Houses of the Holy [Remaster] (CD - 1973)

Personnel: Robert Plant (vocals, harmonica, background vocals); Jimmy Page (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar); John Paul Jones (piano, grand piano, organ, Mellotron, keyboards, synthesizer, bass synthesizer, background vocals); John Bonham (drums, background vocals).

Audio Mixers: Eddie Kramer; Keith Harwood; Andy Johns.

Recording information: Electric Lady Studios, New York, NY (1972); Headly Garage (1972); Island Studios, London, England (1972); Olympic London (1972); Olympic Studios, London, England (1972); Stargroves, Hampshire, England (1972).

Photographer: Hipgnosis [Design Group].

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. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

By 1973, Led Zeppelin was getting used to being the biggest band on the planet (both financially and sonically). Letting their guard down and their spirits wander, they came up with the most widely varied album in their discography. Stylistically, HOUSES OF THE HOLY is all over the map, but it coheres in a grand manner befitting the '70s rock royalty Zeppelin had become. Stepping back a little from the epic scale of ZEPPELIN IV, the group slips into a funky James Brown homage ("The Crunge"), offers one of the first-ever attempts at reggae-rock ("D'yer Ma'ker"), and ventures into Pink Floyd-like prog rock ("No Quarter"). Jimmy Page's guitar work is at its most exquisitely beautiful on "The Rain Song," but the heavy-rock punch of yore is still present and accounted for on "Dancing Days" and "The Ocean." From here, it seemed like Led Zeppelin was capable of anything. minimize