Led Zeppelin - The Song Remains The Same (Remastered / Expanded) (2CD)
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Free Music Notes for The Song Remains The Same (Remastered / Expanded) (2CD)
Free Music Review: Led Zeppelin's first live album is still phenomenal years later, especially in its re-issued form
Hit: 5 Stars
Led Zeppelin's first live album which was the soundtrack to their movie The Song Remains the Same was first released in October of 1976 and then was re-released in November of 2007.
For years, many people complained about this album but the reasons for this and its off-shoot concert film was because of lead singer Robert Plant still being out of commission from injuries in a car crash in 1975 and a lack of a tour to support the band's 1976 highly underrated Presence album (one of their best IMHO).
Guitarist Jimmy Page then flew to New York to mix the live shows, that the band performed in July of 1973 on its Houses Of The Holy Tour at Madison Square Garden, originally done for the 1976 release at Electric Lady Studios with engineer Eddie Kramer. For this 2007 re-issue, the soundtrack was remixed by Page and Kevin Shirley and remastered by Bob Ludwig with phenomenal results.
When I heard that a re-issue was coming with almost full show, I was ecstatic and nervous at the same time.
We begin disc one with a spirited "Rock and Roll" which buries the studio version. Next we segue into "Celebration Day", which was not in the movie but is, a great rocker and even better live. Then we go into a killer version of "Black Dog" (with a teaser of "Bring It On Home"). Next are spirited and excellent previously unearthed versions of "Over the Hills and Far Away" and "Misty Mountain Hop". We follow with the superb rendition of "Since I've Been Loving You" which finally appears on album. Next is "No Quarter" which is a great version showing John Paul Jones was not only a great bass player but great keyboard player as well. Then we follow with a spirited version of "The Song Remains the Same" which buries the studio version by a longshot. We end the first disc with first "The Rain Song" which is actually longer on the album than in the movie but a powerful version. For technical reasons of the CD format, a stellar version of "The Ocean" closes the first disc (although this song was performed last in the encore on the 1973 tour).
The second CD of this re-mixed remaster is a near 30 minute version of "Dazed and Confused" which is somewhat different than the one on the orginal 1976 soundtrack album and is the version found in the film. The violin bow section was the best I ever heard. Also, the jam that goes on is amazing and it ends with a killer Page solo and a killer John Bonham drum solo at the end. We follow with arguably the best version of "Stairway to Heaven" which is 11 minutes of majestic bliss and I can play this repeatingly. Next is a killer version of "Moby Dick" which shows the late Bonzo behind his drum kit playing his heart out at the drum kit and tympani be it with drumsticks or barehanded! We follow with a great version of "Heartbreaker" which is excellent and segues into the powerful closer "Whole Lotta Love" which is the film edit (as it's missing the jam which had some references to the Houses Of The Holy track The Crunge but c'est la vie). The theramin and Plant screaming section was superb with bass player John Paul Jones and Bonzo adding a great riff to it. Then the medley of Boogie Mama was excellent before going back to Whole Lotta Love and ending with Bonzo's literally "flaming gong" bashes.
This re-release of The Song Remains the Same I see more as a fresh look at a classic live album with alternate performances and just as good and at times (better) than the original 1976 soundtrack release.
Recommended!
Free Music Review: "The Same"? Not even close, and for the better
Hit: 5 Stars
I'm one of those who saw the movie when it came out in 1976, more than once in fact. It was an immediate 'Saturday midnight' favorite where I grew up (Belgium). By then the band's reputation was larger than life and there simply was not much of an opportunity ever to see them live. I bought the double-album when it came out, and I never understood why the album was so much maligned by both fans and critics. I thought it was pretty darn good. Now after 31 years, and amid a frenzy of renewed Led Zeppelin activity (catalog on iTunes, the "Mothership" best of, and of course the upcoming one-off show in London--among swirling rumors the band may tour proper in 2008), now comes a newly expanded version of this album.
On "The Song Remains the Same" (2 CDs; 15 tracks; 132 min.), the first CD starts off with the classic "Rock and Roll" and "Celebration Day", then dives straight into 4 previously unreleased tracks, including a rousing "Misty Mountain Top", but even better is the slowburner "Since I've Been Loving You". CD1 (10 tracks, 60 min.) finishes with 4 songs from the "Houses of the Holy" album, which the band was touring behind at the time, including a previously unreleased "The Ocean". It is impossible for me to listen to "No Quarter" and not think of the John Paul Jones 'fantasy sequences' in the movie. CD2 (5 tracks, 72 min.) brings one more new track ("Heartbreaker") but the lead-off track, a 25 min. epic "Dazed and Confused" towers over everything else. It is for me the ultimate Led Zeppelin track. I usually skip "Stairway to Heaven" (overrated and played to death on classic radio), but still like the "Moby Dick" drum solo, as well as the closer "Whole Lotta Love".
The remastering by Jimmy Page sounds fantastic, and the packaging (with nice liner notes from Cameron Crow, with lines like : "The brown cardboard sing in the window simply read 'It's here'"--referring to the release of Led Zep II in late 1969) is done quite nicely. All in all, I am really pleased with the remastered and expanded CD release of "The Song Remains the Same", which is like discovering a new album in the Led Zeppelin catalog. (Incidentally, I did get to see the band in concert once, on their 1980 European tour, only months before John Bonham passed away.)
Free Music Review: The Song Remains the Same II
Hit: 5 Stars
The collective opinion on this release seems to be rolling in like a freight train. The Song Remains the Same (TSRtS), formerly, Led Zeppelin's only "Live" offering, has now (finally!) been Remastered. It's also been Expanded with extra tracks! And, it would seem, it also has been Altered from it's original form.
I cannot quite understand why Rhino Records would do such a thing! They usually do such a great job on re-issues (ie, their specialty). Did they think this was an improvement? Was it Jimmy Page himself that made these decisions? Did he think no one would notice?
For all those Led Zep fans who just love TSRtS and have memorized every note, this new version is a big let down. They were anticipating hearing newly remastered sound associated with their beloved original tracks that they knew so well. Sorry, that didn't happen.
I for one, hardly ever listened to TSRtS, instead, preferring the studio album tracks. I have replaced my late 80's discs with the '94 remastered series (Led Zep VI was the 2nd compact disc I ever bought, now 20 yrs ago). I looked forward to this release since I knew the '94 version of TSRtS was NOT improved sound-wise, and was simply a re-issue.
For the typical casual fan of Led Zeppelin, and especially if you haven't listened to TSRtS a thousand times, this release will be well recieved. There are six new tracks, and some possible different versions of some of the others. The sound? Well, it's AWESOME! If you bought How the West Was Won and thought it sounded good, hold onto your hat! This thing isn't just louder and boomier, I have been hearing some very intricate and subtle bass work by John Paul Jones that would never have been noticed on the former version.
Over-all, this is a must buy for any Led Zeppelin fan or Classic Rock fan. For all those people that complained about the "Mothership" release for providing absolutely NOTHING NEW!, this one tries to make up for that. I'm giving it 5 stars. Come on, who wants the same old same old all the time. Accept this for what it is. The closest thing to a NEW Led Zeppelin release we'll ever come to.
Free Music Review: SONG REAMINS THE SAME-O/.I LOVE, LOVE LOVE THIS SET -10 THOUSAND STARS!
Hit: 5 Stars
THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME collectors edition is OUTSTANDING AND PHENOMENAL. The music remastered is superior. The songs and footage are crisp. rich, deep, and moving. Inside the box there's this fantastic duplication of tickets, photos of the band members - up close and definitely good enough to frame. I'm actually holding a replica of the "World Premiere" for the movie - dated Tuesday October 19, 1976 (wow tomorrow is the day of the 23rd anniversary of that grand event! Cool! ) It's a ticket for "CINEMA 1 - 3rd Ave, N.Y.C. - get this - the "cost" to see that premiere at that time was a donation of $3.50 (three dollars and fifty cents) proceeds for the benefit of SAVE THE CHILDREN FEDERATION.
You see, this set is much more than music and a movie. Their hearts were reaching out to help children from the beginning. Their lives, and souls infused everything they created - which is WHY it NEVER gets old! And I am positive that twenty three years nearly to the exact day of this event - that it STILL has so MUCH appeal - is a statement to each of the gifted band Members.
I BLAST this and every other Zeppelin CD in my car - like a fifteen year old, and am just as taken with the music and the memorabilia as I was when back in the 70's you could go to a "head shop" and buy 6 ft. posters of Page, Plant - that used to line my bedroom walls.
This set can be most appreciated by anyone, but especially fans as we vividly remember all of this coming out at the time.
And, they have a new generation of fans - such as my daughter - we love singing the songs in the car - and it makes for great memories.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR KEEPING YOUR MUSIC SO ALIVE, UPDATED WITH TECHNOLOGY, MEMORABILIA SETS - AND THE T-SHIRT THAT CAME WITH THIS SET IS THE SOFTEST T I've ever worn! Top Quality from the best musicians in rock history!
(other than that, can't stand them ; )
Whole lotts love,
Barb
Free Music Review: The Songs are Not the Same
Hit: 5 Stars
Iv'e only included that title for my review as I am an official hard core, note for note, die-hard fan, who has even been in a touring Led Zep cover band. (the drummer) First of all, the second it kicks off, it hits you with a nice mid-bass roundness and an overall dynamic punch that was never on the original. Yes, just like "How the West Was Won" made you smile and say, "Wow - why wasn't this the live release!" So, yes the sonic impact is vastly improved over the original version even if you have meager equipment. (Noticable in the car and outdoors on a portable).
The second thing you notice is that there are different versions of some of the original songs. Jimmy Page must have found better sounding, but not neccessarily better played versions from that 3 night stint at Madison Square Garden. I say not better played because I hear mistakes on some of the new versions that were not on the 1973 release.
Third, we get 6 new unreleased live songs. My favorites being "Black Dog" and "Misty Mountain Hop" that just seem to have a swagger and grind eclipsing the studio versions. There's great versions of "The Ocean" and the full "Since I've Been Loving You" that are different from the DVD version. "Heartbreaker" hits you live and sloppy and now I know why they left "Over the Hills and Far Away" off of the original, but it's interesting none the less.
Overall, this is just a dynamite re-issue. You get different recordings of the tour, 6 new songs, and a REAL re-mastered beefed up live audio landscape that will have old fans smiling and newbies wondering how they did it almost 35 years ago!! Highly reccomended!!!