The Cavern
Rock & Words
LED ZEPPELIN I (Album, 1969)
Artist: Led Zeppelin (B+)
Recording Dates: Sep-Oct, 1968
Release Date: January 13th, 1969. UK
Record Label: Atlantic
Producer: Jimmy Page
Rating: 10 (MUST HAVE)
Era: Hard Rock (1968-???)
Subgenre: Hard Rock
Best Song: Baby I’m Gonna Leave You y Dazed & Confused
Tracklist: 1) Good Times Bad Times; 2) Babe I'm Gonna Leave You; 3) You Shook Me; 4) Dazed And Confused; 5) Your Time Is Gonna Come; 6) Black Mountain Side; 7) Communication Breakdown; 8) I Can't Quit You Baby; 9) How Many More Times.
Okay, this is one of the greatest debut albums in the entire history of rock. I'm not exaggerating. It's even one of the few albums that represents the immediate peak of a band's career, since the rest of Zeppelin's discography was slightly downhill until '76 and then took off from that year onward. I know there are tons of fans who consider Zeppelin III or IV to be their best albums, but if you listen closely, you'll notice that on this album the band sounds at its best and practically without any of the flaws they would develop later. Thus, Page and company surprised the world with this first release, a completely finished and polished product, meticulously produced, incredibly powerful, with special attention to the balance between the heavy and delicate parts. The band was never in better form. It's not surprising that they jumped to superstardom overnight , and that thanks to such a powerful debut, they took the place of the dying Beatles during the 70s, at least culturally and commercially, since the sounds have nothing to do with each other.
Containing perhaps the heaviest songs of the 1960s, the album was an immediate game-changer and opened the doors wide for other bands that would establish themselves in the early 1970s with a denser, heavier sound, ushering in the golden age of hard rock and the dazzling beginnings of metal. Indeed, neither Hendrix, nor The Who, nor Clapton, nor the Rolling Stones, nor even the Beatles with Helter Skelter had created anything as crushing as the middle sections of "Baby I'm Gonna "Leave You" or the machine-gun opening of " Communication" " Breakdown, " but above all, the mammoth riff of " Dazed and Confused " and its musical apocalypse in the middle section, left the entire world speechless. True, Zeppelin only created one musical revolution, and they did it with this LP. After that, they changed their formulas very little, and when they did, the quality of their albums began to decline drastically. But we can't fault them for showing us their artistic peak so early, can we? The most we can criticize them for is that the rest of their albums seem to be of lesser quality in terms of music and production. Mind you, Zeppelin IV may have more fans since it had even wider distribution, and practically all the songs on this album have been overexposed on the radio, especially the highly overrated " Stairway to Heaven." But IV, despite also being a historic album, didn't revolutionize anything that the debut album hadn't already done. Furthermore , on IV, Plant was already overusing his vocal histrionics, which, while not unbearable, were... a little tired.
None of this is present in Zep I. It was an album that surprised everyone, both for its power, its well-structured songs, and the musicians' professionalism and meticulousness.
The album opens with a colossal intro. The first chords of "Good Times, Bad Times" prepare us for what's to come without immediately launching into the album's heavier elements. Therefore, while it's not the best song on the LP, I think it's an excellent choice to start with. The song isn't bad, but the melody is a bit complacent and poppy. Perhaps the highlight is that bridge between the chorus and verse where there's a moment of silence, then John Paul Jones plays a quick bass line, paving the way for Page's guitar to kick in with full force and reignite the song. All in all, not a bad way to begin the journey with this album.
What follows is a tremendous string of songs, the likes of which are rarely seen on an album, not just by Led Zeppelin , but by any band. The arpeggio that opens "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" is simply delightful. It's a scale with derivations of A minor that makes you think this will be a simple folk ballad. In fact, the acoustic part is worthwhile on its own, but then they launch into that sharp bridge, with a strong but not overwhelming drumbeat that gives us a small taste of what's to come… and the acoustic verses are repeated, leading us to believe that things won't escalate further as they repeat the formula. Around the two-minute mark, the guitar begins to create dissonances, and just when it seems we're going to return to the initial arpeggio, the song explodes without warning, with a fully distorted, sharp, and explosive guitar, a drumbeat with a tremendous rhythm, and a bass that marks the dense and rapid beats, giving the impression that the music sweeps away everything in its path. Then we return to the arpeggio, and the rest is playing with the intensity of the song, changing from one part to another, rising, falling, going from the sublime to mass destruction. From one second to the next, creating a breathtakingly beautiful effect. It's worth noting that Plant delivers one of his best vocal performances on this track, providing the necessary intensity, sounding sincere and truly desperate as he sings. And he doesn't overuse his "Oh Oh Ah Ah" s. ahhhhhh … so it sounds perfect like few times before, giving the necessary nuances in the delicate parts and the exact power when the band turns into a German tank .
Next comes a cover of an old and familiar blues song: "You Shook Me". The tempo slows to match the gentle cadence of the blues, but not the power with which the instruments and vocals play their part. Perhaps inspired by Jeff Beck's version on his album Truth, in which both Jones and Page participated, the truth is that they far surpass it. Nobody had played the blues like this before. Not even Hendrix, and not for lack of talent, but perhaps because the left-handed guitarist never had a band of musicians like the one who plays the blues as if the world were about to end in this version. The guitar sounds sharp and pained from the very first second, and Page surprises by sticking close to the harmonica and playing scales that fit perfectly. The bass carries the harmony and basic tones of the blues, and Bonham plays a discreet role by his standards, but always driving the song with a heavy, slow but massive and crushing rhythm. Can so much perfection fit into one song? Yes . Plus, Plant delivers another standout vocal performance, giving the lyrics and delivery a whole new dimension. I love that part where he drags his voice down: You shook me all way LOOOoooooooooooong … Page also looks impressive, playing guitar riffs that mimic the vocal harmonies, but practically without repeating himself in a single verse. Impressive. Then, in the middle section, comes a keyboard solo, simple and without much fanfare, but perfect and full of emotion, as is Jones's trademark. A harmonica solo leads into a sweeping guitar solo, which starts slowly and rhythmically, building to a series of drum rolls by Bonzo (his most outstanding part) before continuing with the verses. In the coda, Page and Plant are left alone, engaging in a playful exchange where Plant shouts something and Page perfectly imitates it on his guitar, achieving a delightful mirroring effect and a disguised solo, since he again avoids repeating himself even once.
Without letting up, we begin to hear the descending bass line that characterizes "Dazed And Confused", another of the band's masterpieces. The bass riff is thick, dark, and vibrant, and despite the slow pace of the note sequence, it already conveys a tremendous sense of power. It's just 10 notes in a descending double five-note scale. Simple, perfect, and devastating! Plant's vocals corroborate this, delivering tremendous energy for what is essentially a pained and furious scream. The guitar starts sharp and offers only subtle nuances, gradually building tension before launching into the main riff—screaming, powerful, and colossal—giving new force to that simple riff. The song always builds gradually, and this time Bonham has the opportunity to shine, adding embellishments and fills throughout the sections where the intensity rises, especially in the bridges that lead back to the initial riff. Then comes a middle section where the song slows down, and Page takes advantage of this to play one of the first guitar sequences using a violin bow. In this studio version, you can barely hear some rather curious sounds that go hand in hand with the song's languid feel, but in live versions, Page often extends this experiment to unsuspected limits, achieving effects that surpass the oddity found on this album. Finally, the song explodes with a lightning-fast bass line, a wild Bonham shaking every inch of his drum kit, and Jimmy making the six strings vibrate again with his fingers at full distortion, creating together a musical orgasm with an energy rarely seen in rock, culminating in a return to the initial riff and harmony for a short but equally intense final sequence. Wow ! Wow ! WOW!
One needs time to recover from that song, or rather, from that sequence of songs. Fortunately, the beginning of "Your Time Is Gonna Come" provides a brief respite. The ballad begins with a Farfisa organ intro reminiscent of church organ structures, but without being lengthy or tedious. It's perhaps the most psychedelic sequence JPJ ever created with Zeppelin , quite brilliant, leading into a slow-paced acoustic harmony. The song is lovely; the acoustic guitar arrangement works from beginning to end , even if it sounds somewhat repetitive. It's not one of the band's highlights, but if they had continued at the same pace, many people would have jumped out of their windows before the album ended. A good song, simply put, overshadowed by the giants that precede it.
Then comes an instrumental track where Page had to record three or four chords he invented during the composition. "Black Mountain Side" is a dark, psychedelic folk piece by Mr. Page. The fact that it has no lyrics doesn't prevent it from being incredibly expressive, sometimes giving the impression of using a sitar due to the types of sounds he manages to coax from the guitar. Okay, if anyone had any doubts that Jimmy Page masters not only the electric guitar but also the acoustic, this completely dispels them. Otherwise, it's not a fan favorite, but it is a favorite among music critics who know how difficult it is to play. If you ever hear someone play this song decently, give them a sincere hug and my congratulations.
After the brief pause, the album ramps up the volume again. "Communication Breakdown" is another classic. From the very first second, it's clear this song will have tremendous intensity. Page's riff isn't the most prominent, but it's instantly recognizable to anyone who's listened to Led Zeppelin , and Bonzo provides the necessary shape and structure with impeccable drumming. The bass arrangements also stand out for their speed and occasional embellishments in the bridges, although JPJ doesn't struggle too much in the verses. The vocals are once again powerful, furious, soaring high, and flawlessly executed. The song itself isn't a masterpiece. The harmonic structure is simpler than the string of songs on side A. However, despite its simplicity, the power and relatively short length make the song thoroughly enjoyable and place it almost alongside the other highlights of the album.
Another blues cover, "I Can't Quit You Baby" is an old-school blues song, bearing Plant's signature style: plenty of power and meticulous execution of every instrument, including his vocals. Important note: Plant never attempted to imitate the deep voice of the old-school bluesmen at any point in his career . Rather, he went to the opposite extreme, reaching octave-high notes like the original versions, achieving registers unattainable for the average vocalist and setting a standard for an entire generation of singers.
The final song, "How Many More Times", begins with a false jazzy intro featuring bass and drums. The fuzz -laden guitar snaps us out of the reverie and quickly launches into a simple riff. "How Many More Times" isn't memorable, and it's a rather weak ending to an album brimming with power and decibels unlike anything heard before. Page cranking up the distortion pedal doesn't improve things much, but it's not exactly ear-splitting either. It's simply not up to Zeppelin's standards. On any Deep Purple album, it would have been a sensation, especially with the arrangement in the middle section… and with that crescendo and that tremendous, sudden ending… Oh well.
Many Zeppelin fans don't appreciate this LP as much as they should. But that doesn't diminish its value. Led Zeppelin is still such a massive band today, largely because of what this album achieved. And few realize that the value of an entire genre depended on this record: neither Sabbath, nor AC/DC, nor Judas Priest, nor Alice Cooper, nor even Led Zeppelin themselves ever managed to reach this pinnacle. The best albums in history always bring calamities. Someday I'll write a post dedicated specifically to that. This one brought consequences as horrific as Metallica's albums from '94 onward and ALL their repercussions. But to be fair, it also produced works of art like Metallica's own from '91 and earlier. Furthermore, it allowed Zeppelin to become the biggest-selling band on the planet for at least seven years. And that's not complaining...
A must-have have .
By Corvan
Aug/16/2008
