'Led Zeppelin II' is what my dad said made Zep huge. He said as a kid this was his favorite album, it was mine for awhile until i finally got a hold of 'Houses of the Holy' but none the less im writing a review on II because its the first Zeppelin album i heard so it'll always be true and dear to me.
The members-
Robert Plant-vocals
Jimmy Page-guitar
John Paul Jones-bass, piano, keyboards, etc., etc.
John Bonham-percussion
Led Zeppelin II is a bluesy/ballsy album that has no limits to how heavy it can get. I believe this is there best sounding album. Its a very full and thick sounding album that i really dig.
WHOLE LOTTA LOVE-though my fascination for this particular song has long since gone out the door its still a pretty good song. the whole song is based pretty much off a single riff which is a good riff but just gets old real quick. And when the riff isnt whats playing its a 4 minute orgasm by Plant accompanied by bell hits of the cymbals by Bonham and random buzz and quirks from Page. But after all that build up of anticiaption theres a massive drum fill that comes from no where and the band starts on a nice jam where Page displays his solo at which is a very good then goes back in to the sexy little riff that is 'Whole Lotta Love.'
WHAT IS AND WHAT SHOULD NEVER BE- I really enjoy this song it has a very cool dynamic from chill, beautiful verses to balls to the wall force chorus'. i love all the parts on this song. Every solo that Page does is just great, then the ending starts off with the guitar doing a catchy set of double noted chords. The verses are beautiful the chorus' are catchy and the jams are nice too, definitely one of my favs on the album.
THE LEMON SONG- This might be one of my favorite Page riffs. Its a ascending blues riff that stops on a bright slide down chord, its reall cool. When the beat comes in the whole feel of the song is great. The rhthym is just so key. After , I guess what you'd call, the chorus of the song theres a real cool lead part that both Page and Jones do together that I think just sounds awesome. It goes through another segment of that blues standard set of chords and goes into a faster paced beat all off the double snare strike of Bonham. On the guitar solo I really feel Page is just going off like a madman just to go back into that grooving verse. In the middle of the song its mainly just bass and drums playing with Plant ad libbin some lyrics but its one of the best bass lines I've ever heard its just so grooving. I think you can hear future influence to Flea from The Red Hot Chili Peppers and P-nut from 311 all from this Jones bass line. Then it goes back into the fast jam again then ends.
THANK YOU- I like this song alot its real serene and beautiful to listen to. The chorus is fairly catchy. I find I have to be in a certain mood to listen to this song. But to be toatlly honest I've listened to this song maybe 4 times all the way through. Its good just I mainly skip it.
HEARTBREAKER-From the first voice of the first chord in this song I love it. A classic riff that everyone knows. The verse are pretty cool with a very slidy feel for the bass and the beat is pretty good. The chorus is pretty much the main riff in a blues chord progression. I like this song alot because for the first part of the solo Page is doing it with no o0ne else there. He's just rippin it on the guitar by himself on record its great ***. When the band finally comes back in its on a pretty heavy grooving riff then goes back into the song. A real good one and album highlight for me.
LIVIN' LOVIN' MAID-Heartbreaker goes pretty much directly into this one. This song has a very catchy. memorable riff , with a beat you can snap ya fingas to....The chorus' are very bluesy and show to become part of what is to me that ZEPPELIN SOUND. Very thick, ballsy sound. This is prettyy mcuh a bunch of verses and choruses pushed into one song with a solo in the middle. Typical song structure but definitely not a typical song.
RAMBLE ON- I particularly like this song because I remember my brother playing it when we were getting ready for school when I lived in Abilene in the 4th grade. The chorus' are chill kinda folksy country guitar feels like they should be playin this song on a wooden back porch in Mississippi swamp somehwere. Its funny how a British band can conjure that up for you. From the verse they explode into the chorus. Then it goes back into some verses and chorus and Page solos over one of the verses its juat a great somng and I really enjoy Bonham's work on this song in particular. Nothing dazzling but it just seems right to my ears.
MOBY DICK- I think from this song alone Tom Morello decided to be a guitarist. Naw I dont know but theres very similar things in this song to many RATM songs. This is pretty much a big jam and an excuse for Bonham to have some fun. When I was first starting to learn the drums this was the song that was just a total mind*** for me but now that I understand drums better its not as crazy but he is still one fast motha ***a.
BRING IT ON HOME- Originally a Willie Dixon song and FYI if you want to get a better understanding of what Zeppelin was about you need to get ahold of some of his music and it'll be clear as day. Starts out as a very typical classic blues song progression with only Plant and Page at the start featuring Plant on harmonica, then after about a minute and a half this riff comes from o where and then a double whack of the snare and the whole bands in on a for a chompy blues ride that just takes you to another place with every section then goes back into the classic blues riff and ends the song and this great album.
So overall you get a pretty bluesy heavy album with exceptions like 'Thank You'
'What Is...' and then some of their heavier work such as 'Heartbreaker' and 'Ramble On.' Overall I give this album and 4.5/5
If any of my 'fans' have noticed I took some extra time to do the grammar thing because Iwas sick of everyone talking *** about my grammar and capitalization instead of constructive criticism, which is what i though this whole site was aboot, but whatever I'm sure yall will find something to bitch about so that yall can't focus on the review
