After releasing two of the
most phenomenal albums in the hard rock
genre in one year (1969), and not forgetting
that they were their debut and second
albums, Led Zeppelin turned round in 1970
with a follow up album that fooled everybody.
How do you do this? Simple. Completely
change the formula. Not content with ruling
the hard rock world, they wanted the lot.
Let me explain by leading you through
this varied album.
Up first is the perfect opener in “Immigrant
Song” (blatantly ripping off the riff
from Bali Hai, I mean if you’re going
to steal something do it with class),
a thumping rocker that could have been
on Led Zeppelin Two. So no surprise there
then, perhaps just a warning to any usurper
of their Hard Rock Crown, to not even
think about it. But then, Drop of the
Jaw, we are into sprightly folk/rock with
“Friends”, an acoustic number which features
John Bonham playing tabla drums. This
was certainly not what this dog expected,
Next up we got “Celebration Day”, and
what a celebration it is, too, with rocking
acoustic guitar, Robert Plant wailing
“How Happy He Is” (not surprising, really,
as he’d gone from total obscurity to fronting
the worlds biggest selling band),and Jimmy
Page laying down some awesome electric
guitar to bring the song to an exciting
finish. Next is the album’s central track
“Since I’ve Been Loving You”, (to this
album what “Stairway To Heaven” was to
the next), a blues work out not equaled
at the time or I would defy anybody to
defy me, since. A seven minute epic about
love lost, the singing and instrumentation
are at an all time high. John Bonham’s
drumming is as powerful, whilst subtle,
as ever. John Paul Jones contributes to
the dark feel of the song with an excellent
back-alley organ riff. Jimmy Page’s heartbreaking
guitar solo in the middle is simply mind
bending. And as for Robert Plant, he quite
possibly delivers one of the most magnificent
vocal performances of his career. Next
up, which would have been the closing
song on side one in the days of vinyl,
is “Out On The Tiles”, a hard rocking
electric workout with a strong bass beat,
which extols the virtues of hard living.
From here on out, instead of blasting
away, Led Zeppelin simply laid back, got
the acoustics out, and put down 5 songs
that wouldn’t have gone amiss on any folk
album. “Gallows Pole” another poach in
a remake of a lead belly song, begins
with a soft acoustic grove but soon builds
into a rousing crescendo. Both, “Tangerine”
and “That’s The Way”, have great acoustics,
heartfelt lyrics, and real feel, which
all contribute to this back to back emotional
punch. The album closes with the lilting
“Bron-Y-Aur-Stomp” and the quite frankly
bizarre tribute to their mate “Hats Off
To (Roy) Harper”.
All in all a very complete collection
of songs keeping Led Zeppelin secure in
their castle for another year. I would
conclude by saying that this is probably
Led Zeppelin’s most creative, thoughtful,
and introspective album.
Pawed by Mott The Dog
Remastered by Ella Crew
E-mail: review@mott-the-dog.com
