Led Zeppelin - Houses Of The Holy (73)

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1 The Song Remains the Same
2 The Rain Song
3 Over the Hills and Far Away
4 The Crunge
5 Dancing Days
6 D'Yer Mak'er
7 No Quarter
8 The Ocean

Houses of the Holy follows the same basic pattern as Led Zeppelin IV, but the approach is looser and more relaxed.

Jimmy Page's riffs rely on ringing, folky hooks as much as they do on thundering blues-rock, giving the album a lighter, more open atmosphere.

While the pseudo-reggae of "D'Yer Mak'er" and the affectionate James Brown send-up "The Crunge" suggest that the band was searching for material, they actually contribute to the musical diversity of the album.

"The Rain Song" is one of Zep's finest moments, featuring a soaring string arrangement and a gentle, aching melody.

"The Ocean" is just as good, starting with a heavy, funky guitar groove before slamming into an a cappella section and ending with a swinging, doo wop-flavored rave-up.

With the exception of the rampaging opening number, "The Song Remains the Same," the rest of Houses of the Holy is fairly straightforward, ranging from the foreboding "No Quarter" and the strutting hard rock of "Dancing Days" to the epic folk/metal fusion "Over the Hills and Far Away."

Throughout the record, the band's playing is excellent, making the eclecticism of Page and Robert Plant's songwriting sound coherent and natural.

Led Zeppelin – Coda (82)

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1 We're Gonna Groove
2 Poor Tom
3 I Can't Quit You Baby
4 Walter's Walk
5 Ozone Baby
6 Darlene
7 Bonzo's Montreux
8 Wearing and Tearing


An odds-and-sods collection assembled after John Bonham's death, Coda is predictably a hit-or-miss affair.

The best material comes from later in Led Zeppelin's career, including the ringing folk stomp of "Poor Tom," the jacked-up '50s rock & roll of "Ozone Baby," and their response to punk rock, the savage "Wearing and Tearing."

The rest of the album — sadly including the Bonham showcase "Bonzo's Montreux" — is average, despite the presence of some stellar playing, especially on the early blues-rock blitzkrieg "I Can't Quit You Baby" and "We're Gonna Groove."