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Led Zeppelin - Houses Of The Holy CD (album) cover

HOUSES OF THE HOLY

Led Zeppelin

 

Prog Related

3.95 | 971 ratings

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clarke2001
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
5 stars Finally, after a four years of existence, LED ZEPPELIN did it; they produced a masterpiece. This one is their most progressive effort (except for "The song Remains The Same" live soundtrack), but that's NOT the reason why it's a five-star material.

It's hard-boiled, raw & tender in the same time, scary and happy, daring, experimental, mature. It's simply good. It's also somewhat cold (despite the occasional reggae overtones) - which usually distracts to fully appreciate the albums, but not in this case.

The album is balanced well - from the spasmodic riffs in "The Song Remains The Same" and slow, rolling electric monster in "The Ocean" to mellow, introspective, jazzy "Rain Song" soaked with gorgeous Mellotron arrangements.

"The Crunge" is rhythmical funky madness, it set up the standards for a certain genres of music that are yet to be discovered. And that IS progressive rock

"No Quarter" is one of the best songs ever written, again decades before it's time. It will took three decades and dawning of the genre called trip-hop to enable the wider audience to appreciate the song in it's full glory. The live version from "The Songs..." is even more powerful, and PAGE AND PLANT's 90's "unledded" reunion version is very different, but not less impressive...there's a certain something withing the core of the song which makes it so unique.

"Over The Hill And The Far Away" is providing another insane electric jive, no less impressive than "The Ocean" or in "The Song..."... Imagine the best, furious melting electric moments from "III" and move Page's groundbreaking bravurosity one step forward.

The two weakest tracks (but not exclusively weak by no means) on the album are "Dancing Days" and "D'yer Mak'er" (pronounced "DJAMAICA"). Interesting thing is they are both "warmer" tracks on a "colder" album, but they aren't out of place here, "Dancing Days" utilising some heavy riffing, and ""D'yer Mak'er", of course, reggae rhythms, Bonzo hitting the snares like a possessed maniac. It's a bit weaker lyrically-wise; but I think that's intentional - it's simply fits nicely into the overall picture. Speaking of lyrics, there are a lot of moments containing naïve flower-power lyrical attitude, but somehow blended with such a monstrosity of music, they sound almost like a prophecy.

In general, the influnece of LED ZEPPELIN on contemporary music is far from being over....and this album might have a significant role...again.

clarke2001 | 5/5 |

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