Led Zeppelin - How the West Was Won
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Free Music Notes for How the West Was Won
Free Music Review: Please, take a minute of your time...
Hit: 5 Stars
Reviews...So ok. Briefly:
The average person would be fine in making the assumption that the typical cdnow/amazon.com review is written with the simple purpose of either pursuading you to buy (or not) a product. Because the writer already knows what it is they are purchasing (the pros and cons), I think it's fair to say they write to share their opinion in order to help you.
Well this time, this one is different.
As is the case with any type of research, sometimes sources aren't credible. They shouldn't be used as a reliable means of information. For example, in a supposedly "objective" review, one particular individual claimed the $30 for this record is not worth it, when mere sentences earlier he also advised you to skip one of the most amazing forms of recorded self expression and percussion expertise ever laid down on a main stream record: the track otherwise known as Moby Dick.
For me, this song was one of the DEFINITE reasons for buying this cd. For 18 minutes, we as a listener....as a lover of music....get to experience a full fledged assault utilizing rhythmic improvisation (the moby dick version on the dvd is much different), drum precision, and musical talent altogether. At the end of the day, the fact remains that it doesn't matter WHO it is. The point isn't who did it, but rather...it was done. And amazingly so.
So while he may say "don't listen to it, it's not worth it, blah blah blah", I say please....do NOT heed the advice dished out in something writen by someone who seems to be more interested in deviating from the majority opinion than providing a REAL "objective" opinion. If one was really serious in their effort to be objective about this track: you may not like it or love it, but you'll definitely appreciate it. It should definitely NOT be skipped.
That said - The best parts of this album are certainly the longer medlys and the solos. While it is evident that yes, Plant's vocals are touchy at some parts (due to the rigors of touring no doubt), and yes, Jones' bass is not fully appreciated (and yet, was it ever truly displayed fully?), The Stairway to Heaven on disk one is without a doubt the best version of the song I've ever heard. I can't listen to the studio version anymore. The live song simply puts it to shame. It's THAT good. IF there is one real draw back to this album, it is not necessarily a great listen unless you have time on you hands because of the length of some tracks (moby dick roughly 20 mins is followed by a whole lotta love medly of 23 mins).
However, to give this cd anything less than 5 stars is ludicrous. Not because it's Zeppelin. No. Because here we have 4 of the best individual musical talents in rock history in full expression, free from the some of the confines that can come with production intended for distibution- capturing the true energy of these songs with live performance...and with it, comes new interpretations of old rock classics. To deny the greatness of it, despite small flaws that are more due to descrepancy with personal preferences than anything else, is simply shameful.
Free Music Review: Led Zeppelin At It's Best - Amazing 1972 Concerts!
Hit: 5 Stars
Released in conjunction with the 2-dvd set, also entitled "How The West Was Won", this is absolutely the best "live" Led Zeppelin cd I've ever heard. Actually comprised of three cd's taken from 1972 performances at The LA Forum on June 25th and The Long Beach Arena on June 27th, this impressive collection of concerts shows the creativity and energy that Led Zeppelin possessed. Almost everyone of the songs performed has something extra that the original studio album versions seems to be missing. And that is, the extra guitar solos that Jimmy Page injects into these songs giving them a whole new feeling. He constantly improvises on the original lead guitar breaks which add energy to the song(s). A good example can be heard in the twenty five minute version of "Dazed And Confused", which is actually a medley with the songs "Walter's Walk" and "The Crunge". You hear blues guitar licks, solid rock licks as well as the use of the classic violin bow guitar technique that Page is so well known for. Other examples of Page's improvision can be heard in "Heartbreaker", "Stairway To Heaven", and "Whole Lotta Love". And enough can't be said of drummer John Bonham, one listen to the nineteen minute version of "Moby Dick" is enough to prove that he was clearly one of rock's best drummers. Singer, Robert Plant's voice is strong throughout the concerts, although every so often he strains to hit those high notes (ex. "Immigrant Song"), nonetheless his vocals are a trademark of the group and without him there would be no Led Zeppelin. His vocal interplay (scat) between he and Page's guitar licks is exciting and can be heard in "Whole Lotta Love" which is a medley and contains the songs "Let's Have A Party", "Hello Marylou" and "Going Down Slow". Bassist John Paul Jones playing is excellent and as always adds the needed bottom end to the Led Zeppelin sound. He also plays synthesizer and acoustic guitar as well. The songs performed are from the albums Led Zeppelin ("Dazed And Confused"),Led Zeppelin II ("Heartbreaker", "What Is And What Should Never Be", "Moby Dick", "Whole Lotta Love", "Bring It On Home"), Led Zeppelin III ("Immigrant Song", "Since I've Been Loving You", "That's The Way", "Bron-Yr-Aur-Stomp"), Led Zeppelin IV ("Black Dog", "Stairway To Heaven", "Going To California", "Rock And Roll") and "Houses Of The Holy" ("Over The Hills And Far Away", "Dancing Days", "The Ocean"). I might add that the group sounds much tighter than their performance on the live 2-cd called "The Song Remains The Same". The sound quality of "How The West Was Won" is excellent and you actually feel as though your sitting in the audience when listening to it. This is an exciting three cd "live" set and no rock lover young or old should be without it. Even better though, is the two dvd set that includes more songs from various concerts during the different stages of Led Zeppelin's career. Highly Recommended!
Free Music Review: I Know How The West Was Won!
Hit: 5 Stars
The alternate title for this review is "Got Zeppelin?". Cause if you don't, you really need to do so immediately. The release of this 3CD live set confirms what many of us have believed for some time. Many, if not most, of the bands that we grew up with taped their shows. We all have talked about where are the live releases of these concerts. Now we know, at least in the case of Led Zeppelin.In 1972, these 4 lads were in total command of their composing and performing powers. They had 4 solid releases behind them and were touring in advance of "Houses of the Holy". The power of this band was always in their live performances.
This is irrevocably confirmed in the first listen of the first disc. Jimmy gets this whole secondary riff thing going in "Immigrant Song" that just leaps out at you. My reaction was one of "oh, yea, that works". HOTH is first experienced on track 5, "Over The Hills And Far Away", where the band lays it out ever so finely with Plant's vocals at center stage. Variations on a theme are heard as Page noodles an alternate riff throughout. To those of us, and there are many, who know Zep's music note for note, this is so refreshing. To hear these alternate riffs throughout this album makes it very engaging and absolutely essential. The blues base of the band is in your face throughout an 8 minute "Since I've Been Loving You". The alternate or secondary riff thing happens again as Jimmy and John Paul trade licks on "Going to California". John Paul's mandolin playing is sweet, yet forceful, a ying to Jimmy's guitar yang.
Disc 2 burns rubber as "Dazed and Confused" commands 25 minutes of attention. This is not your mother's D+C, or even the D+C we know so well from a certain Live Concert Film from Madison Square Garden. This is something else entirely. Blues with serious bashing is experienced again with "What Is And What Should Never Be". The vocals here are just superb. Plant is the man. He knows it. We know it. Then and now. Wow.
Disc 3 requires the donning of protective eyewear as the shredding of Page's guitar is potentially hazardous. "Whole Lotta Love" also reintroduces the world to the best rock drummer of the era, John Bonham. He crushes the skins throughout the 3CDs, but totally shines on WLL. Say what you will about the (many) other great drummers of the late 60s into the 70s. When you are done, listen to Bonham's playing on this 3CD set and see if you do not agree. If WLL does not convince you, check out "Rock And Roll", which follows. Bonham is awfully good there, too. It still does not make me aspire to be a Caddy owner, though.
In the end, I am left both satiated and hungry. Satiated that I have had a full meal deal listening to one of the absolute titans of rock at the apex of their performing. Hungry for more from them and the many other bands we all treasure/d and wondering where all those tapes went. Here's hoping for more, soon.
Free Music Review: Genuine
Hit: 5 Stars
The title, "How The West Was Won", is proven true by the performances on these discs. As Walter Brennan - someone else who helped "win the west" in many a western - would exclaim, "No brag, just fact".There is no hype when something blows your expectations away as completely as this set of music. Let's put it this way, if you like the studio recordings of Led Zeppelin, you will love "How The West Was Won". On the whole, for sheer excitement and impact, these performances, as only the best acts are capable of doing, surpass the studio releases.
As a teen in the mid-70's, Zep was one of the key touchstone acts for me. Yet, having only experienced them live in a disappointing 1977 concert and the rather bloated and sometimes cliched playing and preening of the film, "The Song Remains The Same", these newly released live performances are a revelation. There is a stunning directness with a tone of sound that we don't often hear any longer in this age of overly processed sound.
This is a band at its most vital. Just put on the first cd and I don't really see how you cannot come away with happy appreciation for how good these guys were at that time. It will help, truly, if you turn it up - this is a live concert, after all! Page, Jones and Bonham could really play with virtuosity; yet they could also jam and work a groove. Unlike the almost embarassing banter in the "SRTS" movie, Plant's raps with the audience are more genuine, direct and meaningful. You hear Plant developing into a savvy pro: Notice how - to get the certain applause/screams out of the way of the music of big crowd favorites - Plant first introduces/announces some titles, like "Stairway". There is a directness of communication with his words, his singing, his ad-libs that seemed to be less apparent in later years.
What might be the greatest test, "Stairway To Heaven" is rescued from parody. Thirty years on, in the face of cynicism, irony and practiced snobbery that comes all to easy to most of us, this performance of "Stairway To Heaven" strips the years away to present a fresh, even inspiring version of this classic. 'It's not really such a bad song after all, Charlie Brown'. ;-)
There are plenty of other comprehensive reviews here. The praise in almost universally positive - and deservedly so. Some may not like 23 minute jams like "Dazed and Confused" or "Moby Dick". Hey, this set is worth the price of admission for just the first cd, to go back in time to discover, at least for those of us who never saw Zep live in their prime, levels of greatness even we fans never realized existed.
Next, the five hours of concert performances on the new Zep dvd. If the new dvd is of the caliber of "How The West Was Won", "Boy Howdy"!
Free Music Review: Wow is this incredible, I mean it.
Hit: 5 Stars
Well I'm partial to Ten Years After live at the Fillmore, but Led Zeppelin's HOW THE WEST WAS WON is probably the greatest 'live' release of all-time.
It draws its numbers from one of the best catolouges, and on this album you hear the utterly crips and beautifully power-raunched sound of Led Zeppelin's classic and brilliant songs in a new environment. They take their numbers to new heights as they launch musical grenades into the heads of everybody who picks this album up.
Disc one is song after song of pure classics, Immigrant Song surpasses it's studio predecessor with a vamped-up rampage backline and a freaking awesome solo. Heartbreaker is torn through with an amazing, cool, extra-extended guitar solo. Over The Hills is a powerhouse power-ballad worthy of any. Black Dog is as groovey and hardcore as ever, especailly with the flailing Out On the Tiles intro. Stairway is dead-on good, powerful, and an excellent rendition. Since I've Been Loving You is passionate and as all hell. The whole acoustic set is beautiful, it's great to hear Zep do some supreme acoustic work. Going To California is a meanderign acoustic jam in this form. That's The Way is enchanting. Bron Yr Aur Stomp is a great song, unusual among Zep's other songs.
The other two discs are almost as delicious as the first. Dazed And Confused is *drool* I can't believe what a cool song that is, it's the king of enthralling goodness (the studio version is drop dead beautiful but the live versions become an absolute monster pummel). What Is And What Should Never Be & Dancing Days are both excellent renditions, I particularly like that version of WIAWSNB. Moby Dick is masterfully entertaining, I love ever minute of it. WLL medley is crazy good, very entertaining and groovy and musical. Rock And Roll is a true powerhouse stomp with raunchy guitar soloage throughout. The Ocean is a slicing riffage piece. Bring It On Home is smooth & powerful & groovey to the max all at the same time.
The whole thing together makes for a wonderful experience. I'd say it's worth your consideration. Let's get down to the gritty-honesty here, I tend to preffer studio work over live work. Live work can at at times be absolutely unfathomably cool, but for the most part the way a band puts together a song in the studio has the song at it's absolute height. Never the less, it'd be a good thing to consider getting Led Zeppelin's How The West Was Won because it is just plain incredible. The energy is equal or above any that I have ever heard. I say that being a serious grunge fan as I am, loving Alice In Chains & Nirvana and such... Led Zeppelin matches their loudness on this live album, they really do.