Led Zeppelin
How the West Was Won

(Atlantic)

First Appeared at The Music Box, February 2004, Volume 11, #2

Written by Michael Cooney

Led Zeppelin is arguably the greatest rock ’n‘ roll band of all time. The group has grown beyond being simply a legendary act of the past, and unlike other classic rock treasures such as The Rolling Stones, The Who, and even Paul McCartney, Led Zeppelin is more musically relevant today then ever before. In recent years, Jimmy Page has captained the band’s reemergence into the spotlight. With the release of a greatest hits collection, two box sets, and a compilation of recordings for the BBC, Led Zeppelin has reinserted itself into the Modern Rock radio format and reached a new generation of fans while re-energizing its old ones — a miraculous occurrence, given that it has been defunct for decades.

The best example of Led Zeppelin’s power and popularity came this past year with the release of How the West Was Won. This three-disc collection documents a live performance in California during the summer of 1972, and it is one of the finest albums ever to be released. It kicks off with the band tearing into the classic Immigrant Song, which is followed closely by a frenzied rendition of Heartbreaker. The sound of Page’s guitar is simultaneously gritty and beautifully elegant, and his masterful, monstrous riffs propel the band through Black Dog; Whole Lotta Love; and the rumbling, quaking Over the Hills and Far Away.

In short, How the West Was Won places the listener right smack in the center of the front row for each glorious note, and by the end of the nearly three hours of music contained on this set, one can’t help but want even more. Each band member displays individual brilliance, from Robert Plant’s crying, moaning vocals to John Bonham’s thunderous kick drum and quick-handed wizardry. Led Zeppelin’s greatness comes from the fact that its members are four of the most talented musicians ever to enter our universe. When they united, they were an explosive, revolutionary combination. The group borrowed from blues and molded rock ’n‘ roll into what eventually became heavy metal. There is not a musician in the world today who hasn’t been influenced by them, and the fact that How the West Was Won spent several weeks at number one on the Billboard album chart offers plenty of proof that Led Zeppelin still matters.

How the West Was Won is available from Amazon.com.
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A separate 2-disc DVD package titled Led Zeppelin was
released in conjunction with the new album. It is
available from Amazon.com. To order, Click Here!

For Canadian orders, please Click Here!

For UK orders, please Click Here!

Ratings

1 Star:   Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!

Copyright © 2004 The Music Box