Led Zeppelin- In Through The Out Door (1979)-
This is Led Zeppelin's final album released in 1979, one year before they would split after the sudden death of their fantastic drummer, John Bonham.
I bought this album after hearing people saying that Led Zeppelin's later work was terrible; but I think that 'In The Evening' is one of their best songs.
I can understand why Zep heads dont really like it though as to me it is a move away from their early sound with the heavy use of synthesisers but still really good (IMO).
This is something I respect Led Zeppelin for though, for changing their sound and having the guts to do it as surely they knew it would upset the fans.
Finally, to keep Zep heads happy, it may be suitable to attribute the sound of the album more closer to
Robert Plants early solo work on the likes of 'Pictures At Eleven' which was released only 3 years later (1982).
To me this is what it sounds more like, rather than the previous Led Zeppelin material.
Bought this album on high (& in hindsight, stupid) hopes that it would be
another 'Ragged Glory'.
After seeing the tracklisting was slightly reminiscent of 'RG' i.e. 10 tracks & the second track entitled 'Fuel Line' similar to the 2nd track on 'RG' entitled 'White Line'.
I suppose now I was daft to expect such things conisdering he recorded 'RG' with the energy of his backing band Crazy Horse compared to this with just him on his tod.
As for the album in hand, the easiest way to describe is that 'it's not bad but nothing special' & not to be taken too seriously.
It's definitely not one I'll be constantly getting out the rack time and time again unfortunately.
Chrome Dreams II (previous album) was much better IMO & this only shows that his next album can only be better!- thats if hes still alive & kicking when the time comes.
I had high expectations for this album released a short time; around 3-4 weeks or so; after Neil Young's Fork In The Road (which to be fair I was pretty disappointed with) and when it was released I couldnt wait for Play.com to take 5 days to deliver it on a pre-order (like they had done with NY's) so I went to the local shop and bought it for around £9 odds.
I put it on as soon as I got in, had already heard the title track 'Beyond Here Lies Nothin' from a leak I found on Isohunt about a week previous, and was blown away by the sheer quality of the songs which TBH I wasnt expecting to be
as good as they were.
Some of the tracks have a sort of mexican feel to it.
There are a couple of mandolin players & an accordion player on this album with him which got me interested initially upon reading pre-release reviews.
My favourite tracks on the album are: 'Beyond Here Lies Nothin'', 'Life Is Hard' & especially the last couple of tracks- 'I Feel A Change Comin' On' & 'It's All Good'.
All In all a very good album & I would rate this better than 'Modern Times' (which I also loved) or 'Love & Theft' & also 'Time Out Of Mind' (which I am not really that into).
So it may be fair to judge it as his best album in at least 10 years.
I bought this album after recommendations from Boo Boo I think it was after hearing about King Crimson and realising Id never heard any or owned any of their works.
I immediately set out to rectify this (as you do..) & bought this along with another album 'Thrak' from 1995.
Why? Because I feel its good to get
'both ends of the stick' when getting into a band.
Anyway, regarding the album, the minute it started I got that feeling you get when you know its going to be a great album, which it was.
I don't know about anybody else but I get a very experimental feel whenever I listen to King Crimson which always interests me about any artist.
The first track on the album '21st Century Schizoid Man' is the standout track for me and the riff sounded familiar to me as if Id heard it in a past life or something...
Ive only listened to the album once so cant say much about the other tracks.
I can remember them being really quite chilled out compared to the first track & also that the lead singer has a really cracking voice.
P.S. Thanks very much Booboo (or whoever it was) who introduced me to this band. By the way i can remember being recommended another album from the 70s called 'Red', which i didnt buy as couldnt find it any cheaper than £7-8 which is too much for a band Ive never heard before lol.