gcczep
Ever Onward...
After the release of III, the band was taken aback about how it was slagged unmercifully on both sides of the Atlantic [no pun intended]. Angered and a bit disillusioned with the media, Page and crew decided to their record label’s chagrin to release their next album without a title, sans the group’s name and to even forego Atlantic’s logo along with a catalog number. It was Led-Zeppelin’s defiant, f***k you, middle finger retort to the press and critics alike. Let’s put it out there and let the fans decide after all it is they who will make the decision not the uppity journalist dandies with pens and typewriters. Today marks the four decades long release of what many consider as the band’s piece de resistance. To the tunes, shall we?
Black Dog – yes, the title has nothing to do with the song itself but about a Black Labrador that wandered in and out of the studios during its inception. Jones loosely based the riff off inspiration via Muddy Waters’ “Electric Mud”... From accounts, it was a complex arrangement that confounded Bonham in its time signatures. Jones has gone on recently to comment that even Page had the same difficulties that he couldn’t play until he was properly shown. I dig the lyrics here and this song has that incoherent, side to side swing to it like a drunk rolling into his flat at four in the morning after a heavy binge. How appropriate that it opens the album with Page plugging in his Les Paul warming up to the Marshall stack.
Rock And Roll – simple, straight to the point little number that became bigger than what it is supposed to be. From the opening cymbal crashes, YOU knew what it was much like the last track though albeit well known. Borne off a warm up jam via a Little Richard tune with Bonham and Jones, Page came up with the accompanying riff then the rest is history. It became their signature concert opener as the band achieved fame in the middle Seventies then relegated to encores afterwards. Still brings a smile to my face every time it comes on... Of all the Zeppelin songs, this seems to make it into other bands sets in concert from the famous to the ones playing in the mall, a bar or wherever.
The Battle Of Evermore – Plant reading up on the Scottish Border wars came up with this gem. This has Page and Jones’ acoustic talents intertwining with his singing plus a female counterpoint with the late Sandy Denny of Fairport Convention. The group goes Medieval on its fans but it was NEVER about the recycling of riffs and the same old misogynistic lyrics isn’t it? It is like a little play unfolding in front of you between the town crier and the village folk.
Stairway To Heaven – well, now here’s the most OVER-played, OVER-analyzed and OVER-mentioned song ever. And? This was the duo’s "marriage song" as Page called it. Plant claims to have written 70% of the lyrics on the spot prior to its first take. It starts off quietly enough with Page’s acoustic intro followed by Jones low key organ. The transition from the acoustic guitars to the electric is seamless. It builds and builds and builds until Bonham kicks it into gear where Page’s "guitar orchestra" marches it into the listener’s psyche climaxed by a great solo courtesy of his old Telecaster. Plant follows suit as far as pacing and intensity. I’ve listened to three other takes of this and he did use the best solo of the four. In concert, the fans knew it when the two lights shone on both as Page strummed the first notes on his Gibson SG doubleneck. Is it a great song? Yes. Is it overplayed? Yes no doubt. Why is it overplayed? Maybe because is IS a great song and more than a few people actually like it. Does anybody remember laughter?
Misty Mountain Hop – Plant goes from Scotland to Middle Earth again. Really it’s just a tale of a party gone south with reefers, booze and fuzzy recollections with the London bobbies halting the festivities. It starts off with a funky odd rhythm pushed along by Bonham’s drumming. I kinda find it even danceable offbeat shuffle and all. To me it has that Sabbath-esque vibe to it. In concert, this was to be linked with "Since I’ve Been Loving You" as part of the set.
Four Sticks – Not as strong as the rest of the others as it has this rushed unconventional tempo to it. It is quite layered with interesting Arabic influence to it. Plant employed the same type of textures in his solo albums in the 1980’s. I don’t quite know what to make of it yet I don’t hate it either. I can sit through it even enjoy it on some playbacks. Why Four Sticks? Bonham did its percussive structure with two sticks in hand out of annoyance just to get through the recording.
Going To California – OK, let’s all have a sit-down round the fire and sing about earthquakes, white mares and Joni Mitchell. Nice respite after the sonic bombardment of the five of the first six tracks. Much like Evermore, it has Page and Jones providing the stereo acoustic backdrop for Plant’s waxing poetic accounts of his California experience. A slow, relaxing track, Plant does sing in a nice, clear voice. It along with That’s The Way became a staple of their live acoustic set to give the paying audience’s ears a break.
When The Levee Breaks – the favorite of EVERYONE and their grandma that isn’t sick of tracks 1, 2 and 4. Yeah, well I like it just as much. Bonham’s monstrous drum intro is a cause for those who want this album in an HD 5.1 mix. With Plant’s guttural doom laden vocals and desperate harmonica, Page's razor sharp slide guitar work, Jones' rock steady bass with Bonham’s solemn timekeeping, this is the band at its primal best. It is nothing cute, nothing mystical, not philosophical...just four English lads invoking the hardscrabble, drenched landsape of the Mississippi delta. The Rolling Stones had “Gimme Shelter” while Zeppelin had THIS. It is stark, foreboding like finding yourself in the path of an oncoming storm. It still amuses me about a reviewer who said that it was like "fresh dung" the band uncovered. Bizarre praise but somehow I understand the slant. Zeppelin duplicated this same primitive power on "In My Time Of Dying" and "Nobody's Fault But Mine" and thank you to Memphis Minnie!
I personally feel this album sums up the band succinctly. Page fully achieved his vision of weaving the acoustic and electric elements of music. His idea of "light and shade" would still be realized in some form in subsequent releases but not as the main framework such as their fourth offering. Overall this is a strong collection of songs. Some may not understand or embrace some of the tracks but that is only due to them not being similar to the others. Who wants everything to sound similar or an extension of the one before? The concept of the creative process...
The cover... It has many meanings that can be construed or surmised. Seeking to be enlightened...forsaking cold monoliths for the sanctity of the woodlands...huts not slums and so on and so forth. The old man with the sticks, the hermit, the bard... Page the former art student, Page the antique collector, Page the closeted activist. All three's mindset collaborated to produce the artwork. In keeping with their tradition, this release was delayed due to Andy Johns raving about a studio on Sunset where he recommended the mixing be done. Page took him on his word only to be horrified that it sounded like it was "underwater" as a whole afterwards. His studio knowledge blamed it on the placement of the speakers not the sound of the place itself. Necessary re-mixing was done in London to bring it back to snuff again.
Lastly, this has been called Led-Zeppelin IV, Zoso, Runes among other things. Funny it was never OFFICIALY any of those. I do find their usage of metaphysical symbols to represent themselves unique. Even guest singer Sandy Denny was given one. I often refer to it as Untitled cause it is untitled or just the fourth one. I certainly don’t pause during the day or wake up in the middle of a deep slumber wondering what the hell is it called...[grin]. No matter what title you prefer to use, it is a damn good album that represents the pinnacle of the band’s collective talents.
Last edited:
