We made it! It’s the end of Zeptember - finally.
The first four Led Zeppelin albums are my true favorites, from the first track to the last. The rest of their albums are great, don’t get me wrong, but not all the way through as the first four. From Houses of the Holy to Coda, all have more than one outstanding track, including one I first heard in junior high school on WHEB. It’s called "Kashmir" from the double album Physical Graffiti.
But before we get there, let’s start with Houses of the Holy (1973), shall we?
Led Zeppelin, Houses of the Holy (Atlantic, 1973)
This is the album where they stopped being a blues band. “The Rain Song” is Page writing something close to chamber music, with Jones on Mellotron and strings arranged.
“The Crunge” and “D’yer Mak’er” seem like the band wanted to play some funk or reggae, maybe? It doesn't quite land, but that’s okay — they’re allowed, right? A band this big taking a swing and not being perfect is more interesting than playing it safe. Did you notice that the title track isn’t on it? Stay tuned…
Led Zeppelin, Physical Graffiti (Swan Song, 1975)
This is the first release on their own Swan Song label, so of course they went big. Physical Graffiti was a double LP built from new sessions plus a few leftovers. “Kashmir” is one of my favorite tracks, and I admire Bonham's drums and Page’s guitar work most here. The song feels like it keeps climbing without ever really speeding up.
The album cover is 96 and 98 St. Mark’s Place in New York City, and the original had die-cut windows. If you’re ever in NYC, check it out!
Led Zeppelin, Presence (Swan Song, 1976)
The most underrated album in their catalog. Robert Plant was badly hurt in a car crash, and he sang most of the songs from a wheelchair, and the band had the records done and ready in about three weeks’ time…
No acoustic guitars and no keyboards on this record. Just four guys and probably a lot of anxiety. “Achilles Last Stand” is ten minutes of Page stacking guitar harmonies over Bonham playing what might be his finest performance.
It’s no one’s favorite Led Zeppelin album, and the one I’d argue for most strongly, post I through IV.
Led Zeppelin, In Through the Out Door (Swan Song, 1979)
Recorded in Stockholm with Jones and Plant doing most of the heavy lifting, and it shows. Jones’s used a Yamaha GX-1 synth as the lead instrument on many tracks, and “Carouselambra” is basically his song, but at the 4:05 mark, it’s one of my favorite Page solos. I absolutely love his guitar work here and the string-like sound it makes.
“All My Love” was written for Plant’s son, Karac, who died in 1977, and knowing that changes how I now feel about this song. It’s personal, and it’s well done, complete with a synth solo from Jones.
The album was released in a brown paper bag with six different sleeves inside, so you never knew which version you'd get. Zeppelin did this way before Taylor Swift, folks. Sadly, it was the last full-length studio album the band completed before drummer John Bonham’s death in September 1980.
Led Zeppelin, Coda (Swan Song, 1982)
This wasn’t a studio album, but it counts and completed their record contract. Coda is mostly a bunch of outtakes Page assembled after Bonham’s death, and it’s sort of a look into the band’s vault.
“Wearing and Tearing” feels like Zeppelin’s version of a punk song and “Poor Tom” is a leftover from the Bron-Yr-Aur period. “Bonzo’s Montreux” is four minutes of drums and electronic processing, and as a farewell to the man, it’s pretty cool. Take a listen:
Eleven years, nine records, and if I had to pick just one album to give to a total newcomer, it would be Led Zeppelin III (and a few parts of Physical Graffiti). One album shows you the songwriting, and the other shows you the band's range...
Thanks for reading. I’m a bit tired of listening to Led Zeppelin, and I’m so ready for Dark Wave Rocktober to begin. What about you?