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Track Listings
| 1. Whole lotta love |
| 2. What is and what should never be |
| 3. Lemon song |
| 4. Thank you |
| 5. Heartbreaker |
| 6. Livin' lovin' maid (she's just a woman) |
| 7. Ramble on |
| 8. Moby dick |
| 9. Bring it on home |
Product Description
Product Description
On Led Zeppelin’s second album, guitarist Jimmy Page showed the world that he knew how to perform riff rock. Notable tracks include the epic “Whole Lotta Love” constructed around a simple, head-banging-friendly guitar riff and the louder, more percussion-heavy “Moby Dick”. In their second album the band learnt how to raise rock & roll excess into an art form.
Review
Between the release of the band's first, eponymous album and this, their second, Led Zeppelin had completed four US and UK tours. Thus II, by necessity, was recorded on the road in the States and while it received many tweaks before it reached the shops it still has a live feel that few rock albums have ever come close to. Engineer, Eddie Kramer, uses his expertise in taming the live guitar for the confines of a studio as Robert, Jimmy, John Paul and John rip through their raggedy book of blues standards and poppier exercises in sword and sorcey-tinged rock folk.
Unsurprisingly the album contained what would become the some of the band's defining live statements. ''Whole Lotta Love'' was born to be played live. For hours. Its truncated studio cousin just replaces the rockabilly medleys with swooping theremin and rattling toms. The riff was pilfered (from Willie Dixon) but still mighty. ''What Is And What Should Never Be'' demonstrates what Jimmy always used to burble on about in interviews about 'using light and shade'. It's quietly jazzy and pastoral, and then in the chorus it rocks like a mother. See also ''Ramble On'', with added Tolkien references. ''Thank You'' is a nod to Plant's West Coast predelictions.
This leaves the rockers like ''Heartbreaker'' (again a fine platform for a lengthy stage work-out), its lightweight follow-on ''Livin' Lovin Maid'' and the blues molestations. Oh, and ''Moby Dick''. Probably the result of limited time to present product to 'the man' at Atlantic, the band included this 4-minute romp across the skins by Bonham. It ain't pretty though its low-D riff is, again, a monster.
Mind you, the blues molestations more than make up for this slightest of hiccups. ''The Lemon Song'' (Howlin' Wolf's ''Killing Floor'' slowed down and sleazed up) is a great demonstration of how, live, Zeppelin locked together like no one else, making all resistance impossible. ''Bring It On Home'', Sonny Boy Williamson's already sleazy slouch is here picked up by the scruff of the neck and kicked across the room by Jimmy's new, turbo-charged riff. This is the sound of a band having its last major tussle with the genre that gave birth to them: The Blues. From this point on they'd be nobody's band but their own. --Chris Jones
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
44 of 44 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Audio CD
The first time I heard Whole Lotta Love, I blushed - but the truly sexy thing about Led Zep is not Robert Plant's on-heat yowling (tho' it has its moments...), it's Jimmy Page's guitar. This album more than any other, for me, demonstrates the range of his playing style: from the powerful, irresistible riffing of Whole Lotta Love to the delicate sweeps and picks of Ramble On, it's a seductive, mesmerising genius. It helped a lot, of course, that the rhythm section is so instinctive: the bass on the Lemon Song, is perfectly judged, and you can't write any review of a Led Zeppelin album without some reference to the incredible power of John Bonham's drumming. There is a tightness about this album that makes it difficult to dissect, and maybe that is the secret of LZ's enduring appeal: the sum of the parts is far greater than any other band. Even Livin' Lovin' Maid, the one throwaway is fun (there's always one, isn't there?), in a tongue-in-cheek, early '70s manner. If i had to take one album to a desert island, it would be this one.
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
So, which is the greatest?
First I thought it was "I" for its raw, bluesy, rock and roll. Then I listened to "III" and found the beautiful melodies and delicate acoustics and thought that I loved it the most. But returning to "II" made me realise what Led Zepppelin are all about.
The driving bass lines, the lashing drum beats, the howling vocals and incendiary guitar licks combine to create incredibly powerful rock and roll music that will just blow you away. This album shows how rock and roll should be. Its an example of a hard working band that makes every note and every beat count.
You just cannot get enough of these songs. They inspire a feeling which a lot of other bands forget. The buzz which musicians feel when making the music is something that is often not conveyed to the listener from the CD. On this album however, the band has made the connection to the fans.
If "Heartbreaker" doesn't make you want to weep with joy, and don't know what will. This is vintage: rock and roll at its finest.
Its a lesson in rock music, you just need to hear it...
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
to say that this album is heavy metal is truly misinterpret the musical genius that is plant, page, jones and bonham. from the opening riff of whole lotta love to the spiraling drums of moby dick, this is the quintessential blues rock album. anyone who has lost faith in the redemptive power of music should pick up this album, grab a beer and turn up the stereo. truly this is a masterpeice that combines the sexual desires of robert plant with the musical genius of jimmy page on the guitar and 'bonzo' on the drums. this could have been their undoing becuase to better this album would have been difficualt, however led zep 3 and 4 are no disgrace to the incandescent wonder of the greatest rock and roll band to have graced planet earth. sit back and enjoy people, i did and am still revelling in the light of this epic work.
zeppelin had an almost uncanny relationship between four outstanding musicians that are amoungst the best ever in their respective fields. i only wish that some bands today could find a the same desires and talants that zeppelin had becuase at the moment rock and roll is dying quickly.
zeppelin had an almost uncanny relationship between four outstanding musicians that are amoungst the best ever in their respective fields. i only wish that some bands today could find a the same desires and talants that zeppelin had becuase at the moment rock and roll is dying quickly.
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4.6 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
LED ZEPPELIN 2 Hard Rock meets Folk.
The word "Classic" is used all to often with third rate albums. This is a classic and only third rated by Zepp's 3 & 4th LPs (in my opinion). Read more
Published 5 days ago by Mr Paul Savory
5.0 out of 5 stars
Led Zeppelin
I was not into purchasing records when it first came out but I am now doing some catching up. Excellent.
Published 2 months ago by Dr David Francis
5.0 out of 5 stars
how much better could it be?
this is just awesome, it combines just the level of blues rock and agressive lyrics that complements the driving vocal style of robert plant, equaled in every way by the exquisite... Read more
Published 3 months ago by felix
5.0 out of 5 stars
Huge
Excellent album from Greatest Rock Band. Great standard, Page again proves he is the best - who is this clapton person?
Published 3 months ago by dustymik
5.0 out of 5 stars
awesome
a very good cd. bought for the mother-in-law but enjoyed by all in the house.some great tracks included and it was despatched fast and arrived safely well wrapped.
Published 3 months ago by bosspenny
5.0 out of 5 stars
Led Zep11 ,a must have Cd
Classic tracks that must be owned by any Zep fan new or old!!Fantastic timeless collection with that unmistakeable line up of four of the worlds greatest musicians . Read more
Published 3 months ago by Rock Chick Jo
5.0 out of 5 stars
Led Zeppelin II
Probably the best rock album bare none, this should be in you collection. Constantly amazes me that this music does not age!
Published 3 months ago by M C Garwood
5.0 out of 5 stars
Led Zepplin II
I still love Led Zepplin IV but this is a mighty fine album and not far behind on the greatness stakes
Published 4 months ago by Jonathan Bullock
5.0 out of 5 stars
Whole lotta
From 1969, when Led Zep II came out, to 1971 I lived in a shared flat in North London, and a guy called Don would play this all hours of the day and sometimes night. Read more
Published 4 months ago by GlynLuke
5.0 out of 5 stars
Rolling Stone Magazine's no. 14 `Best Rock Album of All Time'
Famously recorded episodically in various UK & US studios during the band's 1969 tour, Led Zeppelin 2 features some of their strongest and most enduring work. Read more
Published 4 months ago by The Guardian
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