Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II
Key Facts
Country: ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ
Genre: Hard Rock/Blues Rock
Release Date: 22nd October 1969
Record Label(s): Atlantic
Band Members
John Bonham – drums, backing vocals
John Paul Jones – bass guitar, organ, backing vocals
Jimmy Page – guitars, theremin, backing vocals
Robert Plant – lead vocals, harmonica
Production Personel
Jimmy Page - Producer
Recording engineers:
George Chkiantz (Olympic Studios, London) - "Whole Lotta Love", "What Is and What Should Never Be"
Chris Huston (Mirror Sound, Los Angeles) - "The Lemon", "Moby Dick"
Andy Johns (Morgan Studios, London) - "Thank You", "Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman)"
Eddie Kramer (A & R Studios, Juggy Sound Studio, and Atlantic Studios, New York) - "Heartbreaker", "Ramble On", "Bring It On Home"
Eddie Kramer - Director of engineering and mixing at A & R Studios
Robert Ludwig - LP mastering
Peter Grant - Executive producer
David Juniper - Artwork
Led Zeppelin - Ramble On
Review
Rating (out of 5๐ค): ๐ค๐ค๐ค๐ค๐ค
Favourite Track(s); Ramble On, Whole Lotta Love, Moby Dick, What Is And What Should Never Be, Thank You, Heartbreaker
Opening with probably, if not the most, iconic classic rock riff known to man, Led Zeppelin's sophomore album is a staple of the era and remains an undisputed classic to this day. I think for me this is my favourite Led Zeppelin album, closely followed by Led Zeppelin IV. Noted in Peter Buckley's 2003 book as "the bands heaviest album" it exhibited the bands ever evolving blues-driven, riff based sound to the next level. Considering the band never released a UK single, Whole Lotta Love was released outside the UK and was a certified Top 10 single across the globe. Since it's release up to the modern day multiple writers and critics have regularly called this album "one of the greatest and most influential albums of all time" (Acclaimed Music, 2009). For me this is the album that really got me into Zeppelin, my uncle exposed me to their first album which I love and enjoy, but Led Zeppelin II (LZII) really hammered home to me how good these guys were. As I've got older my appreciation and love for the band has grown as I learned to understand and dissect music through school, college and university. I've constantly reinterpreted the songs through out the different stages of my life and I think that is is what makes it a classic, because I can keep going back and finding something new in the music, much like I do with Jimi Hendrix. It is a quintessential album that has been adored and admired across the globe, and quite rightly so.
Firstly, although I never got to see them live because I wasn't even born, I believe that this studio effort is as close as I'm going to get to seeing them live in their prime (Even though 2012's Celebration Day: Live at the O2 is a remarkable, Plant still sounds phenomenal but there is a reduced amount of high notes). The raw, unrelenting power and sex appeal that this album has is stunning, I think I can assume every guy like me would love to have the voice and look of Robert Plant at this period of time. The soaring vocal melodies and veracious guitar riffs are what appeal the most to me about this album. The writing duo that is Page & Plant is synonymous with intricacy and complexity in the most subtle ways in my mind, there is just something about the way they write songs that I don't think can be replicated, emulated and influenced by yes, the unique dynamic and chemistry that in my opinion is essential to Led Zeppelin is impossible to recreate. Augmented by the winding and weaving bass playing of John Paul Jones and the thunderous hyper-manic John Bonham on drums, hypothetically speaking if anyone of them left it wouldn't be Led Zeppelin (much like the original Black Sabbath lineup in my opinion), with all these elements LZII is a raucous and loud. The bluesy rock supplied on this album is groove filled and definitely gets me moving. The way Page writes riffs has always fascinated me, especially as I've learnt a few, while some are difficult there is a very stripped back simplicity to some of them. In the case with a Whole Lotta Love, it's 3 notes that you recognise instantaneously as soon as it comes over the stereo, simple but has some much power and drive to it. With the constantly grooving bass behind it, you can't help but move and let it embrace you with all it's might! My absolute favourite song on the album is Ramble On, hands down. Appealing to every inch of my Tolkien nerd, the lyrical themes would be a constant reoccurrence throughout Zeppelin's albums. The baseline and acoustic intro show the skill and virtuosity of the band in my opinion, combing all that is great about this album into one J.R.R. Tolkien inspired track. I definitely think this album had an impact on my guitar playing, working in groove and chords into my riffs and songs with an edgy blues style. Overall, the album is incredibly well written with a strong and diverse range of dynamics that give the album a distinct flow. It is definitely easy to see how LZII was groundbreaking and earth shattering at the time of its release.
We all know how much I love the production from this period in time, analogue all the way! Starting with the drums, they have a great low end to them and just surround you with their power (provided by Bonham), the snare is quick and snappy accompanied by the cymbals that cut through with an awesome clarity. They sound tight but contradictorily free and easy. With a more natural sounding reverb on them, it feels like I'm in the room with Bonham. The bass is ever-present and stands out in the mix with clarity and power, locking in with the drums the low end rhythm section surrounds you like a warm and fuzzy blanket. The acoustic guitar is my favourite part of this album as the band have been so experimental with it, with Ramble On for example "The track made good use of dynamics, moving from a quiet acoustic guitar in the opening, to a variety of overdubbed electric guitars towards the end." (Lewis, 1990). This experimental production with various effects and processing, especially at that time, is another aspect as to why this album is so great in my opinion. With all this rhythmic, melodic and harmonic foundation, Plants vocals take everything up a level, I imagine there wasn't much EQ needed on his vocals, as his use of dynamics is consistent and strong, embellished with a few effects here and there with a perfect amount of reverb, from beginning to end, the vocal mix is a highlight of the album. Overall, another classic in late 60s/early 70s production, that I absolutely adore.
This is such a big album for me, it changed my whole perspective on music and revolutionised rock and eventually metal. An album that saw Zeppelin begin "to move beyond its blues-rock influences, venturing into previously unexplored hard-rock territories" (Santelli, 2001) and create "the blueprint for all the heavy metal bands that followed it" (AllMusic, 2009). Which I believe to be quite rightly justified. The blues driven riff rock that this album is opened me up to a world of possibilities and it is very easy to see how this album cemented itself in as one of the greats.
R.I.P. John Bonham, 31 May 1948 – 25 September 1980
Firstly, although I never got to see them live because I wasn't even born, I believe that this studio effort is as close as I'm going to get to seeing them live in their prime (Even though 2012's Celebration Day: Live at the O2 is a remarkable, Plant still sounds phenomenal but there is a reduced amount of high notes). The raw, unrelenting power and sex appeal that this album has is stunning, I think I can assume every guy like me would love to have the voice and look of Robert Plant at this period of time. The soaring vocal melodies and veracious guitar riffs are what appeal the most to me about this album. The writing duo that is Page & Plant is synonymous with intricacy and complexity in the most subtle ways in my mind, there is just something about the way they write songs that I don't think can be replicated, emulated and influenced by yes, the unique dynamic and chemistry that in my opinion is essential to Led Zeppelin is impossible to recreate. Augmented by the winding and weaving bass playing of John Paul Jones and the thunderous hyper-manic John Bonham on drums, hypothetically speaking if anyone of them left it wouldn't be Led Zeppelin (much like the original Black Sabbath lineup in my opinion), with all these elements LZII is a raucous and loud. The bluesy rock supplied on this album is groove filled and definitely gets me moving. The way Page writes riffs has always fascinated me, especially as I've learnt a few, while some are difficult there is a very stripped back simplicity to some of them. In the case with a Whole Lotta Love, it's 3 notes that you recognise instantaneously as soon as it comes over the stereo, simple but has some much power and drive to it. With the constantly grooving bass behind it, you can't help but move and let it embrace you with all it's might! My absolute favourite song on the album is Ramble On, hands down. Appealing to every inch of my Tolkien nerd, the lyrical themes would be a constant reoccurrence throughout Zeppelin's albums. The baseline and acoustic intro show the skill and virtuosity of the band in my opinion, combing all that is great about this album into one J.R.R. Tolkien inspired track. I definitely think this album had an impact on my guitar playing, working in groove and chords into my riffs and songs with an edgy blues style. Overall, the album is incredibly well written with a strong and diverse range of dynamics that give the album a distinct flow. It is definitely easy to see how LZII was groundbreaking and earth shattering at the time of its release.
We all know how much I love the production from this period in time, analogue all the way! Starting with the drums, they have a great low end to them and just surround you with their power (provided by Bonham), the snare is quick and snappy accompanied by the cymbals that cut through with an awesome clarity. They sound tight but contradictorily free and easy. With a more natural sounding reverb on them, it feels like I'm in the room with Bonham. The bass is ever-present and stands out in the mix with clarity and power, locking in with the drums the low end rhythm section surrounds you like a warm and fuzzy blanket. The acoustic guitar is my favourite part of this album as the band have been so experimental with it, with Ramble On for example "The track made good use of dynamics, moving from a quiet acoustic guitar in the opening, to a variety of overdubbed electric guitars towards the end." (Lewis, 1990). This experimental production with various effects and processing, especially at that time, is another aspect as to why this album is so great in my opinion. With all this rhythmic, melodic and harmonic foundation, Plants vocals take everything up a level, I imagine there wasn't much EQ needed on his vocals, as his use of dynamics is consistent and strong, embellished with a few effects here and there with a perfect amount of reverb, from beginning to end, the vocal mix is a highlight of the album. Overall, another classic in late 60s/early 70s production, that I absolutely adore.
This is such a big album for me, it changed my whole perspective on music and revolutionised rock and eventually metal. An album that saw Zeppelin begin "to move beyond its blues-rock influences, venturing into previously unexplored hard-rock territories" (Santelli, 2001) and create "the blueprint for all the heavy metal bands that followed it" (AllMusic, 2009). Which I believe to be quite rightly justified. The blues driven riff rock that this album is opened me up to a world of possibilities and it is very easy to see how this album cemented itself in as one of the greats.
R.I.P. John Bonham, 31 May 1948 – 25 September 1980
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II
References
Buckley, P., (2003), The Rough Guide to Rock, London: Rough Guides, ISBN 1-85828-201-2.
Acclaimed Music (4th January 2009), Led Zeppelin II, Archived 4 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Acclaimed Music.
Lewis, D., (1990), Led Zeppelin - A Celebration, Omnibus Press, ISBN 978-0-711-92416-1.
Santelli, R., (2001), The Big Book of Blues: A Biographical Encyclopedia, Penguin Books. p. 290. ISBN 0141001453.
AllMusic, (2009), Led Zeppelin II, https://www.allmusic.com/album/led-zeppelin-ii-mw0000190649
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