Just for a minute, let's imagine that Led Zeppelin had never releasead IV. Ok, are you doing it? It's a pretty horrible thing to think about, huh? So, I have another idea. Let's not.
It was 1971 when Led Zeppelin released this album, which has become one of the biggest selling albums in the history of big-selling albums, but much more than that, IV is just a pretty amazing collection of songs. One very cool thing is that only eight songs make up this album! Of course, when you include within those eight songs Stairway to Heaven, Rock and Roll and Black Dog, you have only one question: are you KIDDING me???
For the sake of argument and in order not to make this review something a) repetitive and b) extremely long-winded, let's imagine that pretty much everything has been said about the songs I previously mentioned. Instead, let's imagine that there are other songs which, by the way, there are. Because Led Zeppelin IV was not only made up of those three monstrous songs; it's also got five more from which I can cross my heart and tell you that, rocker's honor, they're all good.
But out of those five songs, I'd like for people to think specially about two of them. The Battle of Evermore is an acoustic number (this album has a high percentage of acoustic guitars) that just makes you want to put on that harlequin costume that all of us have in our closet and dance for your king or queen. Either that or maybe run around the hills of parts of the British Isles. In any case, one hell of a song.
I have to say, though, that the best song of the lot is Going to California. Led Zep pretty much cashed in all their chips when they composed that wonderful bit of music. It's dreamy; it's sexy; it's beautiful!
Reasons to own this album or die trying:
1) One should always open the eyes to realize that Led Zeppelin were the masters of acoustic rock... whatever that is.
2) Going to California
3) You have to buy this album because you're one of the seventeen people in the world who still haven't bought it.
All kidding aside, IV is a marvelous record that puts together in one package Jimmy Page's beautiful sounding acoustic guitars and nice and grungy electric ones, John Bonham's HUGE drum sound, John Paul Jones' meticulously exact bass lines and Robert Plant's wails which still inspire singers to try and bust a vocal chord or two trying to sing Rock and Roll. Led Zeppelin IV is a must for any fan of rock music.
It was 1971 when Led Zeppelin released this album, which has become one of the biggest selling albums in the history of big-selling albums, but much more than that, IV is just a pretty amazing collection of songs. One very cool thing is that only eight songs make up this album! Of course, when you include within those eight songs Stairway to Heaven, Rock and Roll and Black Dog, you have only one question: are you KIDDING me???
For the sake of argument and in order not to make this review something a) repetitive and b) extremely long-winded, let's imagine that pretty much everything has been said about the songs I previously mentioned. Instead, let's imagine that there are other songs which, by the way, there are. Because Led Zeppelin IV was not only made up of those three monstrous songs; it's also got five more from which I can cross my heart and tell you that, rocker's honor, they're all good.
But out of those five songs, I'd like for people to think specially about two of them. The Battle of Evermore is an acoustic number (this album has a high percentage of acoustic guitars) that just makes you want to put on that harlequin costume that all of us have in our closet and dance for your king or queen. Either that or maybe run around the hills of parts of the British Isles. In any case, one hell of a song.
I have to say, though, that the best song of the lot is Going to California. Led Zep pretty much cashed in all their chips when they composed that wonderful bit of music. It's dreamy; it's sexy; it's beautiful!
Reasons to own this album or die trying:
1) One should always open the eyes to realize that Led Zeppelin were the masters of acoustic rock... whatever that is.
2) Going to California
3) You have to buy this album because you're one of the seventeen people in the world who still haven't bought it.
All kidding aside, IV is a marvelous record that puts together in one package Jimmy Page's beautiful sounding acoustic guitars and nice and grungy electric ones, John Bonham's HUGE drum sound, John Paul Jones' meticulously exact bass lines and Robert Plant's wails which still inspire singers to try and bust a vocal chord or two trying to sing Rock and Roll. Led Zeppelin IV is a must for any fan of rock music.
1 comment:
There's just one thing in which I disagree:
"Going to California" should be THE FIRST REASON. IT IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SONG THERE IS. Mind you, if after tattooing that very long Almost Famous' phrase in my back I have some skin left, I'm going to tattoo: "I'm the girl that plays guitar and has flowers in her hair." It is one of the songs that has marked my life and I want people to play it when I die.
Sorry, got carried away.
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