Led Zeppelin III 2014

Led Zeppelin released its superb third album Led Zeppelin III in October of 1970.By 1970, Led Zeppelin (which always comprised of guitarist/songwriter Jimmy Page, bass player/keyboard player John Paul Jones, lead singer Robert Plant and the sadly missed John Bonham on drums had released two albums which both hit the US Top 10 with the second reaching #1! Also the band quickly graduated from opening act to theaters to eventually arenas and stadiums.When the band got to recording its third effort with Jimmy Page producing the album, the band decided to record with a mobile truck at a rural mansion called Headley Grange with the late Andy Johns and the band decided to go in a more folk/acoustic direction with their third album. Would this change work to Zep's benefit or ruin their credibility and pander to the Crosby/Stills/Nash sound popular at the time, read on and find out, as I did when I first acquired on cassette in August 1986 and of course upgraded over the years.We open proceedings with the Top 30 rocking hit, the rocking "Immigrant Song" which just rocks and is a Page/Plant composition and would serve as an opener in concert for the next three years and the template for hard rock bands for years to come. Next is Page and Plant's acoustic number "Friends" which is just a great number. Also the song marked the band's first use of orchestrations on a Zeppelin tune. The ending segues into the Page/Plant/Jones rocker "Celebration Day" which is a stellar rocking number. Next is the Page/Plant/Jones blues number "Since I've Been Loving You" which is a stellar number which the band always would play live in later years and is just a stellar blues which was a band original. The first half closes with the Page/Plant/Bonahm rocker "Out On the Tiles" which is just a great rocking number which just rocks and is one of the few tunes that Bonzo would co-write.The second half of the album begins with the acoustic Page/Plant composition "Gallows Pole" which is an adaptation of an old ancient folk tune and marked the first time that Jimmy Page would play banjo on a Zep tune and the only electric guitar on this track is the solo on the outro (not counting bass guitar) and is an excellent number. We then come to Page's composition ""Tangerine" which is another acoustic number. This track is a great short tune and has a stellar slide guitar solo from Page (only time he uses an electric guitar on this track). Next is another acoustic piece from Page/Plant's "That's the Way" which is another great song. Next is the Page/Plant/Jones collaboration called "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp" which is a great toe-tapping country-ish sounding song and just a classic. We close the album with the wild warped blues of "Hats Off to (Roy) Harper" which is some wild blues with Pagey playing maniaclal acoustic slide and Robert's voice sounding like a tremeloed harmonica and references the old blues track "Shake 'em On Down".Led Zeppelin's third effort would go to #1 on the American album charts but was their least selling album initially but over the years fans appreciate it more and has sold six plus million copies in the US alone.Now in 2014, the album is re-released and given a superb remastering treatment by Jimmy Page and also comes with a second CD featuring rough mix of "The Immigrant Song", "Celebration Day", "Since I've Been Loving You" and "Gallows Pole" with alternate vocal and guitar bits. Also a rough mix of "That's the Way" with the song restored to its original speed which was slowed down on the original recording. Then there is instrumental backing tracks of "Friends" and "Out On the Tiles" known as "Bathroom Song". Also there is an instrumental version of "Jennings Farm Blues" which is an electric version of "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp". Finally is a song not released before called "Key to the Highway/Trouble in Mind" which was recorded at the same time as "Hats Off to (Roy) Harper" and is a great piece. Also is packaged in a triple gatefold and replicates the original vinyl LP with the spindle cover and comes with a stellar booklet with awesome pictures.RECOMMENDED!

Led Zeppelin III is a classic album. Jimmy Page has done a great job restoring this album like he has with all the Led Zeppelin albums.Led Zeppelin III was released between 2 of the greatest rock albums ever; Led Zeppelin II and IV. It is over-shadowed by them but is a great album. Led Zeppelin III is more experimental, more folksy, more blues, and more varied. The band sounds great. Robert Plant as if he wasn't amazing on Led Zeppelin II is astonishingly great on Led Zeppelin III with powerful emotional vocals.The restored sound is very good. Page has kept close to the original sound, which is good and bad. Much of Led Zeppelin's music has (surprisingly) mediocre sound quality.It is a subjective things, but I find the treble on most of Led Zeppelin III overpowering. On some songs, sub-bass is almost non-existent. But then, that why they put bass and treble controls on stereos.Like most albums of restore music, there is a bonus disc of unreleased music; alternate mixes, unfinished music, demos, etc. I would give this bonus disc a -C. It is below average. Most of the music is not very interesting alternate mixes. Something to listen to one time out of curiosity.(If you want to hear a great bonus disc, The Rolling Stone's Some Girls has a bonus disc of unreleased songs that would be a good album on it own.)The greatest omission is "Hey Hey What Can I Do" one of Zeppelin's most popular songs. Supposedly it was recorded during the Led Zeppelin III sessions but inexplicable left off the original album. It is not included on the bonus disc. I have no idea why this would not have been included. It seems like the perfect place to put it.Another surprising omission is "Bron-Yr-Aur" (the instrumental) which was supposedly recorded then and finally appears on Physical Graffiti.There is one gem hiding on the bonus disc. The last song, "Key To The Highway/Trouble In Mind" is great. The mix is demo-like. It could use some mastering but still it is very good. It is another blues homage. It is far better than "Hats Off To Harper.""Hats Off To Harper" is the one song on Led Zeppelin III, really in their entire catalog, that I have never liked. I get it that it is a blues homage but I find the distorted audio irritating. It is just not a pleasant song to listen to, but maybe that is the point. I would have left "Hats Off To Harper" off the album and replaced it with "Key To The Highway/Trouble In Mind."Though the bonus disc is mostly a disappointment, I highly recommend this Jimmy Page restored version of Led Zeppelin III. This album has never sounded better.PS: I used Adobe Audition to adjust sound of Led Zeppelin III to my taste, i.e. less treble, more sub bass. I burned the music to CD replacing "Hats Off To Harper" with "Key To The Highway/Trouble In Mind" and finishing the album with "Hey Hey What Can I Do" and "Bron-Yr-Aur". I love it.