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 One of the Greatest Albums of the Rock Era Feb 24, 2010
Led Zeppelin IV (which technically isn't its title, but you can't really have an untitled album, can you?) is one of the greatest albums of the entire rock era. After just about wearing out a vinyl copy, I decided to bite when Amazon offered a download of the mp3 version of the album for $5. Rather than repeating endless words for the many reviews of the album, I will deal specifically with the digital download. The downloadable album is crystal clear -- if it is not technically CD quality, it is difficult to tell. The remastering and the Amazon version is brilliant, with the acoustic instruments of "The Battle of Evermore" sounding clear and resonant. I have never heard any CD version of this album, so it is somewhat difficult to compare the mp3 version to other digital versions; however, it is important to note that this download lacks the overly edgy quality of some of the early digital versions of recordings from the analog era. Excellent music, one of the great rock performances ever, excellent writing, and a solid digitalization with both depth and clarity -- what more could you ask for? Oh, yes, at $5 it is one of the best bargains at Amazon.com.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
It's a classic album, it's in my top 10 all time, but let's face it, it is dated Feb 21, 2010
Well, I like a lot of what people have written about the Zep IV disc. I agree with it. But I do think, due to the limited production techniques of the time, it is dated in its sound when compared to a lot of comparable rock music released today. Even when I listen to the LZ remasters--which I had hoped would have greatly improved the production sound--the IV disc will always be an artifact of its time. For the commenter that was so caustic and dismissive about the disc, it's your opinion...if this guy/gal really feels that way, then that is their business. If this person really believes that LZ IV is without merit, he should probably state from what perspective he considers the album to be such a non-starter. I will say this, when you listen to IV (or any albums of that period) the production techniques are dated when compared with comparable heavy rock music by today's standards (such as Foo Fighters, for example). And one might also consider that, although most of what Zep was doing at the time was novel and nobody had *ever* heard anything like it before, by today's musical standards, a lot of what's on the album is "old hat". There are better guitarists than Page playing today, there are better vocalists than Plant, etc. But that shouldn't detract from what it is that they accomplished AT THAT TIME. And it should be noted that most music is derivative anyway--think evolution by natural descent--everybody who is anybody in pop/rock music today will likely have been influenced by this and other Zep albums, simply because the songcraft is impeccible and it *does* stand the test of time, regardless of whether the production values on the disc are dated. This is clearly a generational thing, seems to me. I grew up listening to this, and was learning to play the songs on it in '74 when I was in high school. To me, Page was a guitar god, and still is--although I follow some of the younger guitar players who are equally as innovative (check out the DVD "It Might Get Loud" for a view of how 3 different generations of rock guitarists view this phenomenon). I suspect others feel that way about White Stripes or Good Charlotte or any other more modern act. Putting the shoe on the other foot, there are artists I hear today for whom I have equal disdain (Lady GaGa comes to mind, given that she is, IMHO, a shameless derivative of the Madonna of 25 years ago, and I really didn't like Madonna then either); and I think that many of these artists are nowhere *close* to the likes of Page, Plant and co. or other "classic rock" artists of that era. To each, his own. It does take an open mind. So, it's no reason to be ugly about it! Regardless of whether this particular reviewer was being imflammatory simply for "kicks" or whether it's a genuine opinion. As my grandmother used to tell me, "opinions are like @ssh0les, everybody's got one". Cheers. jd
3 of 22 found the following review helpful:
 I just don't get it Jan 21, 2010
When I was little I loved Led Zeppelin, anytime they came on the radio I had my dad turn the volume up to an absurd level; this lasted from about age 4 to about 12, but kids are pretty painfully stupid, so, I had that as an excuse.
But now I'm 25 and my tastes have been fine tuned, honed to near dead on perfection, and I cannot for the life of me enjoy a single Led Zeppelin song save for ONE song, AND its an instrumental (Moby Dick).
Other than that I find Page's guitar playing not only on this album, but the first 3 as well, to be incredibly boring when compared to people like Robert Fripp, a man who was trying to push the limitations of the electric guitar past that of which it was capable of at the time, then you have a white boy imitating his favorite blues musicians. Really, anyone with any kind of working brain would in inclined to pick Fripp, but that, for some reason, is not the case. It is a sad affair when someone like Page is held above people like Fripp & Iommi.
Hell, even Greg Ginn (Black Flag) is a far more interesting guitarist than Jimmy ever was.
Plant's vocals are just dreadfully uninteresting, as opposed to Roger Daltrey, a man who seemed to be pouring his every ounce into most of the Who's material all the way through their career. But, some people think he's the tops; apparently these people love having the same thing, namely BAAAABY, shouted at them over & over again.
And lets face it, no one cares about the bass in a Zeppelin song, unless you yourself are actually a bass player, so there's that; want bass with talent and energy?: Yes & Rush come to mind instantly.
Now onto the topic of Bonham; he is the only member of the band for whom I hold any respect, but he still isn't as impressive as, say, someone like Keith Moon, the man who holds the eternal title of Rock drum God.
Finally, Stairway to Heaven has to be one of the most disgustingly rancid attempts at poetry in a rock song in the history of music (since the first caveman smashed a rock onto the ground, creating some sort of rhythm, all the way to today.)
Now, I realize in this I've stated "Zeppelin is no good, listen to this band instead." and I realize that this is a silly comment to make, but its no more silly as stating the Stairway to Heaven is the greatest song of all time.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
A Masterpiece Jan 08, 2010
A great collection by a great band. I lived in New Orleans around the time this came out, so the song about the levee breaking was very meaningful even back then. Stairway to Heaven was a big favorite played at every high school dance I ever heard of back then too. The words are great poetry by themselves. I find a lot of younger people don't get Led Zeppelin. A real shame.
0 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Led Zeppelin Ace Dec 10, 2009
Release of Led Zeppelin's IV in 1971 cemented their statue of a super group at forefront of the new frontier establishing itself in music partially because of them. It was called hard rock. Over a year earlier another band called Deep Purple had released their album called In Rock which also was becoming one of the most influential albums of this new hard sounding field. One of the songs of that album called Child In Time was a 10 minute long epic rock song connecting the beauty of melodic rock with the hard sounding rock, and featuring a long lasting guitar solo by Ritchie Blackmore. It is very possible that Stairway To Heaven was Led Zeppelin's answer to Child In Time. These two songs were compared and played together very often by us in the early 1970s. The beauty of Stairway To Heaven was breathtaking in terms of a concept, lyrics, the mood created by its first soft acoustic melodic minutes as well as by its harder progression. It has to be said that the main guitar riff does belong to the American band Spirit which you can hear in their song Taurus but by all means, all of you active musicians out there, go back to the 1960s and 1970s and do pick some beautiful moments you can find and elaborate on them, bring them to the wider audience who probably never heard these riffs and wouldn't have otherwise anyway. The progression of Stairway To Heaven is spectacular in its very even build up of tempo and energy, but not until we are allowed to float in the beauty of the acoustic part of this song long enough. Lyrically and spiritually this song was truly inspiring. The title was perfect, the beginning lyrics quite meaningful making us feel like we understand the following poetic progression in which clear thoughts were dressed in abstract catchy phrases allowing us all to make up our own stories. However, I would love to know how many of us might not have migrated west without `there's a feeling I get when I look to the west and my spirit is crying for leaving' inside of us. Personally I can also relate to the final words: `and if you listen very hard the tune will come to you at last when all are one and one is all...to be a rock and not to roll'. These words perfectly describe my musical taste in rock... I am just kidding now (sort of) and back then (in 1972 it probably was when I heard this album for the first time at the age of 9), and even for the following 2 or 3 years I have not developed my symptoms, yet. But by 1975 or so I have been diagnosed (by myself) with that very rare and strange allergy towards rock'n'roll. I'm sorry, I know it is so un-cool, but I just can't help it. That is why a few songs of Led Zeppelin IV are just not for me at this point in my life but I absolutely love Stairway To Heaven as well as Going To California, The Battle Of Evermore and When The Levee Breaks. How on earth were they able to come up with such spectacular magic, all at once? Every one of these songs is special in its own way. These are the songs you need one of, to elevate the rank of your entire album by a couple of stars. That is how I evaluate songs which beauty and power overwhelms me. Going To California has for a long time been my favorite song of this album. Its simple beauty of melodic line, acoustic sound and Robert's voice make this song perfect to me. I remember listening often to it back in late 1970 when after watching the tv serial Streets Of San Francisco I was already sure I wanted to end up there. I didn't know the song was addressing Joni Mitchell but smoking that stuff and drinking that wine and girls with love in their eyes and flowers in their hair all sounded really good to me, and made me a bit impatient. The Battle Of Evermore's poetic and mysterious lyrics addressing Tolkien's The Lord Of The Rings probably mean more to you if (as I have in my teens), you have walked into Tolkien's kingdom at some point in your life, but the main power of this song lies to me in the beautiful harmony of vocals (Robert Plant was singing this song together with Sandy Denny of Fairport Convention) with the acoustic folk music carried mainly by mandolin and guitar. There is this simple repetitive element to this harmony which attracts me a lot. When The Levee Breaks has this spectacular distorted sound to it echoed and engineered perfectly to give us this very unusual addictive atmosphere. Back in 1996 I have put together my favorite songs by Led Zeppelin. At about the same time I had read an interview with Wayne Hussey of The Mission who had said `it's about time somebody screamed (or something like that) Led Zeppelin Ace', so I did.
Led Zeppelin Ace:
1. Battle Of Evermore
2. All My Love
3. Since I've Been Loving You
4. Baby I'm Gonna Leave You
5. When The Levee Breaks
6. Going To California
7. Kashmir
8. I'm Gonna Crawl
9. Tangerine
10. The Rain Song
11. Thank You
12. Stairway To Heaven
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