Led Zeppelin - The Complete Discography

Release Date: Jan 1969

Recorded in just 30 hours (impressive really). No singles released! (A Led Zeppelin's policy, a mark on the history of the music industry, and that turned out to be a success, judging by the band's album sales).

Occasionally, LPs appear to resist an immediate classification, simply because it is so obvious that imply a turning point in rock music, which only time we may be able to place them on the site that corresponds to them. This record of Led Zeppelin is so.

Highlights:

- Good times bad times: an excellent opening! To whom, in 1969, heard this record for the first time, must have trembled with this pounding, raw and powerful rock. And that bass drum!

- Babe I'm Gonna Leave You: that swing!

- Dazed and confused: psychedelic blues at its best.

The experience of listening to this album for the 1st time perhaps resembles a first hearing of 'Are You Experienced "by Jimi Hendrix ... a pump in the music scene! That Bonham's drum style certainly made to drums, what Jimi Hendrix made to the guitar.

Led Zeppelin second album was written in hotel rooms between shows during their tour for the Led Zeppelin I.

It has a strong base of inspiration taken from old blues, while others are rock hard, the most influential for the heavy-rock bands of today.

In the U.S., Led Zeppelin released the single 'Whole Lotta Love' with 2 minutes less than the original 5:30. Led Zeppelin and Peter Grant (the manager) were furious! The publisher ended up recognizing his mistake when they realized the album was selling as fast as the singles!

Highlights:

- Whole Lotta Love: mesmerizing! ... Willie Dixon's theme adaptation, phenomenal!;

- Ramble on: excellent balance, led by Bonham and John Paul Jones;

- Moby Dick: The Greatest drum solo! Who said drum solos are boring to listen to??

This album, in my opinion, was the confirmation of the Led Zeppelin as a rock band. Faithful to the roots, especially the blues and folk, but always one step ahead of its time, marking new territory and clearing new landscapes for hard rock. Although not a brilliant album, it is extremely easy listening ...

It's a good starting point to visit the work of Led Zeppelin.

( Out/1969: Carnegie Hall. when the band played their first show in this venue John Bonham did a 30 minutes drum solo (! !!!!!!) who was entitled to a 5-minute standing ovation.)

In Set/1970, Led Zeppelin were considered by popular vote at Melody Maker as the best rock act (yes, ahead of the Beatles !!!).

Led Zeppelin III work began in a propriety in South Wales owned by Robert Plant.

Recorded in one month, with a mobile studio. The most acoustic from all Led Zeppelin's albums.

Music critics, once again attacked this album fiercely, accusing Led Zeppelin of following fashion acoustic guitar (note: there was no MTV unplugged yeat!).

Highlights:

- Since I've Been Loving You: a powerful blues!

- Out on the Tiles: made in the studio. John Bonham's work is excellent!

- Gallows Pole: an old theme version of Leadbelly. Full of energy!

- That's The Way: a hot topic and relaxed.

In Led Zeppelin III the band really shown an awesome improvement, from a composition views and also their dazing capabilities, which previously had shown only in some subjects (Dazed and Confused, etc.).. Despite the use of many acoustic guitars, the heavy topics can sound good, thanks to the web created by the rhythmic and melodic four musicians.

The band finished the recording sessions for Led Zeppelin IV during Fev/1971, the used the Stones' mobile studio. Released Nov/1971, unnamed. Not even the band name! Only 4 symbols, which were chosen by each of the musicians, and claimed to represent metaphysically each one of them.

Are released two singles: Black Dog and Rock and Roll. When the publisher wanted to release also 'Stairway to Heaven' as a single yeat the band refused. Result: people bought the album as if it were a single, increasing the total sales of the album in at least half a million copies.

Highlights:

- Black Dog: pure rock!

- The Battle of Evermore: Epic, environmental, great. Results of hours and hours spent and hard guitar work by Jimmy Page.

- Stairway to Heaven: virtually everything was already said on this subject. If you've heard ... listen to it again.

- Misty Mountain Hop: Rock surroundings with (very) balance sheet.

- Four Sticks: John Bonham decided to use four sticks, two in each hand. The result was this!

- When the Levee Breaks: Adaptation of 1928 popular theme from Memphis Minnie. Drums were recorded on Tuscan stone stairs.

An extremely powerful album! My favorite Led Zeppelin album. A milestone in rock history!

Music critics considered this an inconsistent album, with misaligned ideas.

Highlights:

- The Rain Song: very intense ! Very rich and melodic with a great synth solo by John Paul Jones.

- The Crunge: jam à la James Brown. Lots of fun!

- No Quarter: Ethereal, Psychedelic. The work of John Paul Jones is superb in the synthesizer. A brilliant theme for live shows.

- The Ocean: The drums and bass are excellent!

This album is vague indeed, but it shows the evolution of some new approaches from Led Zeppelin and has extremely powerful and interesting tunes.

This one, finally, was approved unanimously by the critics. ... a double disc with songs from various recording sessions for the three previous albums.

Highlights:

- Kashmir: A classic must see! Extremely visual!

- Night Flight Rock: a strong John Bonham like beat.

- The Wanton Song: Great riff and rocking!

- Black Country Woman: return to the roots, but with the unmistakable touch of Led Zeppelin.

A more consistent album that really showed the way where Led Zeppelin were heading to. This was the turning of a page in this rock n' roll band book(in my opinion) to a more rock / pop, peppered with moments of hard rock, but not so original. Or at least not as wildly exciting as the previous Led Zeppelin work.

Recorded and mixed in 18 days! Yes, no mistake! 18 days! Robert Plant recorded this album still recovering from a serious car accident he suffered along with his family.

Highlights:

- Achilles Last Stand: ... masterful work of Bonham and Jones.

- Nobody's fault but mine: Full of energy!

- Candy Store Rock: funky, groovy

Recorded at Polar Studios (owned by ABBA) in Stockholm.

John Paul Jones had more weight in this album's composition process, also Led Zeppelin used way more keyboards and synth's than ever before.

Highlights:

- Fool in the Rain: a drum lesson.

- All My Love: An excellent work by John Paul Jones.

- I'm Gonna Crawl: very intense!

An interesting album, but more difficult to hear. Perhaps it lacks a little freshness. All songs are very well arranged and beautifully executed.

Released after the death of John Bonham (31/Mai/48 - 25/Set/80). Are 'leftovers' from recording sessions made between 1969 and 1978.

Highlight:

- We're Gonna Groove: pure energy!

- Darlene: Great beat!

- Bonzo's Montreux: Mr Bonham himself back in 1976.

The album features great songs, but is widely dispersed and not representative of Led Zeppelin as a band. Interesting from a historical point of view.