HOUSES OF THE HOLY

Good album, and if you really want to you can consider it a concept album, but if you don't want to, than that's just fine with me. The concept (for those wanting it to be a concept album) is a band on tour, playing in the Houses of the Holy (concert halls) for a crowd of fans (The Ocean) and wherever they play The Song Remains The Same (which was originally titled Overture).

Good music, throughout, with some outstanding tracks. The album kicks in with the great "The Song remains the same" exciting guitars, great funky bass lines and very well sung, the greatness continuous in "The Rain Song" with marvelous singing, great accoustic guitars and an orchestral mellotron giving it a classical feel. the end section get's increasingly intense Just beautifull. "Over The Hills and Far Away" starts with a nice acoustic intro, but soon the electrics kicks in with a nice solo, ending with a harpsichord outro. After that the funky frenetic James Brown tribute "The Crunge" sees Plant looking for a bridge.

Side two starts with the great opening riff to "Dancing Days" the song gets a little repetitive, but Plant's singing is top notch as is the hypnotisingly beautifull guitar riff. "D'yer ma'ker" title is a play on words, and pronounciation, a reggea pastiche, good music, but as reggae it wouldn't pass the test really, great fun though. "No Quarter" is the epic of the album, and undoubtfully one of their proggiest tracks, and also one of their most beautifull songs IMO Keyboards and mellotron by John Paul are absolutely perfect, as are the vocals. Live versions of the song features long solo's this studio version is quite compact. The album ends with the great anthemn "The Ocean" a fitting ending to this album.

A good funky, slightly progressive album, with some amazing stuff on it, though admittedly not all of it is brilliant. 4 stars for this. Listen yourself.