RobMCFC
Well-Known Member
III – Led Zeppelin
Another Led Zeppelin album that I’ve enjoyed. As a set of cohesive songs, it’s probably better than Physical Graffiti, but there’s nothing on it that matches “Kashmir” or “Trampled Under Foot”. Actually, listening to “Gallows Pole” for the fourth time, I've changed my mind, it's a brilliant track. I love the acoustic guitar and banjo. “Tangerine” is similarly excellent and the second half of the album is really enjoyable for its folky side. There are some really nice passages in “That’s The Way” – I’m assuming that that’s John Paul Jones on the mandolin.
Over the two threads, we are reviewing a lot of music by bands that were popular in the 1970s and are still fondly remembered by many. It may seem an obvious statement but from what I’m hearing, you can’t beat The Beatles for gorgeous hooks and melodies, and you can’t beat Led Zeppelin for the driving chords and brilliant weaving of acoustics and electric.
When you listen to some of these songs, even the longer ones, they have momentum and rhythm; they move forward. I don’t know whether people understand what I am saying here, but it is something that most of the King Crimson and Genesis music lacks from my perspective.
I only own one Led Zeppelin album: I bought IV for “Stairway to Heaven” way back in the pre-Spotify days, but it was a poor mastering that made the music sound way too thin, so I never really listened to it much. However, these remasters are excellent and you can hear the depth in the music. Plus, the various stringed instruments have a nice ring to them that you don’t hear on older recordings that are poorly mastered.
As we make our way through these albums and review them together, I enjoy doing a little background reading on the album and artist. Back in the 1980s, I always used to slavishly read the album credits so there’s a name here that’s familiar to me – engineer Terry Manning produced one of my favourite albums from the 1980s, The Rainmakers self-titled debut.
8/10
Another Led Zeppelin album that I’ve enjoyed. As a set of cohesive songs, it’s probably better than Physical Graffiti, but there’s nothing on it that matches “Kashmir” or “Trampled Under Foot”. Actually, listening to “Gallows Pole” for the fourth time, I've changed my mind, it's a brilliant track. I love the acoustic guitar and banjo. “Tangerine” is similarly excellent and the second half of the album is really enjoyable for its folky side. There are some really nice passages in “That’s The Way” – I’m assuming that that’s John Paul Jones on the mandolin.
Over the two threads, we are reviewing a lot of music by bands that were popular in the 1970s and are still fondly remembered by many. It may seem an obvious statement but from what I’m hearing, you can’t beat The Beatles for gorgeous hooks and melodies, and you can’t beat Led Zeppelin for the driving chords and brilliant weaving of acoustics and electric.
When you listen to some of these songs, even the longer ones, they have momentum and rhythm; they move forward. I don’t know whether people understand what I am saying here, but it is something that most of the King Crimson and Genesis music lacks from my perspective.
I only own one Led Zeppelin album: I bought IV for “Stairway to Heaven” way back in the pre-Spotify days, but it was a poor mastering that made the music sound way too thin, so I never really listened to it much. However, these remasters are excellent and you can hear the depth in the music. Plus, the various stringed instruments have a nice ring to them that you don’t hear on older recordings that are poorly mastered.
As we make our way through these albums and review them together, I enjoy doing a little background reading on the album and artist. Back in the 1980s, I always used to slavishly read the album credits so there’s a name here that’s familiar to me – engineer Terry Manning produced one of my favourite albums from the 1980s, The Rainmakers self-titled debut.
8/10
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