song it's just a medley of old 50's blues and pop songs, and it's just too damn long and dull.So there we have it,an album which was fresh in 1969 but pretty darn stale in today's day in age.So why is so popular? Simple. It's by Led Zeppelin, and people will tell you that if you don't listen to Zeppelin, you're simply not cool.Now I'm not saying that Led Zeppelin didn't write a few good songs but I feel that this album is clearly overrated by the majority of people.Personally I consider the first Black Sabbath album to be much more groundbreaking ,fresh, and exciting,yet it didn't make Sabbath into instant superstars.I don't consider Zeppelin to be the founders of heavy metal, I consider it to be Hendrix(how can you not bang your head to Purple Haze, Spanish Castle Magic or Wild Thing?)I think that Zeppelin were able to take the sound of Hendrix, Blue Cheer and Cream and make it more "defined" on a piece of vinyl. If you saw Hendrix play live I'm sure that you wouldn't consider Zeppelin as the founders of heavy metal. I feel that part of Led Zeppelin's appeal is not because they wrote breathtaking music,but because they have become so indelibly ingrained in American Rock n roll culture, that they have an aura of greatness, which I consider largely to be undeserved.

3 out of 10.. rounded to 2 stars..

Last work of a real Monster...

Led Zeppelin reaches the end with a really interesting album. It's important to me saying, that this band has never let me down and every release, really surprised me. ''In Through the Out Door'' is the 8th release of the Led Masters and their last, too.

Plant's voice is always there. This man manages to keep inaltered his magical voice and this is well noticed here. Page's guitar palying has no need of references and comments. Always charateristic, always clear, always Les Paul-zy. Jone's bass playing has no big differences from all those years of the band's top career, but the notable thing here are the keys. Does this guy have to make a keyboard career too? Perfect parts and ideas, perfectly arranged and performed. This album has many to teach to everyone rock band's keyboard player. Without doubt, equally placed with Page's guitar in this album. Bonham's drum playing is always strong and potential, dressing the whole project for the last time. This monster of drummer leaves this world, presenting his last master work.

''In Through the out Door'''s production is the usual crystal and perfect work of Jimmy Page. Production Seminario for another time. The album presents different styles in its tracks, something always noticed to Led Zeppelin. From the classic Zep with its magical intro, ''In the Evening'' and ''Fool In the Rain'', to the 60's ''South Bound Saurez'', to the country style ''Hot Dog'', to the 80's style ''Carouselambra'', to the wonderful rap-hip-hoppy ballad ''All of My Love'' (reminding the Rolling Stones, in my opinion), to the magical outro of ''I'm Gonna Crowl''....Perfect work..!!!

Essential for the fans of this master group, highly recommended for everyone rock listener. 4 stars really...

You need coolin', baby im not foolin'.

Zeps second album is full of good and filler tracks, which makes it hard to review. There is of course one classic on the album, the opener "Whole Lotta Love" which probably has immortalized itself as one of the all time best rock songs. Then there are few good bluesy tunes, like "What is and What should never be" and "The Lemon Song" to name the best ones. There's also the super drum solo by bonzo Bonham, which probably goes into the most hardcore drumming top 10 list easily, but musically, i tend to skip this track when listening to the album, as the song fails to be meant for anything else than live jam. The song that really makes this album a four star for me is the track "Thank You". To me, it's Zeps most beautiful performance ever, and beats of competition from "Rain song" and "Stairway to Heaven" to name a few.

This album, unlike the debut album, lacks consistency, but then again there are 2 tracks that are better than any on the debut album, so it's a hard pick, but for me Zeps second album is "only" worth four stars. Great Album.

Way Down Inside?You Need It

Led Zeppelin II is such a famous album that many of us know it by heart from the first insistent E chord. The familiarity that goes with this, the prototypical Zep record, makes it easy to forget just how astounding it was. Despite its enormous weight, the band did indeed fly, and on their second album the band goes beyond the New Yardbirds numbers and covers to establish themselves as the band that would become the biggest juggernaut in rock after the dissolution of the Beatles.

So often when Zeppelin is discussed, phrases like "the originators of Heavy Metal" get tossed around. To be certain, this album introduces some colossal riffage. However, the famous "Whole Lotta Love" and "The Lemon Song" riffs are still just 60's blues rock cranked louder and rawer. But with "Heartbreaker," we get something a little new. The winding line is still blues based to be sure, but rather than an ornament to the chords, the riff here is an end in and of itself. In addition, the signature riff-based, heavily distorted guitar, plenty of soloing, bombastic drums, and high-voiced front man all became the template for the next decades' music.

The magic of Led Zeppelin, especially as time passes, was not in their heaviness. This was already eclipsed by contemporaries Black Sabbath and would be exploited to every possible variation over time. What Zep did better than anyone, at least in the studio, was combine multiple textures into a sonic experience that still has not been matched. A song like "Ramble On" is a syncopated, multi-layered feast that's lasting moments are the loping bass and the Tolkien-inspired nonsensical lyrics. These lighter shades including the classics "Thank You" and "What is and What Should Never Be" are what made the heavier elements work so well. "Whole Lotta Love," which begins with a riff so simple that it is one of the first guitarists learn, evolves into a psychedelic trip producible only by the expertise of one of the best studio guitarists the rock world has ever seen. By the time the album finishes with the lazy cover of "Bring It on Home," the listener has been on a broad musical journey that can be repeated time and again without boredom.

This is by no means a prog album, but it did stretch the scope of how a rock album could sound, perhaps like no others at the time. This album was released in 1969, where very little of what we call true prog even existed. However, this is a masterpiece of rock n' roll, without any doubt whatsoever. To me, it is the second most essential Zep album, and should have a place in every rock collection. Its importance in a prog collection is a bit more secondary, as the band itself was more important than any particular album. It's a little difficult to choose the correct rating for this site so I'm going to stick to 4 for now.

Keyboards driven Led Zeppelin...? Yes, it's their last and worthst album, in my opinion.

I remebmber I got it first time, in form of some Indian-made vynil, with bad quality cover. After first listening, I thought that it's a mistake, it's not a Zepp, no way. May be there, in vynil production, they mixed some buttons!

Ok, I realise, that it's not a mistake very soon, at least you have Plant voice, you have Bonham thunder drumming. But all the music was a bit strange, unfocused... "All Of My Love " sounded as LZ tryed to record something for Pop-Top -10 ( for the eightees). Half of the songs are just fillers, with no right to be presented in REAL LZ album. What a disaster!

Many years after, I can found some positive moments in this album ( I tryed hard, believe me!). But looking from historical point of view, LZ finished their activities with very low quality album. You can only expect, what could be next one!

It's a bit pity, that so great musicians of all times came at the end to that low point, but from another hand during their best years they left us the great legacy.