LED ZEPPELIN
FULL DISCOGRAPHY DEEP DIVE

INTRO:

When I first committed to document these FULL DISCOGRAPHY DEEP DIVES, my intention was to stick with (mostly) bands or artists that I didn’t know intimately - at least not their entire output. However, this overlooked a part of my DNA that has always existed - my deep need to reconnect with particular albums or films that have made a big impact on me. There is something so satisfying in really relishing all the various nuances of a piece of art that you have spent dedicated time with. Not to mention the real joy that comes from new discoveries - even of the most subtle in nature - when re-approaching a familiar piece.

Through my particular musical journey - one that came very independently as I didn’t have older siblings to influence me - The Beatles and The Doors were the first two big discoveries. Shortly thereafter, came Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd. This was followed by an avalanche of other artists from the ‘60s and ‘70s (especially ‘70s prog) - with an equal balance given by the fascination with MTV and a host of New Wave artists. 

To this day, those early rock discoveries still hold an unshakable place in my heart and mind. Music so ingrained into all the fibers of my being that to try and approach their full output in a chronological, concentrated way with fresh ears seems damn near impossible. That said, I had never taken the time to put down in words how I felt about each of these seminal albums - though I certainly have dedicated countless time to thinking and talking about them.

I consider Led Zeppelin one of my all-time favorites. They are the only band whose entire discography is still in my vinyl collection. And approaching this collection of work as a FULL DISCOGRAPHY DEEP DIVE was both exciting and a bit daunting. Hammer of the Gods - bring it on!!

Led Zeppelin

Personnel: Robert Plant (vocals), Jimmy Page (guitar), John Paul Jones (bass, keyboards), John Bonham (drums, percussion)

Produced by: Jimmy Page

Recorded at: Olympic (London)

Released: January 1969

When I listen to this album, each & every time, I always think one thing - Welcome to ground zero.

Never before (or since) has a band so definitively laid out their musical mission as Led Zeppelin has done on this note-perfect milestone. It is all there - virtuosic playing, soaring vocals, stunning original songs. Most of all - there is such purpose and commitment to every single thing found within this collection. These guys had the chops and the experience coming in - and fuck if it doesn’t sound like they were going to accept anything less than a leave-it-all-on-the-canvas first record. Like they had such an immediate hunger and desire to make their mark in seismic ways. To my ears, they succeed completely.

Right away, they make such an immediate impact. I’ll tune in to the killer “Good Times Bad Times” just to hear Bonham’s bass drum foot. 

I find both of the Dixon covers to be just awesome. And I know that you both understand that I, though a fan of blues in small doses, wasn’t completely convinced by some of FM’s early output - or senseless blues attempts - but I find these tracks something wholly different. They are seriously fantastic in their ownership of the source material - and I find that they set a new standard in covering blues with a decidedly heavier punch and aggressiveness.

“Your Time Is Gonna Come” & “Black Mountain Side” offer some excellent texture to the collection and also give a glimpse at the sort of subtle deftness that Zeppelin has in regards to being a band surgically capable in delivering emotional musical passages.

And if you don’t hear the foundational groundwork that a track like “Communication Breakdown” (or “Whole Lotta Love” from II or “Immigrant Song” from III) laid down in providing every fucking brick in the road that leads to hard rock and metal, then I think you might need to make an appointment with your Dr. to make sure your private parts still work.

But even as great as everything I’ve mentioned is - it feels like place-setting when it comes to the main course of “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You”  and “Dazed & Confused”.

“Babe I’m Gonna Leave You” sets another Zep-unique touch in marrying the dramatics of weaving acoustic & wicked thump - something that would pepper (effectively) their entire recording run. Goosebump City. Thinking back - I don’t know that any other track I listened to early on made me want to be in a band more than this one. To be able to manipulate and wield musical power like that is infectious as fuck.

And fucking “Dazed & Confused” is such an incredible thrilling rollercoaster of trippy, balls-out, winding hellfire excellence. It never fails to pull me in and worship at the house of Zep.

I listen to either of these tracks and am just completely in awe. I never grow tired of them and am ALWAYS just blown-away by their monolithic nature.

CONCLUSION: This is an A+ album to me - through and through and fucking through. And it isn’t alone. Offering it a Thumbs Up doesn’t even come close to doing justice.

Led Zeppelin / II

Personnel: Robert Plant (vocals), Jimmy Page (guitar), John Paul Jones (bass, keyboards), John Bonham (drums, percussion)

Produced by: Jimmy Page

Recorded at: Olympic (London)

Released: October 1969

Out of the gate, I have to admit, the highs on this stunning sophomore effort don’t necessarily hit quite as on-target as LZ1, but there is a really great flow & textual layer-work behind this collection. 

To me, the biggest thing is that Page announces himself as the supreme riff master. Something he will continue adding to on every single Zep album - in the process, establishing a toll of more memorable & classic rock riffs than any other guitarist on the planet. 

The songs waver from great to undeniable classics. 

I love that they double-down on the use of atmospheric acoustic numbers and still bring the blues as convincingly as any rock band ever has. 

No doubt about it, this is must-listen stuff - classic rock in all senses of the word. 

And if you can’t hear how what they are laying down completely paved the way for hard rock & metal moving forward, pack it in, your testosterone levels are WAY off. Fuck what Page may have quipped about regarding this. The dude is clearly a student of original blues and rock & may be folding in some humble tendencies in taking a position like that. To me, there is no denying it. 

CONCLUSION: Thumbs Up, obviously. A different sort of victory, but just as stunning in the end. It earns Zep another (though not the last) Grade of A+. 

Led Zeppelin III

Personnel: Robert Plant (vocals), Jimmy Page (guitar), John Paul Jones (bass, keyboards), John Bonham (drums, percussion)

Produced by: Jimmy Page

Recorded at: Headley Grange (Hampshire), Olympic (London)

Released: October 1970

This may come as no surprise, but I have always relished (when I felt the true draw) to heavily lean into taking great pride in navigating the path less-traveled. Especially as this pertains to music.

The reasons for this are many - maybe I felt a bit hipper to be the first in my circle to ‘discover’ an artist like Tom Waits, or maybe I felt a bit more sophisticated to really take time to try and understand the wild free-jazz antics of Ornette Coleman. Who knows? Of course, though I have mellowed on this front quite a bit as I’ve gotten older, this sort of holier-than-thou supreme music snobbery worked the other way. Dismissing disco and pop as a teenager (even if I secretly loved much of it) in complete solidarity with arena rock.

Like pretty much every suburban kid of our generation reared on classic rock radio, Zeppelin IV (and, specifically, “Stairway”) was the entry gate drug - but as soon as I was initiated and grew to consume and dissect their entire catalog, Zeppelin III quickly jumped out in my ‘ultimate connoisseur’ mind as my favorite Zep album. And I must say, with concentrated repeat listens over the years, this is an opinion that doesn’t get shaken all that much.

To my ears, it was the mysterious flavors that swirled in such exhilarating ways that made this collection so alluring. As a kid that came to 60s classic rock (especially The Beatles and The Doors) before Zeppelin, I had heard plenty of weird shit - and plenty of experimentation. But Zeppelin III really seemed to create a new template - even as it adopted many elements I was familiar with. In fact, I readily equated it to the seismic jump that The Beatles made with the release of Revolver. 

Reflecting now - and knowing that Black Sabbath’s debut preceded this album by only 10 months - it is unlikely that Zep folded-in BS’s heavier approach when making decisions about the sounds and textures they would incorporate with this collection. However, to me, it always stood as a great example of how important this band was/is in staking claim on forging new directions, even as their earlier output may have ignited trends that were just starting to blossom.

It is rare for me to do this, but these recent listens have inspired me to give this collection a brief song-by-song touchpoint.

I don’t care if I was sitting across from Steve Harris over a pint and he swore up and down that it wasn’t true, I would still have a hard time believing that “Immigrant Song” didn’t (almost single-handedly) serve as the DNA strand that sparked the rolling thunder that drove so many of Maiden’s best tracks. Zep are the founders to that sound and this is documented evidence of the highest order - all the way down (or up, as the case may be) to Plant’s howls to ‘Valhalla’ and ‘the hammer of the gods’. Just pure rock magic - sounding as potent and driving with each and every listen.

“Friends” is the track that truly tips you off that Zep is up to something different. The musical elements are a curveball in all the best ways. The strings are so reminiscent of “I Am The Walrus” that I remember cross-referencing to see if there was some sort of connection or intentional tip-of-the-hat. I never found one, but once I heard it, I couldn’t un-hear it - and it definitely got its hooks in me.

Before you are given a chance to fully recover, here comes JPJ’s droning synthesizer key-drop into the rollicking “Celebration Day”. This one sounds the most like the Zep we would have become prepared for, but the repetition of the main slide riff and infectious chorus all do a top-rate job of making this track another album highlight.

If blues exercises are not your thing, I can imagine the eye rolling as you wade into the 7+ minutes of slow blues delivered on “Since I’ve Been Loving You” - but I’d caution you to take a step back and re-examine before judging too quickly. Yes, the track has all the trappings of a worn-into-the ground blues exercise, but just under the surface so pretty unique and extraordinary things are happening. First JPJ totally blows it out of the water with his killer (and I do mean KILLER) hammond organ work - even forgoing bass completely for bass pedals. Likewise Plant owns the fuck out of his committed vocal performance - just fantastic delivery. But that’s not even the best of it. Though perhaps not as flashy or instantly memorable as his more popular and known solos, Page lays down, by far, the most direct, concise & intricately played solo he has yet laid down. It is one of those pieces of early 70s guitar work that sneaks by you because, perhaps, the setting of the track doesn’t necessarily inspire the highest of expectations - but the rewards for stopping to ‘smell the roses’ is paid off with a master class in how to bring new approaches and energy to a very much heard-before setting. All in all - yes, it’s another blues track - but one that Zep makes all their own - totally elevating the genre in the process.

“Out On The Tiles” is what it is - a groove fun exercise that is pure Bonham mayhem. It does its job by keeping the energy up and serving as a reminder about how effective Zep’s drum swing can be when it is so deeply in-the-pocket.

Side Two is what (both initially and ongoing) made Zeppelin III such a stunning revelation to me. The acoustic instrumentation - including banjo and mandolin - set a new template in really committed and original ways, and immediately elevates Zep’s arsenal. Thunder is great, but sometimes the build-up of darkening skies is just as thrilling.

“Gallows Pole” (the 1st of two re-workings of traditional folk numbers) is a real revelation. Like “Bron-Y-Aur Stomp”, the track transports you. I remember feeling (and still feel with more recent listens) a real connection to a musical vocabulary that feels ancient and other-wordly, but equally familiar because of Zep’s precise representation of the source material. It is such a winning combination and one that instantly and forever sets Zeppelin apart from most of the hard rock bands born out of English blues traditions. This isn’t paint-by-numbers 12-bar musings or chest-thumping bravado - at least not solely. This is a group of musicians hungry (and more importantly, capable) to deliver a significantly wider palette of sounds and musical textures.

Not at all unlike the Renaissance Fair meets rock arena hybrid that Jethro Tull would cultivate so successfully on their Aqualung & Minstrel in the Gallery albums - or, for that matter, some of The Decemberists very-intentionally ‘harken to a fairer time’ lyrical and musical imagery. And yeah, if you’re keeping score - that is me giving credit to this album’s material as the starting point for two very specifically different musical trends that will be later developed in the 70s and beyond.

And we haven’t even reached the album's zenith!! When I do listen to this album in its entirety, I am almost always caught off guard and completely impressed that you get this far to reach the strongest one-two song combination the band has yet to deliver (and perhaps one as strong as any in its entire output. “Tangerine” and “That's The Way” are not only the highlight of this collection, but are perhaps two of my all-time favorite Zeppelin songs - just absolutely perfect sister-songs, even more striking given their back-to-back proximity. They are just lovely and flowing and beautifully performed - a complete delight to the senses, and a forever reminder of what a deft gentle touch the band has at their fingertips - and they set the stage for the range of acoustic and more reflective musings that are coming 

And though it might not be a Zeppelin track I strike up regularly, it is with these sort of full-album listens that I appreciate “Hats Off to (Roy) Harper”. I dig the odd vibrato-effect on Plant’s voice & the steel slide guitar work  as well as the choice to strip the number from any sort of percussion. That is, given the odd-sod and somewhat experimental nature of the album, this seems a perfect closer.

CONCLUSION: I’m sure it's happened before that I’ve given three straight albums A+ status, but Zeppelin III brings the band another indisputable Thumbs Up as well as a Grade of another clear A+. 

Led Zeppelin IV (Untitled)

Personnel: Robert Plant (vocals), Jimmy Page (guitar), John Paul Jones (bass, keyboards), John Bonham (drums, percussion)

Produced by: Jimmy Page

Recorded at: Headley Grange (Hampshire), Island (London), Sunset Sound (LA)

Released: November 1971

There are some albums that are such monoliths, so overly known (both to you personally and as part of music culture in general) that it elevates discussion to feelings only - comprehensive dissection just seems to miss the point. Some albums are simply beyond talk. (queue me taking the next 5 pages to cover this collection - HAHA!!)

No, I really will - very intentionally - stick to the point on this one.

IV has always been about statement to me. 

It is a clear and concise package that most perfectly sums up what Zeppelin is all about. Their best album? Debatable? My favorite? Probably not. But what it is, undeniably, is one of the strongest rock albums of all time. A monster of classic rock radio with insanely memorable guitar riffs, iconic songs 

And, of course, “Stairway” is a top-seed contender for the Mt Rushmore of most known classic-rock songs of all-time. ***I’ll go ahead and round that top-four out by nominating “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “Hotel California” & “Won’t Get Fooled Again”.

What Zeppelin also manages - and what compels me to return time and time again - is that they combine their musical worlds in profound ways. Beyond the ingrained roar of “Black Dog” & “R&R”, “Going To California” and, especially, “The Battle of Evermore” (tied with “When The Levee Breaks” as my favorites on IV) perfectly nail their folky Joni Mitchell obsessions. That is, if you want epic, it’s there. Feel like something nasty? Check! Want to kick off your sandals for some pastoral reclining? Look no further.

There is great texture to this collection and it is more diverse in its array of sounds than pretty much any other monster 70s rock album - but more than that, the collection is delivered in a way that offers balance - real satisfaction at every turn.

Think of other rock bands that hit that perfect encapsulation album - again, not necessarily your favorite by them, but that one album that so perfectly summed up their sound and presented it in a way that EVERYONE could get it. Moving Pictures, Synchronicity, Who’s Next, Born In The USA, etc. 

When authentic rock meets that sublime pop moment. It’s a rare feat - and maybe one that is easy to spot, but hard to define.

And as the artwork included with this album made such a big impact on me, I definitely feel I need to mention it. Not only was the gatefold artwork something that completely mesmerized me, the four band-member symbols became the first iconic music-related imagery that really got its hooks in me  - not to mention the hours I spent perfecting drawings of the symbols on my school notebooks and book covers. In fact, thinking about it, I feel pretty confident in saying that this Zep artwork was the first of that sort that I really paid serious attention to - or, at least, arm-in-arm with the Gerald Scarfe created Floyd hammers.

It may seem like a small thing, but to a young mind that wanted to be WIDE OPEN in exploring music that was new to me, it played a super key role in Zeppelin being such an important band in my discoveries. In fact, much like Floyd (who was so greatly aided by the incredible Alan Parker film), those visual cues impacted me in profound ways. Fold-in the fact that I was a kid who had been so completely blown away and obsessed with early MTV videos - these images (along with watching The Song Remains The Same) definitely played into the experience.

CONCLUSIONS: Thumbs Up, obviously - and a Grade of A+ - are what this collection gets - and deserves. Again, because of repetition over the years, it is easy enough to ‘skip for knowing’ some of the tracks, but when surrender happens, they truly never fail to thrill.

Led Zeppelin / House of the Holy

Personnel: Robert Plant (vocals), Jimmy Page (guitar), John Paul Jones (bass, keyboards), John Bonham (drums, percussion)

Produced by: Jimmy Page

Recorded at: Headley Grange (Hampshire), Island & Olympic (London)

Released: March 1973

How to follow IV? Loaded question. Excess for the sake of excess or a true commitment to flexing the ability to harness a musically multi-headed monster? I’d lean towards the latter. 

If you’ve run out of things to love about Zeppelin (and how could that possibly be), HotH delivers a rollicking display of musical diversity. Think about those other artists I mentioned and the albums they followed up their seminal (most popular) releases with. Sting broke up The Police and issued a jazz-infused singer-songwriter collection with some serious heavy-hitter musicians, Springsteen made a hard-left into intimate pessimistic & introspective relationship songs, The Who doubled down in trying to best Tommy and, in Quadrophenia, birthed what Townsend still calls ‘the last great album by The Who’. Only The Eagles seemed to replicate - though, to be fair, The Long Run was the first to feature Timothy B Schmidt (who penned & sang the album’s first hit single “I Can’t Tell You Why”) & did end up being the band’s last album for almost 3 decades.

I find HOTH to be an extremely solid/satisfying stylistic experimentation. They really do throw in everything but the kitchen sink. However, instead of feeling fragmented or too scattered, I think the array of songs & styles works on all kinds of levels.

Though I truly don’t think there is a clunker in the crowd, I remember “The Rain Song” & “No Quarter” really jumping out to me as favorites when I first listened as a teenager - probably because they most closely reminded me of my two pre-discovering-Zep favorites - The Beatles and The Doors. Even re-listening now, I find both great beauty and engaging mystery in those two tracks - and they really do (though we have already been exposed to an impressive spread of flavors) continue to provide Zeppelin the opportunity to showcase their sound expansion. 

Let me say a few more words about “No Quarter”. Not unlike “Riders on the Storm” (or “Sheep” off of Animals - which, if memory serves, was discovered by me in very close proximity as a teenager), there is a hypnotic draw to this track that won me over in big ways right out of the gate. To this day I can credit my love of mid-tempo, trippy haze music to a track like “No Quarter”.

Keep in mind (I’m assuming you’ll agree), they aren't reinventing their sound wheel, but are more widely - or microscopically, depending on how you look at it - defining the way they manipulate their shared talents.

Another word I’ll throw out that always comes to mind when listening to this album is ‘fun’. From the immediate chug of “The Song Remains The Same” and echoed in “Over The Hills”, there is a lightness and more carefree approach at work. The groove (Zep funk) of “The Crunge” and “The Ocean” make for some great head-nodding - and “D’yer Mak’er”, with its reggae tendencies, hints at the sort of island-swing the band will later perfect on “Fool in the Rain”.

I'm not going to go on a tirade, but because I have heard some mixed takes regarding "The Crunge" over the years, I feel compelled to throw out my two cents. While it certainly isn't Zep's strongest (and IS certainly an oddity) - in the context of this album, amid rabid experimentation of styles - I think it displays (front & center) something that Zep isn't often credited for - sense of humor. Plus, at barely over 3-minutes long, I feel confident that the guys were in on the joke in keeping it a brief and playful moment. Hard to listen to "The Crunge" and not imagine them having a ball laying it down. I'd take a smile any day of the week and twice on Sunday - and that is exactly what I feel I get with this unique track. Let the haters hate.

CONCLUSION: Look - I realize how deeply I am drinking the Zep Kool-Aid, but it happens every time I experience this band - from single-song doses to deep draws from the well. They are a top ‘classic’ band for me (like Floyd & The Beatles)  and, at any given moment, their songs and albums are contenders for some of my favorites of all-time. 

I’m sure I could be a bit more critical in recognizing a few warts or scrapes here & there if I was on a mission to, but this music means too much to me personally to bother doing so. As you guys know, I don’t throw out A+ Grades like a traffic cop at the Indy 500,  but I figure there  are few bands I could offer those sort of accolades to as freely as Led Zeppelin (or Floyd, or The Beatles). 

Sure, maybe this discography journey is catching me at a particularly receptive (and musically generous) moment, but when I tell you Houses of the Holy gets another enthusiastic Thumbs Up and Grade of A+, trust me - I mean it with every fiber of my being.

Physical Graffiti

Personnel: Robert Plant (vocals), Jimmy Page (guitar), John Paul Jones (bass, keyboards), John Bonham (drums, percussion)

Produced by: Jimmy Page

Recorded at: Headley Grange (Hampshire)

Released: February 1975

Led Zeppelin’s sole double-album doesn’t disappoint, even knowing that it was rounded out by a catch-all of older tracks.

Might as well start with the strongest track. Though I couldn’t find the exact instance, I have a crystal clear memory of Plant, reflecting with a reporter on Zeppelin’s finest moments, sharing that he always felt “Kashmir” (over “Stairway”) should have been the iconic track the band would be most remembered for. I agree (at least 90% of the time).

Epic and iconic just doesn’t seem to cover it with a track like “Kashmir”. Even as accustomed as I was with string accompaniments through much of The Beatles’ later output, this felt like something wholly different. Certainly it is one of Zeppelin’s most original tracks. Despite heavy classic rock radio play, I can’t say that I ever recall feeling fatigue listening to this song, as opposed (for instance) as I may have felt about “Stairway” from time to time. It is such a monster of an accomplishment that it very simply could serve to lift up even an otherwise lackluster collection.

Of course, “Kashmir” has plenty of company in the plus column. Page monster riffs for days, two of Zep’s most infectious grooves in “Trampled Under Foot” and “The Wanton Song”, the underrated shimmering prize that is “Ten Years Gone” (always, in my mind, a perfect sister-companion to “The Rain Song”), and the absolutely gorgeous acoustic guitar work of “Bron-Yr-Aur”.

On the other hand…

Never one to readily play Monday-morning-quarterback with albums released by classic bands, there feels like fairly easy cuts could have been made to trim this to a much leaner and meaner single album collection of songs.

Let’s start with at least 6 minutes of “In My Time of Dying”. Likewise, even in my best moods, I have always found “The Rover”, “In The Light” (despite the cool keyboard drone opening), & “Down By The Seaside” to land in a flatline sort of way - especially when measured by the incredibly high standards the band had created thus far. 

Worse, with the exception of “The Wanton Song” (and this is a major exception as this track is definitely one of my favorite Zep grooves), I admit to happily skipping all of side four. “Boogie With Stu” (recorded during the same Ian Stewart sessions that produced “Rock n Roll”) is a worn and lukewarm appendage of that classic track. Likewise, “Night Flight”, “Black Country Woman” and “Sick Again” feel like second-rate re-hashing that the band has already delivered in exceptionally finer form.

I should add - though a huge Plant fan through and through - there are spotted moments throughout PG where the tone (and/or pitch) of his vocals teeter on the edge of hitting a place made-up equally of grate and a caricature of itself. Probably not a wholly reasonable thought, but one that I must admit always comes to me when giving this full collection concentrated listens.

Now, The White Album and Exile on Main Street are two unhinged double-album collections that I love, but PG’s parts rarely (given concentrated listens) summon the encompassing appreciation that those other classics do.

Lastly, there is no way to properly discuss this album without a nod to the creative packaging. While not quite as striking as III, the idea behind this is just so out-of-the-box fantastic that I still take a moment here and there to pick up my vinyl copy and bask in its glory. 

CONCLUSION: Because there is plenty to be found as part of this collection that I truly love - and because I always applaud a band that ‘goes for it’ - whether in a completely thoughtful, artistically-focused way or not - Physical Graffiti earns an easy Thumbs Up. But for the critical reasons mentioned above, this is where their A+ streak comes to an end. This one gets a Grade of a strong B.

Presence

Personnel: Robert Plant (vocals), Jimmy Page (guitar), John Paul Jones (bass, keyboards), John Bonham (drums, percussion)

Produced by: Jimmy Page

Recorded at: Musicland (Munich)

Released: March 1976

Though I own it on vinyl, this is definitely the Zep album that I return to the least.

Being reminded about the quick-turnaround recording time this album received, not to mention Plant’s fragile physical state, it is understandable that these songs might not be as thoroughly fleshed out - but this is countered by an underlying sense of urgency simmering below the surface. 

To me - just beyond that simmer - the clear standout of this album is the solo work that Page delivers. Just so incredibly driven and on-point throughout. He sounds like a man possessed at times and you feel like he really pushed himself to play at his best. Even a lackluster track like “Tea For One”, the solos are worth the price of admission.

As far as high points - right behind Page’s deft guitar work - is the stunner of an opener, “Achilles Last Stand”. Talk about a real hit-the-ground-running starting place! In all of its ten and a half minutes of proggy glory it is a real Zep original and feels like someone should build an action movie trailer around its entirety. It also displays plenty of continued inspiration that I feel certain Maiden drew from. Really, the only negative I can offer is that it hits such a pronounced high that I have always felt the rest of the album suffers from being in its shadow.

That said, there are some other great moments to applaud.

“For Your Life” feels like classic Zep in all the most satisfying and rewarding ways - with great air aiding the anticipation of delivery. “Nobody’s Fault But Mine” skips and stutters in convincing fashion. There’s plenty of jukebox timbre (something Plant would explore to the fullest on his Honeydrippers EP) in “Candy Store Rock”. 

Unfortunately, “Royal Orleans”, “Hots On For Nowhere” & “Tea For One" - though earnest enough exercises, simply fail to be all that memorable - nor inspire a deep desire to regularly return to.

CONCLUSION: Presence is a reminder that, despite how godly they can be at their peak (which, by all accounts, is the vast majority of their discography), Zeppelin are not totally infallible. 

Of course, the fact remains that even slightly sub-par Led Zeppelin is still as strong as many rock band’s best albums. It still gets a Thumbs Up from me, but as an overall collection only draws a Grade of C.

In Through The Out Door

Personnel: Robert Plant (vocals), Jimmy Page (guitar), John Paul Jones (bass, keyboards), John Bonham (drums, percussion)

Produced by: Jimmy Page

Recorded at: Polar (Stockholm)

Released: August 1979

For those that  of the age to recall as clearly as I do, the scuttlebutt revolving ‘fan controversies’ and claims of selling-out when Van Halen leaned into heavy keyboard use (especially on monster hit “Jump”) on 1984. The truth is, the band tempered those claims by also including two of their most fun and ferocious rockers in “Hot For Teacher” and “Panama” - squelching the fires a bit.

I mention that because when I gave In Through The Out Door a few concentrated listens during the COVID shutdown - and again with these listens - I always imagine the uproar from deep Zeppelin fans at what must have felt like a mutiny of sorts with the dominant keyboard sounds and overall ‘lighter’ feel. Remember the fried egg ‘This is your brain on drugs?’ anti-drugs campaign? This is Led Zeppelin on keyboards. It’s as simple as that. But fuck, can you just feel the wrath that must have come from all the hardcore “Black Dog” fans when they realized 6 of the 7 tracks were predominantly keyboard driven - and not really ‘rock n roll’ at all?

Clearly, given both Page & Bonham’s dependency issues, it is understandable. As a fan who has worked hard to develop an appreciation of music on a wide variety of styles, I have always appreciated ITTOD as just a different sort of Zep album.

In the midst of low output from Page, JP Jones saw an opening (or felt a responsibility) to offer up his talents - and though they do feel a bit alien at times when compared to what might have been standard Zeppelin expectations - I have always felt this collection does a pretty decent job of holding it together.

In the highly successful and memorable category you have two absolute winners in “Fool In The Rain” and “All Of My Love” - both super untraditional for the band, but just undeniably home runs (and personally, two of my all-time favorite Zep tracks). They are also those sort of tracks that represent a sweet spot when a band can really crossover without selling their soul. Example - While IV might be Led Zeppelin’s ‘it’ album, a big music fan like my wife would probably still rather chew glass than listen to any of those songs. But put on “Fool in the Rain” or “All Of My Love”? Huge stamp of approval.

Echoing Presence’s “Candy Store Rock”, both “South Bound Saurerz” and “Hot Dog” continue to expose Plant’s deep love of country and 50’s rock traditions. While they aren’t earth-shattering groundbreakers, they are good fun and don’t feel forced or thrown away.

(**Again, if you guys haven’t given The Honeydrippers, Volume 1 a spin in a while, I highly recommend it for a good bit of nostalgic fun. Plant is in fine form and he is backed by a stellar line-up of guests including Page, Beck, Nile Rodgers, Paul Schaffer & Brian Setzer.)

“Carouselambra” is a bit of a “You Know My Name (Look-up The Number)” oddity, but I find it one hell of a ride and it is always intriguing to hear JP Jones having such a blast behind the keys and really going for it - especially in the funky bridge.

I also find their opener/closer bookends of “In The Evening” and “I’m Gonna Crawl” to place quite well. Neither ends up sounding too out of place while managing to remind you just enough of the Zeppelin muscle that made you fall in love with the band in the first place.

NOTE: Interestingly, three of the best ‘outtakes’ on Coda (the post-Bonham’s death, catch-all collection) were recorded during ITTOD sessions and are more guitar-focused rockers (“Wearing & Tearing”, “Ozone Baby”, & “Darlene”). Not sure why they didn’t opt for a bit more rock/guitar balance, but it does continue to show that the band had plenty of gas still in the engine.

CONCLUSION: Rare that a band hits their high mark on their last album - especially given the unknowable circumstances that led to Zep’s demise. But for my money (though I always hate to lose receiving music from a band/artist I love), I’d much rather see them go out with a bit of experimentation and adventurous nature as opposed to spinning their wheels too much in hopes of just maintaining. And in the end, that open approach is what I feel I get here. ITTOD seals Led Zeppelin sweeping their discography in the Thumbs Up category and earns the band a Grade of B-.