The Cavern
Rock & Words
IN THROUGH THE OUT DOOR (Led Zeppelin, 1979)
Artist: Led Zeppelin (B+)
Recording Dates: Nov – Dic ‘78
Release Date: August 15th, 1979. UK
Record Label: Swan Song
Producer: Jimmy Page
Rating: 6.5
Era: Hard Rock (1968-1975)
Subgenre: Hard Rock
Best Song: All My Love o I’m Gonna Crawl
Tracklist: 1) In The Evening; 2) South Bound Saurez; 3) Fool In The Rain; 4) Hot Dog; 5) Carouselambra; 6) All My Love; 7) I'm Gonna Crawl.
This album is a true miracle. We can criticize it endlessly, but before we get into that, I want to emphasize that it was an extraordinary effort from the band, who were crumbling under a host of personal and internal problems, and who made a final push to release this record. A swan song? Not exactly. I don't think anyone in the world can say it even comes close to the band's glory days, and the fact that they had problems doesn't make the songs any better. Technically, it's the band's last and one of their weakest studio albums, although Coda, being a kind of compilation of outtakes released after Bonham's death, is even weaker. Personally, I only find it slightly superior to Presence .
In reality, the fighting spirit of the title is reflected in the album. The band is desperately fighting to win back its fans and a starring role in the world of rock, and this is evident in the breadth of genres they attempt to cover in so few songs. Three years had passed since their last studio album, *The Presence *, which still established them as a solid band in the waning days of the hard rock era, even though a musical decline was already noticeable. It's worth remembering that Page began using heroin during the sessions for that album. Due to tax problems in the UK, the band was forced into exile, unable to tour, and during this time they took the opportunity to complete the film *The Song Remains the Same* in 1976.
By 1977, they were determined to return and reclaim their place of honor. And they would have. In April, they broke the attendance record for a single concert at the Pontiac Silverdome in Michigan. Days later, in Cincinnati , 70 people were arrested and over a thousand were reported injured in a gate-snatching attempt after tickets for two nights sold out. On July 23 in Oakland, Bonham was arrested after a crew member reported to the police that he had been brutally beaten by the gigantic drummer, who was already abusing alcohol. That night's concert would be their last in the USA. After sorting out the legal mess, they traveled to New Orleans, where they were scheduled to play at the Louisiana Superdome . On the 30th, hours before the concert, Robert received the news that his 5- year-old son, Karak, had died from an intestinal infection. Legend has it that he died burned alive at home after a satanic ritual performed by Jimmy Page, but nothing could be further from the truth. The tour was obviously canceled, Plant traveled home immediately, and later reproached the others for not being able to attend the funeral.
After this, the band was morally fractured. Robert was devastated, and it seemed the band would announce their breakup at any moment. By the end of '77, punk had taken over the UK and the world, and the motto seemed to be precisely to bury bands like Led Zeppelin, with disco and new wave following the same path of burying the old legends. Hard rock had become dinosaur-like and obsolete. Bonzo sank into alcoholism, " having breakfast" every day with at least a bottle of whiskey or vodka. Page unsuccessfully attempted to detox from heroin. Jonesy began experimenting on his own with a new synthesizer and was fascinated by the nascent new wave movement.
Interestingly, it was Plant, perhaps as a form of catharsis, who started to pull the group together to record a new album in late '78. He had been writing new things, in his own words, "more mature material," but at that time he wasn't in the mood to sing something like "Hey mamma." said the way you “Move …”. John Paul enthusiastically agreed, went to Robert’s house, and showed him the pieces he’d been working on, so they scheduled time at Polar Studios in Stockholm so the other pair could change their environment and concentrate. But Jimmy and Bonzo weren’t so enthusiastic. Both were deep in their respective addictions, which is evident in the technical and creative laziness they display on the album. According to Jones, he and Plant (the clean side) would record during the day, meet up, mull over some songs, record, edit, and do everything quickly and professionally. At night, Jimmy and Bonzo (the dirty side) would arrive. Page would be intoxicated, Bonham would have his entourage of sycophants, and industrial quantities of alcohol would turn the sessions into a chaotic party that lasted until dawn. The next day, “the clean side” would try to work with what the other pair had left behind , salvaging what could be salvaged, and then they’d get on with it. Although the production is credited to Page, It was really Plant and Jones in charge.
Page's "absence" is glaringly obvious. On this album, the driving force and soul is John Paul Jones, who, faced with Page's apathy, finally sees his chance to shine and collaborates with Plant on practically every song. Only on "Hot Dog," by far the worst track, is he uncredited. Jones, on the other hand, shines on the keyboards and steals the show , completely dominating the album and handling most of the arrangements and main riffs, as well as some solos that overshadow Jimmy. From the Honky Tonk from “South Bound Suarez”, the velvety keyboards of “ All From "My Love" to the bizarre effect of " Carouselambra ," the bass playing is tremendous, which isn't often acknowledged. It certainly doesn't reach the level of the second album; here, he's more focused on the keyboards, but he delivers some magnificent lines that really propel the songs forward, like in the intro of that monster of a song, " Carousalambra ." Robert sounds somewhat lost in the mix, with too much echo; he had throat problems during the break, and here it's noticeable that he doesn't have as much range. But on the other hand, he doesn't overuse the " ooohs " as much. ahhh , ooohhh ahhh "Ahhh's ." And the emotion that he exudes in " All "My Love," dedicated to his son Karak, is truly moving. Bonzo would say it was the best vocal performance of his life. And well, for the last track , he pours his heart out again like in the old days, although he sounds strained in some of the high notes.
Meanwhile, it's painfully obvious that Page and Bonham were emotionally and creatively absent. Jimmy is relegated to the background for the first time, playing relatively good riffs, but at times they aren't even prominent and become repetitive. He shines a little with the licks and embellishments, and we barely get a truly great solo. And Bonzo… good old Bonzo looks slow, fed up, apathetic, unwilling to be there. There's no speed, none of those drum fills that knock you off your feet, and he even seems to have lost the brutal force with which he used to attack his drums. He seems to be just going through the motions, and I must admit I agree with Starostin that this is the only Zeppelin album where any other average drummer could have replaced him without us even noticing.
Rumors say that Bonzo and Page also disagreed with the album's softer direction . But they didn't have any other ideas at the time. Robert Plant said they understood the point of "the dirty side," but they needed a turning point, something different to give them some breathing room. Page reportedly said he was worried about imagining people in stadiums doing the wave to the chorus of " All of My Love." "This isn't us," he said. Plant reassured him, saying he agreed, and that the next album would be a return to their roots: guitar, bass, drums, and tons of power. Ironically, it would be Jimmy who would push for an even mellower sound with the Honeydrippers .
The album kicks off with “In The Evening”. I don't know why it gets so much criticism. Well, I won't generalize, but I don't understand why Starostin criticizes it so much. It's not the band's best track, but I liked it from the first time I heard it on the Remasters . A mystical, Eastern-tinged intro by Page with a Gizmotron , Plant's scream as a turning point, and then that bombastic riff, a mix of guitar and synthesizer, which they use to build almost the entire song. It's not an “ Immigrant Song,” of course, but I think it has enough power to maintain that tradition of opening albums with killer tracks . I also quite like the bass line. The problem is that it does get a bit repetitive for its almost seven-minute length. The bridge is powerful, but the main riff hardly changes, and the only things that keep the song going are Plant's vocal inflections, delivered with unusual energy (though his lower register is noticeable), and Jones's bass playing, creative as far as the repetitions allow. At 4:20, there's a tempo change for a very atmospheric instrumental break and a very subtle guitar solo. The lyrics are bluesy , but Plant gives them a different approach . slightly More mature and introspective : “Oh it's simple, All the pain that you go through, You can turn away from fortune, fortune, Cause that's all that's left to you.” Interestingly, this is one of the songs that began to take shape on “The Clean Side,” possibly by checking off “ In the Light,” to which the resemblance is undeniable. Rob and Jonesy worked on practically the entire demo; Jones used a synthesized drum pattern, and Bonzo added the drum track at the end. It's not Zep 's best song , but I think it's good enough to be among the band's classics and one of the best on the album.
“South Bound Saurez” is a light and incredibly fun song, the kind that fills you with optimism, very rhythmic and danceable. It's one of those Zeppelin-esque tracks that I usually wouldn't like on Presence or PG, but here Jones and Plant bring a tremendous attitude to the boogie , something playful that hooks you from the first note . The piano and the fast-paced bass make for a different, but very enjoyable, song. The lyrics are a bit silly, but I'm not sure if it's some kind of catharsis and Rob is singing to his son, trying to move on: “You know Item makes me feel , baby, I'm back on the ground , oh yes, sure does , It makes me feel back on the ground , I'm feelin ' good "Child !" If you put it in that context, it gives me goosebumps and a lump in my throat. The drums are barely adequate, and I suppose they're not too different from the synthesized drums JPJ originally added. The guitar does a few licks , a weak solo at 1:40 with a long unison section . Page made a couple of mistakes in his guitar parts but was too lazy to correct them. As for the title, it's misspelled. It's unclear whether they meant Suárez Uruguay, or Soirée, which is French slang for party, a reminder that they spent part of their exile there. It's not one of the best in Zeppelin 's catalog . It doesn't even sound like a Zeppelin song , but you have to admit it has a really good mood .
After We have “Fool On the Rain”, While I liked “In The Evening” on first listen, I disliked this one from the very beginning. Jones had followed the 1978 World Cup in Argentina (like any good British football fan ) and had been fascinated by Latin rhythms. No, he didn't bring back tango from Argentina; he brought back Brazilian samba, and they built the song on that foundation, complete with the whistle and the change of pace halfway through. And well, perhaps the combination with reggae wasn't so bad years ago, but samba? A band that pioneered Hard Rock, that became the most powerful machine on the planet? Really ? The piano/guitar riff is repetitive to the point of exhaustion, the guitar solo is generic, and even Plant sings like a fool in the rain. That's what I think of this song: silly. Unnecessary . And ridiculously long. I won't argue with those who like the song's lighthearted tone and say it should at least be played in black and white, but it just grates on me.
And things get even worse with "Hot Dog". A country song. Led Zeppelin doing a country song! It sounds as awful as it reads. The lyrics are stupid. They don't even achieve a real saloon or western mood . Page gives his worst vocal performance ever ( is he imitating Elvis??? ). And the stupidest title in a discography full of nonsensical titles. Horrible. This song truly exasperates me beyond belief. If the previous one sounds silly, this one sounds ridiculous.
“Carouselambra”… What could be missing from this album? We already have Samba, we already have Country… Oh, I know! Let's throw in some disco with pseudo-progressive undertones . Led Zeppelin doing disco. OMG. There are bands that have successfully ventured into the genre with a few songs. The Stones with “I Miss You,” the Eagles with “One Of These Nights,” Blur with “Girls & Boys.” But this is truly terrible. And incredibly sad. Aside from the spectacular bass line, and the fact that Bonzo sounds almost sober at times, everything else is awful, seriously. To begin with , it's Zeppelin's last epic song, clocking in at over 10 minutes. Plant's voice is barely audible in the mix, and his unbearable “ AhhAAAAAh's ” are back. The synthesizer is an annoying drone that could have easily been used in an Atari game back then, especially in the first of the three sections. And in the third, starting around the 7-minute mark, is it just me, or is he trying to copy Keith Emerson at times? No, it's not my nerves; he's playing this section on the Yamaha GX-1 synthesizer he bought from Emerson, no less. The guitar is content to almost desperately follow Jones, and barely shines in the cascade of notes at the 4-minute mark. Incidentally, this is the only song on which Page played his Gibson double-neck in the studio . The middle section, where they lower the intensity, is perhaps the most redeeming feature, but even it doesn't quite work on its own. In short, " Carouselambra " is a monster, and not in a good way, but in one that reflects the band's sad creative decline, trying to cover up their flaws with pathetic overproduction. It's possibly the worst song in Zeppelin 's history . After "Hot Dog," of course.
After this bump in the road ( what am I saying, it's a Mariana Trench! ), it's a relief to hear the satiny synthesizers of "All My Love". This is another one I really like, and I've heard terrible reviews about it. Of course, he's not a rocker. It's a killer track and a departure from Zeppelin's usual style, but strictly speaking, even " Stairway " deviates from their style when it was released, right? I don't see that as a valid excuse. It's a beautiful ballad in its own right, with those delicious layers of keyboards, huge guitar licks , where Page finally awakens and seems to join Plan in his lament. And Robert, for his part, gives a great performance, perhaps not in such high notes or with such power, but because of the emotion with which he sings, almost breaking down at times. It's clearly dedicated to Karak, although I don't know if the lyrics are too pretentious. But anyway, it has a great melody, the chorus is incredibly catchy , and it has a tremendous feeling . Page was worried that it would be too saccharine and that people would do the wave and light lighters at the concerts. The keyboard solo is another of Jonesy's highlights on the album, with a trumpet-like effect, before giving way to a great guitar solo by Page—the only one he played on a nylon-string Spanish guitar—achieving that clean, soulful sound, the most memorable on the album. The instrumental bridges are powerful, there are tempo changes, a very creative bass line, especially at the end when it breaks away from the lead guitar, and the drums are understated but, this time, at least effective. Seriously, I like it a lot, to the point that I don't know if it would make my top ten Led Zeppelin songs, but I do think it's rightfully included on compilations and among the band's classic tracks.
The album closes with “I'm Gonna Crawl”. This and “In the Evening” are the only tracks on the album that come close to the band’s powerful classic style. This is a blues song. Well, not exactly. It’s a kind of synth -ballad with a generic blues pattern, where gentle waves of orchestral synthesizers dominate and steal the spotlight from the guitar. Jimmy is understated, laying down good licks and arpeggios, but seemingly letting Jones take center stage … until 2:40, when he remembers he can play electric guitar solos, that he’s a Guitar Hero, and unleashes a tremendous solo, full of blues and with incredible vibe and technique, making the guitar scream and giving us goosebumps with the sequence of notes. Robert delivers another of the greatest performances of his life. The lyrics again seem silly, pleading for a girl, typical of the blues… But it was also dedicated to Karak. If “South Bound” is a kind of optimistic ray of light promising to keep going, and “ All of My Love” a loving, nostalgic tribute, “ I'm "Gonna Crawl" is Robert falling apart, his soul breaking because he can't reach his son, not by plane, not by car, not by crawling. The desperation he expresses in the "Every little bit, every little bit, every little bit, every little bit of my " Love " really brings a lump to my throat. If the previous one was outstanding vocally, this might be the performance of his life. Certainly, the pain Rob conveys in this song isn't something a woman could cause, but rather a child. Chas, I almost cried imagining what he must have felt… Bonzo maintains a slow, undemanding rhythm , but at times he remembers to add some nice fills and shines a bit at the end. The bass is understated; JPJ focuses more on the keyboards, and this more personal style suits him much better than the impressionistic and alienated one of " Carousalambra ." Despite being a generic blues song, and despite the fact that it was most likely borrowed from some old song, and that it loses significance after "Tea For One " and especially after " Since" "I've Been Loving You," and although it's softer and sounds like a prelude to the Honeydrippers , it's still a fantastic song . It's impossible not to be moved by Plant's voice or thrilled by Page's last great solo with Zeppelin . If there's a swan song from Led Zeppelin, it has to be this one…
Anyway. It's a very strange album. The band, of course, had no way of knowing that it would be their last proper studio album. Critics have been merciless with this record. Perhaps with some justification; after all, it contains two of the worst songs in the entire Led Zeppelin catalog, and another that I personally find ridiculous. On the other hand, in these three tracks at least, it must be acknowledged that they tried to break the mold, experiment, and broaden their horizons. Furthermore, the critics are right that Page and Bonzo are on autopilot here. Their absence and laziness are noticeable. I don't mean to say that the band depended on Jimmy, but rather that it was a four-headed monster, and when one head faltered, it dragged the others down with it. On the other hand, it's perhaps their most sincere album lyrically, the most moving. Plant shines, not because of power and range, but because he finally matures, avoiding that vocal excess, singing with greater emotion and sincerity, more freely, more cathartically. Jones also shines, trying to fill the gaps left by Page with his keyboard work. It's a great effort, but although he's a very good keyboardist, he's not a virtuoso in the Emerson mold. Jones's strength is the bass, but his contribution to this album is much appreciated, as without him it would likely have been unlistenable.
Yes , there are two or three of Zeppelin 's worst songs , but there are also two or three very underrated gems, especially the last two, which constitute Zeppelin's swan song, and in a way, an unintentional farewell. It's not a masterpiece, but I don't think it's as bad as many say, especially considering the circumstances and the era. Led Zeppelin's last great effort before collapsing into tragedy. But without getting ahead of myself, we still have Coda, released after Bonzo's death, in which they salvaged outtakes from various sessions, although for that very reason it's very bad and nobody really takes it seriously within the Zeppelin discography.
By Corvan
Jan/30/2014
