| Led Zeppelin |
| Houses of the Holy [Deluxe Edition] |
Led Zeppelin — Houses of the Holy [Deluxe Edition]
♠ Acknowledged as the most successful and influential band of the heavy rock era, with a catalogue that continues to inspire.
Formed: July, 1968 in England
Location: London
Album release: October 28, 2014
Release info: Digitally Remastered, Studio Recording
Catalog: #8122795830
Record Label: Atlantic/Swan Song
Duration: 41:22 + 36:13 => 77:35
Tracks:
Disc 1
1. The Song Remains the Same 5:30
2. The Rain Song 7:39
3. Over the Hills and Far Away 4:51
4. The Crunge 3:18
5. Dancing Days 3:44
6. D’yer Mak’er 4:23
7. No Quarter 7:03
8. The Ocean 4:34
Disc 2
1. The Song Remains the Same (Guitar Overdub Reference Mix) 5:31
2. The Rain Song (Mix Minus Piano) 7:45
3. Over the Hills and Far Away (Guitar Mix Backing Track) 4:22
4. The Crunge (Rough Mix — Keys Up) 3:16
5. Dancing Days (Rough Mix with Vocal) 3:47
6. No Quarter (Rough Mix with JPJ Keyboard Overdubs — No Vocal) 7:04
7. The Ocean (Working Mix) 4:28
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
♠ Houses of the Holy follows the same basic pattern as Led Zeppelin IV, but the approach is looser and more relaxed. Jimmy Page's riffs rely on ringing, folky hooks as much as they do on thundering blues–rock, giving the album a lighter, more open atmosphere. While the pseudo–reggae of "D'Yer Mak'er" and the affectionate James Brown send–up "The Crunge" suggest that the band was searching for material, they actually contribute to the musical diversity of the album. "The Rain Song" is one of Zep's finest moments, featuring a soaring string arrangement and a gentle, aching melody. "The Ocean" is just as good, starting with a heavy, funky guitar groove before slamming into an a cappella section and ending with a swinging, doo wop–flavored rave–up. With the exception of the rampaging opening number, "The Song Remains the Same," the rest of Houses of the Holy is fairly straightforward, ranging from the foreboding "No Quarter" and the strutting hard rock of "Dancing Days" to the epic folk/metal fusion "Over the Hills and Far Away." Throughout the record, the band's playing is excellent, making the eclecticism of Page and Robert Plant's songwriting sound coherent and natural.
♠ [Led Zeppelin launched a massive, Jimmy Page–supervised reissue campaign in 2014, where each of their studio albums was remastered and then expanded with a bonus disc of alternate versions (in the case of the super deluxe editions, they were also supplemented by vinyl pressings and a massive hardcover book). The supplemental disc for Houses Of The Holy is constructed as a mirror image of the finished album, consisting of nothing but alternate mixes and sometimes instrumentals. The cuts without vocals are the most compelling: on "No Quarter," it's possible to hear Zeppelin build their sense of mystery and by stripping "The Song Remains the Same" and "Over the Hills and Far Away" to nothing but six strings, admiration for how Jimmy Page assembled his guitar army only grows. Elsewhere, "The Rain Song" doesn't seem to float as lithely and "The Crunge," "Dancing Days" and "The Ocean" all feel leaner, relying on tight propulsion instead of a Technicolor onslaught. Such differences are interesting but, as with the accompanying bonus disc to IV, this Houses Of The Holy supplement ultimately confirms that Page and Zeppelin made the right choices the first time around.]
Discography:
♠ Led Zeppelin (1969)
♠ Led Zeppelin II (1969)
♠ Led Zeppelin III (1970)
♠ Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
♠ Houses of the Holy (1973)
♠ Physical Graffiti (1975)
♠ Presence (1976)
♠ In Through the Out Door (1979)
♠ Coda (1982)
Formation:
♠ (excerpt) In 1966, London-based session guitarist Jimmy Page joined the blues-influenced rock band The Yardbirds to replace bassist Paul Samwell–Smith. Page soon switched from bass to lead guitar, creating a dual lead guitar line–up with Jeff Beck. ♠ Following Beck's departure in October 1966, the Yardbirds, tired from constant touring and recording, began to wind down. Page wanted to form a supergroup with him and Beck on guitars, and the Who's Keith Moon and John Entwistle on drums and bass. Vocalists Steve Winwood and Steve Marriott were also considered for the project. The group never formed, although Page, Beck and Moon did record a song together in 1966, "Beck's Bolero", in a session that also included bassist–keyboardist John Paul Jones.
♠ The Yardbirds played their final gig in July 1968 at Luton College of Technology in Bedfordshire. They were still committed to several concerts in Scandinavia, so drummer Jim McCarty and vocalist Keith Relf authorised Page and bassist Chris Dreja to use "the Yardbirds" name to fulfill the band's obligations. Page and Dreja began putting a new line–up together. Page's first choice for the lead singer was Terry Reid, but Reid declined the offer and suggested Robert Plant, a singer for the Band of Joy and Hobbstweedle. Plant eventually accepted the position, recommending former Band of Joy drummer John Bonham. Jones inquired about the vacant position at the suggestion of his wife after Dreja dropped out of the project to become a photographer. He would later take the photograph that appeared on the back of Led Zeppelin's debut album. Page had known Jones since they were both session musicians and agreed to let him join as the final member.
♠ .... Led Zeppelin's next album, Houses of the Holy, was released in March 1973. It featured further experimentation by the band, who expanded their use of synthesisers and mellotron orchestration. The predominately orange album cover, designed by the London–based design group Hipgnosis, depicts images of nude children climbing the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland. Although the children are not shown from the front, the cover was controversial at the time of the album's release. As with the band's fourth album, neither their name nor the album title was printed on the sleeve.
♠ Houses of the Holy topped charts worldwide, and the band's subsequent concert tour of North America in 1973 broke records for attendance, as they consistently filled large auditoriums and stadiums. At Tampa Stadium in Florida, they played to 56,800 fans, breaking the record set by the Beatles' 1965 Shea Stadium concert and grossing $309,000. Three sold–out shows at Madison Square Garden in New York City were filmed for a motion picture, but the theatrical release of this project (The Song Remains the Same) was delayed until 1976. Before the final night's performance, $180,000 of the band's money from gate receipts was stolen from a safe deposit box at the Drake Hotel. // Editorial Reviews
♠ In 1968, John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant formed Led Zeppelin, one of the most influential, innovative and successful groups in modern music, having sold more than 300 million albums worldwide. The band rose from the ashes of The Yardbirds, when Page brought in Plant, Bonham and Jones to tour as The New Yardbirds. In 1969, Led Zeppelin released its self–titled debut. It marked the beginning of a 12–year reign, during which the group was widely considered to be the biggest and most innovative rock band in the world. The Led Zeppelin reissue campaign got off to an remarkable start in June 2014 as deluxe editions of Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin II, and Led Zeppelin III debuted in the top 10 of the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart. The albums achieved similar international success with debuts near the top of the charts in more than a dozen territories, including Canada, France, Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom. For the second round, the band prepared the reissues of Led Zeppelin IV (the third best–selling album in U.S. history) and Houses Of The Holy. As with the previous deluxe editions, both albums have been newly remastered by guitarist and producer Jimmy Page and are accompanied by a second disc of companion audio comprised entirely of unreleased music related to that album. In 1973, Led Zeppelin topped the charts again with Houses Of The Holy, which features legendary tracks such as "The Song Remains The Same" and "No Quarter" while also showcasing the continuing evolution of the band’s signature sound with the reggae-tinged "D’yer Mak’er" and the funk jam "The Crunge." The album has been certified diamond by the RIAA for sales of over 11 million copies. The seven unreleased tracks on the companion audio disc include rough and working mixes for "The Ocean" and "Dancing Days" that reveal a deeper look inside the recording sessions of these classic songs. Other standout recordings include the guitar mix backing track for "Over The Hills And Far Away" and a version of "The Rain Song" without piano. Led Zeppelin continues to be honored for its pivotal role in music history. The band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1995, received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005, and a year later was awarded with the Polar Music Prize in Stockholm. Founding members Jones, Page and Plant — along with Jason Bonham, the son of John Bonham — took the stage at London’s O2 Arena in 2007 to headline a tribute concert for Ahmet Ertegun, a dear friend and Atlantic Records’ founder. The band was honored for its lifetime contribution to American culture at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2012. In January of 2014, the band won their first ever Grammy award as Celebration Day, which captured their live performance at the Ertegun tribute concert, was named Best Rock Album. ♠
Website: http://www.ledzeppelin.com/buy/ (http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/led-zeppelin-houses-of-the-holy-super-deluxe-edition-unboxing-video/)
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| Led Zeppelin |
| Houses of the Holy [Deluxe Edition] |
♠ Acknowledged as the most successful and influential band of the heavy rock era, with a catalogue that continues to inspire.
Formed: July, 1968 in England
Location: London
Album release: October 28, 2014
Release info: Digitally Remastered, Studio Recording
Catalog: #8122795830
Record Label: Atlantic/Swan Song
Duration: 41:22 + 36:13 => 77:35
Tracks:
Disc 1
1. The Song Remains the Same 5:30
2. The Rain Song 7:39
3. Over the Hills and Far Away 4:51
4. The Crunge 3:18
5. Dancing Days 3:44
6. D’yer Mak’er 4:23
7. No Quarter 7:03
8. The Ocean 4:34
Disc 2
1. The Song Remains the Same (Guitar Overdub Reference Mix) 5:31
2. The Rain Song (Mix Minus Piano) 7:45
3. Over the Hills and Far Away (Guitar Mix Backing Track) 4:22
4. The Crunge (Rough Mix — Keys Up) 3:16
5. Dancing Days (Rough Mix with Vocal) 3:47
6. No Quarter (Rough Mix with JPJ Keyboard Overdubs — No Vocal) 7:04
7. The Ocean (Working Mix) 4:28
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
♠ Houses of the Holy follows the same basic pattern as Led Zeppelin IV, but the approach is looser and more relaxed. Jimmy Page's riffs rely on ringing, folky hooks as much as they do on thundering blues–rock, giving the album a lighter, more open atmosphere. While the pseudo–reggae of "D'Yer Mak'er" and the affectionate James Brown send–up "The Crunge" suggest that the band was searching for material, they actually contribute to the musical diversity of the album. "The Rain Song" is one of Zep's finest moments, featuring a soaring string arrangement and a gentle, aching melody. "The Ocean" is just as good, starting with a heavy, funky guitar groove before slamming into an a cappella section and ending with a swinging, doo wop–flavored rave–up. With the exception of the rampaging opening number, "The Song Remains the Same," the rest of Houses of the Holy is fairly straightforward, ranging from the foreboding "No Quarter" and the strutting hard rock of "Dancing Days" to the epic folk/metal fusion "Over the Hills and Far Away." Throughout the record, the band's playing is excellent, making the eclecticism of Page and Robert Plant's songwriting sound coherent and natural.
♠ [Led Zeppelin launched a massive, Jimmy Page–supervised reissue campaign in 2014, where each of their studio albums was remastered and then expanded with a bonus disc of alternate versions (in the case of the super deluxe editions, they were also supplemented by vinyl pressings and a massive hardcover book). The supplemental disc for Houses Of The Holy is constructed as a mirror image of the finished album, consisting of nothing but alternate mixes and sometimes instrumentals. The cuts without vocals are the most compelling: on "No Quarter," it's possible to hear Zeppelin build their sense of mystery and by stripping "The Song Remains the Same" and "Over the Hills and Far Away" to nothing but six strings, admiration for how Jimmy Page assembled his guitar army only grows. Elsewhere, "The Rain Song" doesn't seem to float as lithely and "The Crunge," "Dancing Days" and "The Ocean" all feel leaner, relying on tight propulsion instead of a Technicolor onslaught. Such differences are interesting but, as with the accompanying bonus disc to IV, this Houses Of The Holy supplement ultimately confirms that Page and Zeppelin made the right choices the first time around.]
Discography:
♠ Led Zeppelin (1969)
♠ Led Zeppelin II (1969)
♠ Led Zeppelin III (1970)
♠ Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
♠ Houses of the Holy (1973)
♠ Physical Graffiti (1975)
♠ Presence (1976)
♠ In Through the Out Door (1979)
♠ Coda (1982)
Formation:
♠ (excerpt) In 1966, London-based session guitarist Jimmy Page joined the blues-influenced rock band The Yardbirds to replace bassist Paul Samwell–Smith. Page soon switched from bass to lead guitar, creating a dual lead guitar line–up with Jeff Beck. ♠ Following Beck's departure in October 1966, the Yardbirds, tired from constant touring and recording, began to wind down. Page wanted to form a supergroup with him and Beck on guitars, and the Who's Keith Moon and John Entwistle on drums and bass. Vocalists Steve Winwood and Steve Marriott were also considered for the project. The group never formed, although Page, Beck and Moon did record a song together in 1966, "Beck's Bolero", in a session that also included bassist–keyboardist John Paul Jones.
♠ The Yardbirds played their final gig in July 1968 at Luton College of Technology in Bedfordshire. They were still committed to several concerts in Scandinavia, so drummer Jim McCarty and vocalist Keith Relf authorised Page and bassist Chris Dreja to use "the Yardbirds" name to fulfill the band's obligations. Page and Dreja began putting a new line–up together. Page's first choice for the lead singer was Terry Reid, but Reid declined the offer and suggested Robert Plant, a singer for the Band of Joy and Hobbstweedle. Plant eventually accepted the position, recommending former Band of Joy drummer John Bonham. Jones inquired about the vacant position at the suggestion of his wife after Dreja dropped out of the project to become a photographer. He would later take the photograph that appeared on the back of Led Zeppelin's debut album. Page had known Jones since they were both session musicians and agreed to let him join as the final member.
♠ .... Led Zeppelin's next album, Houses of the Holy, was released in March 1973. It featured further experimentation by the band, who expanded their use of synthesisers and mellotron orchestration. The predominately orange album cover, designed by the London–based design group Hipgnosis, depicts images of nude children climbing the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland. Although the children are not shown from the front, the cover was controversial at the time of the album's release. As with the band's fourth album, neither their name nor the album title was printed on the sleeve.
♠ Houses of the Holy topped charts worldwide, and the band's subsequent concert tour of North America in 1973 broke records for attendance, as they consistently filled large auditoriums and stadiums. At Tampa Stadium in Florida, they played to 56,800 fans, breaking the record set by the Beatles' 1965 Shea Stadium concert and grossing $309,000. Three sold–out shows at Madison Square Garden in New York City were filmed for a motion picture, but the theatrical release of this project (The Song Remains the Same) was delayed until 1976. Before the final night's performance, $180,000 of the band's money from gate receipts was stolen from a safe deposit box at the Drake Hotel. // Editorial Reviews
♠ In 1968, John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant formed Led Zeppelin, one of the most influential, innovative and successful groups in modern music, having sold more than 300 million albums worldwide. The band rose from the ashes of The Yardbirds, when Page brought in Plant, Bonham and Jones to tour as The New Yardbirds. In 1969, Led Zeppelin released its self–titled debut. It marked the beginning of a 12–year reign, during which the group was widely considered to be the biggest and most innovative rock band in the world. The Led Zeppelin reissue campaign got off to an remarkable start in June 2014 as deluxe editions of Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin II, and Led Zeppelin III debuted in the top 10 of the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart. The albums achieved similar international success with debuts near the top of the charts in more than a dozen territories, including Canada, France, Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom. For the second round, the band prepared the reissues of Led Zeppelin IV (the third best–selling album in U.S. history) and Houses Of The Holy. As with the previous deluxe editions, both albums have been newly remastered by guitarist and producer Jimmy Page and are accompanied by a second disc of companion audio comprised entirely of unreleased music related to that album. In 1973, Led Zeppelin topped the charts again with Houses Of The Holy, which features legendary tracks such as "The Song Remains The Same" and "No Quarter" while also showcasing the continuing evolution of the band’s signature sound with the reggae-tinged "D’yer Mak’er" and the funk jam "The Crunge." The album has been certified diamond by the RIAA for sales of over 11 million copies. The seven unreleased tracks on the companion audio disc include rough and working mixes for "The Ocean" and "Dancing Days" that reveal a deeper look inside the recording sessions of these classic songs. Other standout recordings include the guitar mix backing track for "Over The Hills And Far Away" and a version of "The Rain Song" without piano. Led Zeppelin continues to be honored for its pivotal role in music history. The band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1995, received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005, and a year later was awarded with the Polar Music Prize in Stockholm. Founding members Jones, Page and Plant — along with Jason Bonham, the son of John Bonham — took the stage at London’s O2 Arena in 2007 to headline a tribute concert for Ahmet Ertegun, a dear friend and Atlantic Records’ founder. The band was honored for its lifetime contribution to American culture at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2012. In January of 2014, the band won their first ever Grammy award as Celebration Day, which captured their live performance at the Ertegun tribute concert, was named Best Rock Album. ♠
Website: http://www.ledzeppelin.com/buy/ (http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/led-zeppelin-houses-of-the-holy-super-deluxe-edition-unboxing-video/)
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