5 comments about Sticky Fingers.

1. I am the Stones authority. But I am not going to give you a blow by blow analyzing each of the tracks, many of the 4 & 5 star posters here have already made fine arguments and cases for the album and the individual tracks. My post here is to address the handful of nuts out of more than two hundred reviews here who somehow rate this album as 1 or 2 stars. The mind boggles. Even a non-fan, but someone with a general appreciation for music, should be able to walk away with at least 3 stars and respect for this album. What I am wondering about is what would rate 5 stars in the world of a reviewer who gave this album 1 star? Five stars for Babs? Bee Gees? Kiss? Ratt? Michael Bolton? Michael Jackson? Kenny G? What rates 5 stars in your world?
   
   Simply put this is one of two Stones albums that is arguably their best, and certainly an album the figures automatically into the top ten of any list of the best albums ever - by anyone. If you don't have it and are not familiar with it - then you have no business talking about music - with anyone. Period.



2. A must for anyone with an interest in The Rolling Stones. This is a great album



3. Sticky Fingers is a landmark Stones recording, rivaled and perhaps surpassed, only by Let It Bleed. Mick Jagger's performance on Sticky Fingers was a perfect rock'n'roll 10. Great album.



4. For my money, the Stones never put out a better album than 1971's "Sticky Fingers". I know, I know, 1968's "Beggar's Banquet" and 1972's "Exile On Main Street" have their devotees, but "Sticky Fingers" is the World's Greatest Rock And Roll Band at its absolute zenith in the studio. Though he never really fit into the group's aesthetic, the young Mick Taylor was, technically, the best guitarist the band ever had, and helped return them to their blues base after Brian Jones died. And, in my opinion, Jimmy Miller was the best producer to ever work with them. The record kicks off with the filthy "Brown Sugar," the group's best Seventies single, and continues from strength to strength. "Moonlight Mile" is ravaged and lovely, as is "Wild Horses," the best ballad Jagger and Richards ever wrote. The Stones were at their nastiest on "Bitch" and "Can't You Hear Me Knocking." Everything released from 1968 to 1972 is essential, but "Fingers" is, quite simply, the best rock band on earth at its height.



5. Misanthropic, gothic, indestructable. Purists will inevitably favor Exile over Sticky, and it's true we've heard "Brown Sugar" and "Wild Horses" 'til we're dizzy with indifference, BUT, there's something to be said about that 3:52 residing between. And I'll say it: "Sway" is the quintessential Stones session and, most likely, the perfectest damaged purebloodedest rock song ever recorded. It's got that underhanded epic quality, coming way down , which nobody else (like, GnR) could ever effect. Sounds basement, haphazard, intoxicated until the coda, just a sliver of cleverness, suggests the majesty of pure poetic dissolution. Key ingredient, Mick Taylor, no stompboxes, all feel ~ plus Nicky Hopkins and Jimmy Miller strings, plus the boys, just invented the power ballad for the 1st time. As a fadeout, an afterthought! Slippery guitars, barroom piano and careening drums, it's church of roadhouse. I bet Chuck Berry threw a tantrum. Not only THAT, but "You Gotta Move" which shames Led Zeppelin III and "I Got The Blues," Mick's supersingularest rave soul vocal. NO band ever got so much with so little exertion. Bad badder baddest.

5 comments about The Who Sell Out.

1. This is just one of those mind blowingly great albums. It is so great, as in one of those albums that when you listen you might wonder to your self -- Wow, is there a human on this earth with such bad taste that they don't like this? If someone tells you anything but that this album is great, their taste in all things should be questioned. If you don't have this already, get it now!!!!!!!!!



2. For me this is The Who's first really good album. They would go on to achieve even bigger things, but "Sell Out" shows a glimpse of the potential that was to come. The album revolves around the concept of a pirate radio station complete with commercials (written and performed by The Who). It is a really clever concept especially for 1967. The album produced a classic Who hit in "I Can See For Miles" which to this day is the band's only top 10 hit in the U.S. The album was ahead of it's time in many ways and includes the mini conceptual piece "Rael" which would serve as a springboard into their classic album "Tommy". Today this album sounds very much a product of it's time, but the remastering is very well done and is chock full of 10 bonus tracks. The Who went on to do several albums that I consider to be all time rock classics, but this one is where it all started.



3. This is definitely another great Who CD despite the fact that the CD is really in Mono and not Stereo like it says on the cover. This CD absolutely deserves five stars.



4. armenia city in the sky was a favorite in 60's, good old rock and roll



5. I love this album. It ws a head of it's time and when you put it on it brings back the good times.

5 comments about Ummagumma.

1. The studio album of Ummagumma is VERY underappreciated.
   
   The "Sysyphus" suite is quite ununual the way it begins with a rather dark and intimidating riff that leads into an Emerson, Lake and Palmer piano melody. It's a peaceful and beautiful melody, that stays consistently good for the most part, until it reaches a point where two notes keep rambling back and forth, then the piano playing gets all messy for a minute or so. Not as good as the stuff ELP would do a few years later, but decent enough.
   
   The third part features WEIRD monkey sound effects with jungle-like sounds, and the fourth and final part is absolutely AWESOME because it has an eerie mellotron melody with soft sprinkles of keyboards building slowly, and cautiously, into a loud and intense theme until eventually going back to the intimidating riff that started the whole thing. The fourth part of this suite is really really good though, especially the eerie few minutes that begins the thing, which would work extremely well in a horror film.
   
   "Grantchester Meadows" features nice acoustic guitar (I think?) and closely resembles "Wish You Were Here" in the vocals. I wasn't expecting to hear such a mature song on this album going by all the other reviews. "Several Small Species" is a MAJOR head trip, that's for sure! It's totally unique and needs to be appreciated on that level to fully understand.
   
   "The Narrow Way" is the highlight of the album for me. Part One has EXCELLENT acoustic guitar, melodic and emotionally touching, and the second part features a Black Sabbath-like guitar riff for a few minutes, before the final part comes in, which sounds like something that would fit in PERFECTLY with the Dark Side of the Moon album. I don't understand people who say Meddle shows signs of what Pink Floyd would sound like later, when this song obviously shows what the band would become just a few years later.
   
   "The Grand Vizier's Garden Party" is the only weak point- radical drumming that doesn't go anywhere, and goes on too long. The rest of the album though, is quite fantastic. I don't get the negative reviews for this one I'm afraid.
   
   The live album of Ummagumma (which by the way, sounds like a tasty kind of Halloween snack!) isn't NEARLY as good as people have been telling me. What IS really great however, is the opening song "Astronomy Domine", which has an AWESOME space rock jam in the middle that sounds like it probably influenced several bands such as Hawkwind. The jam just feels so natural, like the vocals needed that jam all along in order to complete a perfect song.
   
   "Careful with that Axe Eugene" is another great song. The slow keyboard melody in the beginning that builds into these soothing vocals that sail and soar to new heights... Pink Floyd was really good at this. The song gets noisy after a while, but in an appealing kind of way, where you don't want it to stop. Great song.
   
   Then the album loses steam super fast. "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" was better on Saucerful of Secrets, because it had a Moody Blues-like vibe flowing through it. Here, the song tries to be something more, and just ends up being a boring song. This version of "Saucerful of Secrets" is overrated BIG time. Everyone says it's better than the version from the studio album of the same name, but it's not. The studio version had these rather unique sound effects, muddy production, and a spooky atmosphere to help make it one of the creepiest songs ever. This version is just loud, and repeats the same notes for several minutes. Not good to me. Yes, I know the studio version repeats a lot too, but that version had sound effects that seemed to add more atmosphere to the song, so it was easy to avoid the parts that repeated a lot.
   
   Still, the album gets 5 stars for the studio stuff, which rules.



2. This album, along with Meddle, are the two best Pink Floyd albums ever, as far as I'm concerned (discounting the Syd Barrett albums, which were in a different category and great in their own right). I don't need to describe the two discs in this set as it's been done over and over again.
   
   What I'll say is I think this is when the band was the most creative, and Roger Waters had the least amount of influence on the outcome. I love it for the true experimentation, the originality, and the sheer psychedelic mood of it all. As I listened to it again after 30 years, it still rings true with me and despite what the band itself has said about it (and not all of it complimentary), I think this showed the band as a truly creative force.
   
   They never did anything after this that comes close, except for Meddle.
   
   If you want to hear what the Floyd sounded like before they went commercial, I highly recommend this album.



3. Am adding my 2cents on word of Wright's death...his keyboards and effects are a highlight of the "live" sides and these are the versions of these 4 pieces that blow away the studio versions: louder, more intense and spookier by far, they epitomize late '60s psychedelic rock. For me, these are timeless and I'll be listening to them (usually on 'phones) 'til I can't hear anymore. R.I.P., Rick (BTW, skip the "studio" sides; they're self-indulgent, boring and a bad harbinger of excess to come). One of the great album covers of all time too (loses a lot on a small CD case, tho).



4. Probably the biggest avant-garde album in history. That might not be a good thing though. By 1969, Pink Floyd had somewhat of a fanbase going. Their live shows were getting some good word, and due to their music being used in documentaries and films, they were able to make a decent living off of touring and recording. So, they decided to celebrate a bit and make their first double album. First things first, the live side is great. Containing four tracks, mostly from the Syd and the Syd-influenced days, this showcases early Floyd at their best. The live Astronomy Domine blows away the original. Vocal harmonies, wahed guitar, creepy keyboard solos, it's all there. Amazing how the band would work on these songs over the years and make drastic improvements. Careful With That Axe, Eugene is brilliant. There's not one note wasted, and the climax 3 mintes in is spellbinding. Set The Controls and Saucerful are both excellent live too, with Set being drastically changed to a much more spacier and intense performance. I really dig the trippy 'outer-space' keyboard section in the middle. Kewl. However, I have to say...WHAT IS WITH THE STUDIO SIDE?! Did they seriously want to alienate all their fans? This sucks! The band returns to some of the failed experimental atonal noises that they hashed out unsuccessfully on Saucerful and Piper, only this time they are "solo pieces." Whatever, no one should listen to this garbage. Sysphus starts out interesting, almost like an ELP song, before going into harsh noise territory. Several Species is just pure garbage, I guess it would be cool if I was tripping. The Narrow Way is just amazingly dull, though there is a cool Sabbathesque riff in one section that would've been awesome had they worked on it. And the Grand Vizier thing is just a long drum solo with some weird flute noises. Bleh, this sucks! The only song worth noticing is Grantchester Meadows, and that's if you enjoy the folky stuff from More. Just download the live side. You'll be glad ya did instead of wasting money.



5. Couldn't explain it for the life of me but I really enjoy this album, front, back and middle. One who leans to Prog rock, experimental, stream of consious elements in their music would be more likely to Ummagumma.

5 comments about Machine Head.

1. I can remember being a freshman in high-school and going to school dances in Bakersfield Ca, and occasionally going home to the OC and going to church dances with friends, and the pretty girls lining the walls or hiding in the Ladies room, but when "Smoke on the Water" would be played, they would all be desperately looking for someone to dance with as soon as the first bar of the song was played.
   
   Adolescent boy's prayers were answered.
   
   This is still the favorite Deep Purple album for most of my friends 36 years gone by now!



2. One of the greatest rock albums ever made 'Machine Head' combines rock, blues with progressive complexity and the result is nothing less than amazing! Blackmore and Co. rip through each song with dexterity and unrelenting drive! 'Smoke On The Water' has one of the most memorable and best guitar solos in the history of Rock N Roll. Stand out cuts like Lazy, Highway Star and Space Truckin' are pure bliss, but the entire album rocks like there's no tomorrow! The version I have of this is an anniversary edition with the original album remastered on one disc and a remixed version on the other disc, plus some quadraphonic mixes of some choice cuts! It's a smokin' release....if you can find it!



3. A classic album? Yeah, but again, the songwriting is weak in more areas than any Deep Purple album released before this one.
   
   "Highway Star" is the ultimate speed metal song, as many people are aware by now. "Smoke on the Water" with its amazingly catchy riff is pure genius as well. "Pictures of Home" has the best vocal melody on the album.
   
   "Space Truckin" is NOT very good though, because the vocals are poor. "Lazy" is good, but the live version on Made in Japan destroys it. "Never Before" has an alright guitar riff, but it's just filler anyway. In fact, this is not an album I recommend because Made in Japan drastically improves many of the songs from this album. Just buy Made in Japan instead.



4. Many consider this to be Deep Purple's greatest effort.
   
   They're right.
   
   But it isn't because of "Smoke on the Water" that Machine Head is such an amazing album, despite the fact that the general public incessantly refuses to acknowledge that this band wrote any other songs. Rather, the entire album is fantastic, from the droning "Highway Star," to the groovy "Maybe I'm a Leo," all the way through closer "Space Truckin'." There really isn't a weak point on this album.



5. You like rock music ? You don't have this cd, well, there is an important part of history missing in your collection. A true classic, a must have.
   "Highway star, Smoke on the Water, Lazy, Never Before and Space Trucking"
   Amazing, all these classic are on the same album. You must own this cd.
   Maybe one of the top ten cd on the history of rock music !
   PS I also have the DVD audio, the sound is just unbelievable, do yourself a favor, find a good sound system (a surround one of course) and listen to Machine Head in DVD audio, you won't believe it. It is loud, clear and you'll have the impression that it is a recent recording, you then must remember that it a 25 years old recording. Unbelievable.

5 comments about A Night at the Opera.

1. Listening to this great CD today, I can remember why it was one of my favorite albums in my senior year in HS. Queen really knew how to produce a cohesive album. This album is so eclectic in styles and yet somehow it all fits together so well I can't imagine the album without all of the songs and in the order they were placed. Now this CD offers alternative versions of two of the songs, well I wouldn't have done that, but in the wonderful digital age we can make the albums we own into any order of presentation we want, so that is a trifling issue.
   
   At the time I remember the Brian May disclaimer on the bottom that no synthesizers were used to create this album. In 1975 I didn't get that, but by the early 80's I completely understood. Finally, in 2008 it seems that music for the most part (Cher and Paula excepting) have gotten back to real instruments and real musicians playing real music. But much of that seems to be the old guys on "comeback tours" so I may be over hopeful.
   
   In any case here's the deal,
   
   If you don't own A Night at the Opera, you should it is amazing!



2. I just finished downloading this album, one of my all time favorites, and I noticed that there are 14 tracks instead of 12. The Queen discography states 12. Amazon has included a repeat of I'm in love with my car @ 3:28 and You're my best friend @2:51. One is a second shorter and one is a second longer? Any idea why they would add tracks to this album?



3. Looking back at the 1970s, sometimes many forget how big the band Queen was. Even as Queen moved into the 1980s, while their popularity did slightly decline in the United States, it continued to be very high in Europe. Their performance at Live Aid is widely considered one of the greatest of all-time and their subsequent "Magic" tour is considered one of the all-time greatest concert tours. If it weren't for Freddie Mercury's death in 1992, we might still be talking about Queen being as big a band as the Beatles. When Queen released their 1973 self-titled debut album, it showed all of the signs of greatness to come. This album would show how the band embraced a "theatrical" feel to their music as well as embrace a sound that would evolve into what would become Heavy Metal. The next two albums, "Queen II" and "Sheer Heart Attack" continued down the road of the theatrical sound. It was that third album, "Sheer Heart Attack" that would not just become a commercial breakthrough album for Queen, but also become an album that would showcase Mercury's abilities as a Hall of Fame vocalist. On "A Night at the Opera", while the band moves slightly away from the theatrical sound at times, they continue to progress with as a band. We also see the other members take it up a notch from already a high level of musicianship.
   
   Queen is an example of the sum of the parts actually being greater than the whole. However, if you take each of the four members of Queen, they easily stand on their own as a top musician in their profession. Freddie Mercury is easily known to be the emotional and flamboyant lead vocalist of Queen who indeed has a legendary voice. Brian May is the legendary lead guitarist and probably the second most popular member of the band. Roger Taylor and John Deacon go extremely underrated. Listen to Taylor's thundering drumming in the studio or live and one can easily understand why he was asked to participate in an All Star Drum Jam (The S.O.S. All-Stars) at the Live Earth concert. As for John Deacon, he might be one of music's all-time underrated bass players. Many of his bass lines have proven to be the foundation for Queen's musical sound. In addition to being top musicians, all four members play integral roles in the songwriting.
   
   Here is a track by track synopsis of this collection:
   
   "Death on Two Legs (Dedicated To...)": This track was written as a "hate letter" to Norman Sheffield, Queen's former manager. The opening lines of the track really back this up with lines such as "You suck my blood like a leach....you've taken all my money - and you still want more". There is definitely anger that comes out in this song - thus giving it a feeling of true emotion.
   
   "Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon": This is the first of three "vaudeville/ragtime" feeling song. The song is highlighted by a combination of Mercury's piano and a wrap-up guitar solo by May.
   
   "I'm in Love with My Car": Queen fans know Taylor is more than just a drummer and this song shows it. Once again, Taylor proves he is a top-rate lead vocalist. Taylor's higher octaves almost give this song what I would consider an early heavy metal feel to it.
   
   "You're My Best Friend": Deacon is often the forgotten member of Queen, but this song proves he is as talented as anything - writing this track as well as playing electric piano and bass. Freddie Mercury's vocals give this song a three dimensional feel in terms of emotion (Deacon wrote this song as a tribute to his wife). Quiet as always, Deacon's bass also proves to be a foundation for this song - also synchronizing well with Taylor's percussion.
   
   "'39": This might be one of the most underrated tracks in Queen's catalog. May handles songwriting, acoustic guitars and adds some amazing lead vocals. This song is tribute to the year 1939. Great background vocals by both Taylor and Mercury. I also give credit to Deacon for some great use of the double bass.
   
   "Sweet Lady": This song has a classic hard rock/heavy metal feel that Queen had now become famous for. Mercury's vocals combined with May's guitars once again gel perfectly.
   
   "Seaside Rendezvous": This is the second of the "vaudeville/ragtime" songs on this collection. I think this is the best of three. The amazing thing is how both Mercury and Taylor simulate woodwind and brass instrument sounds with vocals.
   
   "The Prophet's Song": This is a darker song than the rest of the album. It also has more of a theatrical feel as a throwback to the earlier days of Queen.
   
   "Love of My Life": This has become a popular ballad by Queen - and Mercury in particular. I always felt it was a bid overrated, but the use of the Harp in this song by May once again shows how this group just finds new ways to broaden musically.
   
   "Good Company": This is the third of the "vaudeville/ragtime" songs on this collection. This song is highlighted by May strumming a ukulele on this track combined with some Jazz guitar.
   
   "Bohemian Rhapsody": This is just a legendary song. Music fans are well familiar with this song. I particularly love the three distinct parts to the song: 1) The Theatrical sounding ballad; 2) The Opera-tic choir performed by Mercury, May, and Taylor; and 3) The Heavy Metal-sounding jam led by May's guitars (my personal favorite).
   
   "God Save the Queen": This is the album's wrap-up song as Queen covers the national anthem of the United Kingdom. May's guitars are done in the style of Jimi Hendrix's "Star Spangled Banner". This song would become the trademark finale at live Queen shows.
   
   Overall, this fourth album by Queen shows why they are a Hall of Fame band. This album is definitely worth checking out. Highly recommended.



4. I found this album a bit difficult to get into... at first... but once I did it proved to be a work of unspeakable genius. This is, quite simply, one of the best rock albums of all time!



5. When I first heard this album in a friend's car several years ago I knew I had to get it! Lively, tongue-in-cheek capering by a group that had so much to offer. Freddie Mercury's early death was a tragedy! At least we have this to remember just how versatile he was!

5 comments about Yellow Submarine (Soundtrack).

1. What can you say about the Beatles??!! My daughter loves the movie (it was my first movie when I was 3), so we bought the soundtrack for the car. We all love it, and we all sing along!



2. I got this for my 2 year old granddaughter. She loves the movie and now can sing the songs in her room. She really likes the Beatles. She has no problems with identifing the music as from her "Submarine" movie.



3. This is just a great compilation with perfect songs and just INCREDIBLE remastering by George Martin... definitely buy it, you wouldn't be dissapointed... Hey Bulldog, Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is sounding in a mightier, better way, you can actually hear everything you could never hear before... I wish Martin would gather some money and remaster every single album of the Beatles in such a good way! 5 stars by all means!



4. This is a perfect introduction to the Beatles for young children--and older children, too. You don't have to explain drug use, sex (Well, there is that line "Can I take my friend to bed?", but my daughter thought of it as a sleepover), or bad language to kids, but the music isn't sugary or insipid, like a lot of so-called children's music. All the tracks are strong (though I think "Hey Bulldog" may be its weakest track, a young friend assured me that I was wrong and it was "Awesome!"), and fun to sing along to. It's an album that moms can hear over and over without wanting to chew their paws off.



5. The film Yellow Submarine really got me into Beatles music. It's the most joyous of their "adventure music", if that makes sense. It is music that takes you places, and if you've never heard the Beatles before (as well you might not have) you'll really be transported to a new World with these classic tracks.
   
   There is great sound from these remasters, while still respecting the original audio engineering, which is nice. It's worth getting for newbies and for fans wishing for a new perspective on these songs, because the track listing lends itself to thematic analysis (it really does)!

5 comments about Live at Leeds.

1. First time I heard this was over FM radio wearing headphones lying in bed, listening. They played the whole thing and they had short interval of somthing weird and then played the next cut, did this for the whole album, it was 1970 somthing.
   IF you havent listened to this whole thing with real headphones without distraction, do it, trust me, do it, I would not lie.
   Good lesson for guitar players also.



2. It's The Who. Live. At Leeds University. Duh. How come you haven't bought it already? Powerful live set from seminal rock four-piece, blah, blah, sizzling energy, innovative songwriting, blah blah....Keith Moon....buy it. Listen to it. Have mind blown.



3. Amazing live album is all that i have too say for this. The drums are absoutley amazing Keith Moon is probaly one of the greatest rock drummers of all time his peformance is great here. Pete Townshends guitar is great and everybody in this is really doing great on there instruments.
   
   This may just be one of there greatest peformances of all time it has the energy and they sound just really great here i think all the live versions sound great on here
   
   If your a big Who fan like me buy this album today you wont be dissapointed...



4. Really horrible sound quality, and the band must have been totally wasted...Apparently with so many for sale , others thought the same.



5. I'm not a huge fan of The Who but this record is undeniable. The band is on fire and at a creative peak. I actually like the single disc version more than the double (I'm not a fan of the Tommy material, sorry). Everyone needs a copy of this.
   
   If you like high energy R&R like this and MC5, Stooges, Ramones, etc check out Mighty High...In Drug City.

5 comments about Presence.

1. In Through The Out Door and Coda were abberations. ITTOD was JPJ's album and I guess that under the circumstances he did the best he could. Coda was an outtakes album which is not bad but not a legacy type of album. Presence on the other hand is Zeppelin at their hardest and tightest, an awesome album bracketed by two of the greatest tracks they ever laid down - Achilles Last Stand and Tea For One. I first heard ALS when Presence was first released and thought it was the greatest thing Zeppelin had ever produced. I still think it's one of their top 5 tracks but on a par with it, for me, is Tea For One. I bracket it with In My Time Of Dying as two of the greatest blues tracks ever made. JP's playing on this track is blistering. God knows how many guitar tracks he laid down but it sounds like 3 or 4 separate guitar tracks and each compliments all the others wonderfully. Having listened to the remastered CD I can finally appreciate just what a phenomenal job Bonzo does on this album in fact, for me, Bonzo's drumming is what really makes this album special. Listening to it on a dodgy cassette player all those years ago I couldn't appreciate what a job he did but if ITTOD and Coda showed didn't really give Bonzo a chance to shine, Presence does in spades. Percy might have recorded all his vocals in a wheelchair but you could swear he was wearing and tearing his stuff when he recorded this, Plant had his voice back and this album is a testament to that. JPJ does a great job of supporting JP and Bonzo without ever dominating and James Patrick Page just peels the paint off the wall with a masterclass in rock and blues guitar. It's a shame that many can't hear beyond Achilles Last Stand on this album but I really think that years ahead, this album will be regarded as the classic it truly is. If JP, JPJ, J(Jason)B and Percy ever do create new music, I hope to hell it sounds like this - tight but loose.



2. Released in 1976, Led Zeppelin's 7th album has always been unfairly overlooked by fans and critics who'd expected another epic along the lines of their previous album "Physical Graffiti". And were seemingly disappointed by the even stranger than normal artwork (what was that black thing anyway?) and just seven songs. It was if the band had taken a "ho-hum" approach to their albums. They knew ANYTHING they released was guaranteed to sell a million copies in its first week. Seven songs? Who did they think they were, Steely Dan? Add to this the rise of punk rockers in England who regarded Zeppelin as boring old farts whose demise couldn't come fast enough. Relations within the band were tense as well. Robert Plant had been in a near fatal car wreck in Greece and practically recorded the entire album in a wheelchair. Jimmy Page and John Bonham's dalliances with heroin had turned into full-fledged addictions. And John Paul Jones felt his role in the band was merely taken for granted. So the band was in an unfamiliar position; backs to the wall and needing a strong album to prove they still had "it" in them. To do this, the band decamped to Munich's Musicland Studios and pushed themselves to deliver a new album in (for them) a record time of 2 weeks, as the Rolling Stones were due to arrive and start their next album. Legend has it that Page completed all the guitar overdubs in one night; then asked Mick Jagger for one extra day of studio time. Jagger agreed, and when he arrived Page proudly told him the album was finished;
   Jagger: "Oh, you got the basic tracks done?"
   Page: "No, the ENTIRE album is done."
   This was at a time when the Stones needed two weeks to record ONE song.
   "Presence" is a different album because of this. The proto-hippie acoustic tunes of the past are nowhere to be found here. This is a much tougher sounding and uncompromising album as a result starting with the opener. "Achilles Last Stand" is probably the longest song they've ever recorded at nearly 11 minutes of soaring vocals, galloping guitars, rock bottom bass and machine gun drums. "Nobody's Fault But Mine" is without a doubt one of the best songs they ever recorded with it's heavily phased guitar intro and Plant's wail of a deal he wants out of (Drugs or the Devil?) before it slams into a thunderous groove that only stops for a second as Plant quietly laments; "nobody's fault but mine". Though they were never a singles band, "Candy Store Rock" really could've been a hit single as the band do their best impression of a Sun Records rockabilly act. "Hots on for Nowhere" is Robert Plant strutting his stuff vocally while John Bonham lays down a shuffle straight out of the James Brown school of drumming. I have to say that the sound quality of "Tea for One" is remarkable and harkens back to the smooth drum sound the band had on its early albums before it drops into a slow melancholy blues that seems to say that the band was tired and that bad times were coming soon. Those bad times were the '77 tour that saw fan riots, hard drugs everywhere, and the death of Plant's son. Jimmy Page seems to have pulled out all the stops here and used every guitar trick he could think of. IMO, If Zeppelin had stopped here, their place in rock history would've been solid. If any album in the Zeppelin catalog could be called a letdown, it was "In Through the Out Door".



3. Presence
   
   This is a no brainer for Zeppelin fans, you must have this! This album was all page. With Robert Plant in a wheel chair from his crash, Jimmy Page put this album together in only 16 days. The riffs are unforgetable and with pure Led Zeppelin energy.



4. Led Zeppelin-Presence (***1/2)
   
   I usually go through phases with Zeppelin. Long periods of not wanting to hear them but still giving them credit for being one of the greatest bands of all time, and then short (make that extremely short) periods of time where I listen to Led Zeppelin so much I get really sick of them. This just might be the only album in the bands canon that doesn't follow into either of those categories. I think that is due to the fact that I truly believe both Jimmy Page and John Bonham are at their all time best here, this album contains two absolute Zeppelin classics, and what I consider to be their all time best, and the fact that is just an average album which I only pull out once in a blue moon.
   
   Firstly Robert Plant is great when he sticks to one note and doesn't' vary in range. It bothers me to no end when he tries to be a vocal acrobat. The songs that are good here are mainly when he stays to one thing, the ones that are not, are the ones that he makes his voice go through everything he did on Houses Of The Holy all over again. As I said before Page kills on this album. His slide playing is nothing to bark at, simply the best. His lead playing on songs like 'For Your Life' and 'Hots On For Nowhere' is some of his best. Bonham just plays solid fills throughout the album and great rhythm all over. John Paul Jones completely owns as always, especially on 'For Your Life.'
   
   'Achilles Last Stand' is to me without competition Led Zeppelins very best song. Better than 'Stairway..' 'Whole Lotta Love' 'Black Dog' or anything else you through out. The entire band is at their top and kill the track. With ten minutes length it manages to not get boring, which is unusual for Zepp. 'Nobody's Fault But Mine' is not the bands best, but it is my favorite Zepp song. Killer guitar from Page and his lyrics are perfect for Plants pipes to let rip over. It is a stellar tune! 'For Your Life' is a solid rock n' roller. 'Royal Orleans' was a nice idea, and has a good feel as well as some great guitar and bass, but doesn't fully deliver like it should. 'Candy Store Rock' feels nice but seems unfinished, as does 'Tea For One' which is strange because of it's nearly ten minute length. 'Hots On For Nowhere' is a odd one. It isn't likable by any standards, and yet it is not awful by any standards either.
   
   I will say this though. Presence has the best production out of the whole lot of their records, hands down!
   
   I always felt like Led Zeppelin was capable of so much more than what they did which always left me feeling cold and let down. Presence did just what I thought it would do. It is a solid rock n' roll album, nothing more, nothing less, and that is okay.



5. More obsessive Zeppelin fans than I have sort of claimed this album as their own. They can keep it, far as I'm concerned. It's not bad or anything, but there's not much to really recommend here, either.
   Still, the record does contain two great songs. Their names are... "Candy Store Rock" and "Tea for One!" Whoo! No, actually, those songs suck. "Candy Store Rock" is stiff, ham-fisted rockabilly, and "Tea for One" is one of the worst songs I've ever heard in my life. It's a nine-minute blues so similar to "Since I've Been Loving You" (only with guitars replacing the organ and without the big emotional release), that it might as well be a remix. Plant's lyrics are cliched as ever, and Page's lengthy solo is just him taking a bunch of trite blues licks and stringing them together. No good.
   No, the best songs on this album are "Achilles Last Stand" and "Nobody's Fault but Mine." On "Achilles," Page goes insane with the guitar overdubs, letting loose a career's worth of brilliant riffs in ten minutes. It's got time signature changes, guitar solos, galloping bass parts, and sections where the band morphs into a jackhammer. "Nobody's Fault But Mine," meanwhile, is a Blind Willie Johnson blues that lets Page and Plant show off their skills on guitar and harmonica, respectively. But the real appeal of the tune is in the pauses. which make the heavy parts of the song sound even heavier.
   The remaining three songs I could do without. There's some interesting guitar stuff on both "For Your Life" and "Royal Orleans" (both concerning the group's assorted misadventures with decadence), and I appreciate how they kinda change things up on "Orleans" with odd drumming, but neither of them are impressive. I would hesitate to even call them "good." Mediocre, maybe. I actually kind of like "Hots on for Nowhere." It's moderately funky, and has a catchy nonsense chorus. But it's by no means great.
   So there you have it. "Achilles" and "Nobody's Fault" rule, "Tea for One" and "Candy Store Rock" suck, and the rest is in the middle. I can't think of any reason to buy it, seeing that both the great songs always make it onto compilations. And did you know "Candy Store Rock" was released as a single? Yikes...

5 comments about How the West Was Won.

1. Possibly better than The Song Ramains the Same. If you like Led Zeppelin (considered one of the best rock bands and revalued generation after generation) I think this triple is a good choice. The singer is O.K (now his "Raising Sand" is astonishing), the guitarist is wonderful, the bassist sounds fine and the drummer was one of the best in his genre.



2. These are a set of live recordings that were rediscovered in 2003 and re-mastered.
   They sound fantastic and are a must-have for any zeppelin fan. I've recently had
   to start driving to work one day a week and these cds have made me look forward
   to the ride (which is otherwise miserable).



3. Legendary performances by legendary rock icons. Thought not known as one, LZ certainly qualifies as a "jam band" as evidenced here. A must have for any and every fan of classic rock. Masters at the top of their game.



4. Not that you needed another five-star review to think about getting this, but I have to chime in. This is one of the finest live albums I've ever heard. Zep were in their prime here (the material for this album was taken from two concerts in June of 1972, one in Los Angeles and one in Long Beach) and boy, does it show. My favorite song on the album is "Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp" which the fellas play with a great deal of energy and the appreciative crowd enthusiastically claps along. Their big hits from that era are here, like "Black Dog", "Rock And Roll", "Immigrant Song", and of course "Stairway To Heaven." If you're even kind of a Zep fan, this album is absolutely essential.



5. 1. the dvd-audio sounds a bit compressed and bright. needs to sound fatter.
   
   2. the subwoofer needs to be turned up a tad.
   
   3. where are robert plant talking through the whole concert?? thats a big part of zeppelin live.
   
   other than this its cool :)

5 comments about Led Zeppelin.

1. my husband was very satified with this product and it made the perfect father's day gift.



2. This is a very good collection of Led Zeppelin tunes, and the remastering by Jimmy Page highlights the guitars (surprise surprise). An outstanding collection for those who don't want or need the full albums. But beware, Atlantic Records is releasing a new compilation, "Mothership" in November 2007. Overall, this set is much more comprehensive with its four CDs than Mothership's two CDs. Mothership will also be available in an edition with a bonus DVD, but according to news reports that will also just be recycled material from the earlier issued Led Zeppelin DVD. This set, along with the full DVD, is probably better, because you get more Zep. But very casual fans may find "Mothership" adequate.



3. Let me make clear at the outset that this review is NOT intended to be critical of Led Zeppelin as a musical group, and hopefully avoid some terrible comments and negative feedback. I like Led Zeppelin. I have every song they ever recorded. Wonderful band. Unfortunately, no matter how great of a band they are, that can't save this boxed set from being truly awful.
   
   Honestly, I can't begin to understand the inspiration behind this collection. It's four discs of music containing almost - but not quite - everything the band ever recorded, including some off-album tracks that can be harder to get. Certainly, this set collects the majority of the desirable Led Zeppelin tracks, but unfortunately, it also collects a large amount of other detritus that will only be of interest to the dedicated fan and will most likely be skipped over by the casual listener. I don't know what the audience of this boxed set is supposed to be, but the odds are you aren't it.
   
   Aside from being a somewhat scrambled set, this box carefully avoids collecting all of the tracks from even one of Led Zeppelin's original studio albums, no doubt in a ploy to force listeners to purchase another CD or 10. The completist will be dissatisfied with the fact that there are gaping holes in this collection, while the casual fan or an individual just looking for radio hits, in addition to finding a couple of notables missing, will find much, much more material here than he could ever want. For a short while, the Led Zeppelin Boxed Set Volume 2 2-CD set served to complete the box and turn it into a complete collection of studio recordings, but that box has long since gone out of production, forcing anybody who finds that they like the majority of the music on these 4 discs to either lay out for the 10-CD boxed set or buy the CDs individually, and in both cases utterly invalidates their purchase of this set.
   
   I can't recommend this set to anybody. Led Zeppelin is a terrific band - II, IV, Houses of the Holy, and still more are all classic rock recordings - but this boxed set has an audience of exactly nobody. For dedicated fans, I recommend that you go out and get the 10-CD complete recording set, and for casual fans, I would recommend one of the many other 1 and 2 CD greatest hits compilations, or just going straight to the original recordings to get a taste of what the group is all about. This box, however, will ultimately satisfy nobody.



4. I bought both Vol.1&2 Box sets and I really regret doing that, the songs are in no particular order and growing up hearing Zep songs your used to certain songs running together such as "Heartbreaker" into "Living loving maid" or "you shook me" into "dazed and confused" you get none of that classic line up on here. Led Zeppelin were an ALBUM band and their Classic music should be listened to as they intended it to be heard, one album at a time. I plan in the future to buy all of the individual albums.
   I highly recommend anyone else to go that direction also.



5. The order arrived 5 days late, and my emails to inquire about it went unanswered. So when it did arrive, I was a little upset. The packaging of this collection is exactly like that of an old LP collection, and I immediately thought "Oh great, they sent the wrong media!". But it turned out to be right. There are some minor flaws with the CDs (this is not their fault either) in that they play correctly, but iTunes could not convert 3 songs on 2 different discs. To get around the problem, I had to use another program to rip the songs to hard disk, then import them.