As I recently picked this up on vinyl, I knew exactly what I was getting into. Led Zeppelin has been one of my favorite bands from when I started really diving into music back in high school. The bluesy, classic rock gives off a feeling of depth and back in the late 60's, early 70's; Zeppelin was king in the hay day of "classic rock". Of course you had other bands like Cream, Black Sabbath, and Jimi Hendrix who were classic in their own sense and overall amazing, legendary artists; but something about the hard hitting, take no prisoners style of Led Zeppelin made them stand out in a legendary era of music.
Their debut record "Led Zeppelin" actually received a lot of negative press when the album was released in 1969. The era was filled with super groups and many felt that Zeppelin was just another "over-hyped British rock band". The band definitely had to fight for their authenticity during that period since it didn't fit the mold of the times. But not all the press was negative; many critics gave it an almost perfect rating as Jimmy Page's new band after the Yardbirds had the potential to compete with former Yardbird alumnus Eric Clapton, and Jeff Beck.
"Good Times Bad Times" right off the bat provides a hard hitting, blues inspired riff that hits you like a mack truck. The riff isn't over-complicated but it sets the tone for a band trying to prove that they mean business. The remainder of the first half on "Led Zeppelin" is filled to the gills with three 6-minute-plus tracks that serve as traditional blues renditions that any fan of the blues could appreciate (Baby I'm Gonna Leave You, You Shook Me, Dazed and Confused). I have to admit that on these tracks it's not like Zeppelin is reinventing the wheel; but a track that I feel does is "Dazed and Confused". The ominous opening few plucks on Jimmy Page's guitar set such an eerie mood as the song crescendos into utter eruption and chaos. This is one of those classic tracks that really set Zeppelin apart back in the day.
The second half starts off with "Your Time Is Gonna Come". A song that reminds me of Steve Winwood with the organ/keyboard thrown in the mix. In my opinion, this track is one of the deeper cuts that many people don't automatically associate with what Zeppelin is all about; but the song grabs your attention because it is uniquely different and a breath of fresh air from the blues-oriented music. "Communication Breakdown" is another classic rock staple that is hard hitting, and punky almost. Ultimately, the album ends with "I Can't Quit You, Baby" and "How Many More Times"; two more bluesy jam sessions that are primordial in that they serve as the exoskeleton of some of Zeppelin's later work in the 70's.
Final Summary:
"Led Zeppelin" or "Led Zeppelin 1" was the loud knock on the door that the music world heard back in 1969. It certainly wasn't the finished product of what Led Zeppelin would become, but it laid the groundwork for what they became. They stuck to their blues/hard rock roots and never veered away. This album offers diversity in songs like "Dazed and Confused" and "Your Time Is Gonna Come", but it also had staple blues tracks that make "Led Zeppelin" well balanced and a treat for any fan of classic rock.
Rating: 8.7/10
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