1) Immigrant Song
2) Friends
3) Celebration Day
4) Since I've Been Loving You
5) Out on the Tiles
6) Gallows Pole
7) Tangerine
8) That's the Way
9) Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
10) Hats Off to Harper
Led Zeppelin was the biggest band of the 70s for the same reason why the Beatles were the biggest of the 60s. They were just THAT good. Here's the proof.
This particular album displays the band's versatility. After the classic rocker "Immigrant Song" comes an acoustic number, "Friends". Then there's an upbeat, bluesy, electric song, "Celebration Day".
Then there's "Since I've Been Loving You", an epic slow blues. An old folk song, "Gallows Pole", gets the Zeppelin treatment, beginning with Page's acoustic strumming and building up into a heart-pounder with driving drums, soulful vocals, electric guitar, bass, and...banjo?!? It may be the best song on the album.
When you think of Zeppelin, acoustic songs probably don't come to mind. This didn't stop them from ending the album with an acoustic set. Jimmy Page shows us why he's one of the greatest guitarists of all time with his work on the hoedown "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp" and blues medley "Hats Off to Harper".
Everyone will have a favorite track. However, listening to the entire album gives one a appreciation for Zeppelin's mastery of many genres. As a teacher, I forget which one, once remarked in the hallway, "Back in the 70s, all the kids wore Led Zeppelin sweaters. Today, they're still wearing those sweaters." Zeppelin is no fad...it's a phenomenon.
***** out of five
Monday, January 7, 2008
CD Review: Led Zeppelin III
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Good article Ben. Robert Plant actually once claimed that 1/3 of Zeppelin's music was acoustic. I guess you tend to forget about it, since they have so many "rockers." Also, most kids didn't listen to Zeppelin after the 70s. They were considered a "dinosaur" rock band, like all other classic rock acts were considered. It's only been within the last five years or so, that there has been a resurgance of classic rock music.
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