PHYSICAL GRAFFITI

After a brilliant start to their career with 4 masterful albums, Led Zeppelin were beginning to falter on every release. This Zeppelin album is all the left over stuff that was not good enough for the previous albums. Some of it perhaps should have been forgotten too, especially on side 2. To be fair there are some very good tracks on offer here. "In My Time of Dying" is a blues gem, with Plant at his best, and Bonham is wonderful on percussion. "Kashmir" is well composed with some excellent mellotron swirls from John Paul Jones. "Ten Years Gone" features killer riffing and perhaps it is a showcase for Page's lead guitar dexterity. "The Wanton Song" has some great feedback squeals and accomplished drumming by Bonham. "Houses of the Holy" should have made it to the album of its name's sake.

Other tracks feel like outtakes and almost filler material. Things like "Bron-Yr-Aur" are legendary among fans but when it comes down to it is just an acoustic guitar filler. "Down by the Seaside" is something left over from the "Led Zeppelin III" album that would have ruined it. "Ten Years Gone", "Night Flight", "The Wanton Song", "Boogie with Stu" and "Black Country Woman" reek of filler material, and sound more like outtakes that should have ended up as bonus tracks rather than on an official album. "Sick Again" finishes it all on a high note.

So there it is, an album to sift the gold from the dirt. "Physical Graffiti" will always have its fans as it is after all an album that has caused discussion through the years, and features one of the most striking covers, especially the vinyl version with pull out windows. The building has become rather dilapidated over the years and has lost its sheen, but it is still worth dropping by for a visit.

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