Firstly! 66th Greatest Album? Shame on you Rolling Stone Magazine!
After Led Zeppelin III - a mostly acoustic album, many fans were rather confused, what way where Zeppelin going? This is where! Track by track - although few in number - like all Led Zeppelin albums it takes you on a ride. Which is the hallmark of all great albums.
Led Zeppelin's fourth album - called either ZoSo, Four Symbols, or most commonly IV - is by far, Led Zeppelin's best Album, and according to Classic Rock magazine - The greatest british album ever.
Firstly, it was recorded in a mansion in Hampshire with The Rolling Stone's mobile studio recording equitment. The band had an objective - to ht back at critics of Led Zeppelin III. And thats what they did.
1 - Black Dog,
Jimmy Page's most monumental riff, inspired by John Paul Jones' bass line, opens up the album, and what an opener! That riff, bass line and drum beat is too hard to ignore - it's irresistable! Robert Plants ramblings about women, sex and souls give it a tint of mythisicm. Named after a dog that wandered the estate, it's almost as good as it gets - classic Zep.
2 - Rock and Roll,
John Bonham's drum playing is magic in this track, it finishes off Jimmy's riffage to a tee. The lyrics are hitting back at the critics of III in a sarcastic way - the best way! The solo into the begining of JPJ's piano is a perfect way to round of the song.
3 - The battle of Evermore,
This song is all about Plant's ancient English vocals and Lyrics, they are haunting, all the "ooooohhh" carries you somewhere else. Page's guitar forms a perfect backdrop for the world where Plant is taking you.
4 - Stairway to Heaven,
Led Zeppelins crowning achievement - America's most requested radio track, agian, like the battle of evermore, takes you away, Page's acoustic and John Paul Jones' flute(on keyboard) lifts your spirit everytime. This and Plant's vocals all lead to the introduction of Bonzo's drums. And from there to the greatest solo of all time(many polls and list's declare it so), recorded while leaning into the amp, but at such a frequency that the feedback is not overpowering. Then it suddenly stops and softly sits you back on earth.
5 - Misty Mountain Hop,
Classic Page riffage and John Paul Jones' keyboard/organ makes this song stick out from the rest of the album, it's a kind of funk song really. Classic Bonham drum playing keeps it sounding like a Zeppelin song, well and of course Plant's unmistakable voice. Jimmy Page's solo completes the song.
6 - Four Sticks,
This song is great, rather prog, in the very clean gutar interludes contrasting with the swirling distorted riff. Bonzo's playing(mostly with his hands) gives it a sort of native feel. The fade out relaxes you for the next part of your ride.
7 - Going to California,
Another acoustic song, this is total chill out music, Plant's echoed singing relaxes the mind. This song never fails to remind you of a sweet dream.
8 - When The Levee Breaks,
John Bonham's drum's. That's it, recorded in a stairwell with one microphone creates this monumentous, almost end of the world sound, enchanced by Plant's Harmonica playing and Page's riff's throughout. At first listen it is quite hard to hear JPJ's bass, but when you concentrate you hear how much it actually adds to the mood of the song. Fantastic end to a classic album.
This album is the ultimate album, and classic Zeppelin.
