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Recorded at Headley Grange in Hampshire, Island Studios in London and Sunset Sound in Los Angeles, Led Zeppelin IV is the album that put Led Zeppelin into homes around the world, acting as a successful marriage of the hard rock from their second album with the folkier meanderings of their third. It is an album that demonstrates their subtlety and restraint as much as their stadium-filling grandstanding and it confirmed their superstar rock status.
The actually untitled album (it was also known as Four Symbols or The Runes Album), a chart-topper on both sides of the Atlantic, captures the group’s schizophrenia perfectly. On the one hand, they wallop away through genre-defining rock standards such as “Rock And Roll”, “Black Dog” and “Misty Mountain Hop”; yet on the other, they are gentle and restrained on the folk mysticism of “Going To California” and the Sandy Denny co-sung “The Battle Of Evermore.”
It is on their anthem, “Stairway To Heaven”, however, that both strands come together in perfect accord. Starting as a recorder-driven acoustic folk ballad, it culminates in its closing minutes as a full-on, much emulated rock classic, with Robert Plant’s vocals and Jimmy Page’s guitar both approaching career-bests. Led Zeppelin IV also demonstrates the singular talent that was drummer John Bonham – the blues driven “When The Levee Breaks” is one of the most heavily sampled drum tracks of all time.
With immaculate playing (multi-instrumentalist John Paul Jones’ contributions are not to be underestimated, either), a mystically obscure sleeve, and a remarkable range of tunes, Led Zeppelin IV, is still, for many, the best example of the group’s craft. Robert Plant thinks so himself. He has been quoted saying, simply: "the Fourth Album, that's it." --Daryl Easlea
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
35 of 39 people found the following review helpful
By Some Bloke
Format:Audio CD
This was a pioneering rock album by the band everyone aspired to be at the time, and are influenced by now. Unlike many other groundbreakers, this isn't particularly dated and still holds its own in a market that has moved on.
'Stairway to Heaven' deserves to be remembered as one of the all-time great tracks, but the others aren't fillers. More a case of 'Stairway' as the pinnacle of the album. Plant's vocals are forthright, bluesy and angst-ridden. Page's guitar lines are ideal in each situation and provide some great riffs. Bonham's drumming really is incredible rock drumming - hard, heavy, and not always as predicted. Somehow John-Paul Jones and his bass are by comparison, merely perfect.
There's a variety here - rocky numbers like 'Black Dog' and 'Rock n Roll', then slow blues like 'When the Levy Breaks'.
Since this album, the rock guitar has become louder and heavier through Motorhead, AC/DC, Anthrax, Slayer, through to the modern thrash. Despite that, this album still sounds fresh and has an edge of creative genius that many new bands just don't have as much of.
I write this not as someone who was there when it came out and is nostalgic (I'm too young!) but someone who found it after discovering the modern rock and metal world. And it's still, really, that good.
'Stairway to Heaven' deserves to be remembered as one of the all-time great tracks, but the others aren't fillers. More a case of 'Stairway' as the pinnacle of the album. Plant's vocals are forthright, bluesy and angst-ridden. Page's guitar lines are ideal in each situation and provide some great riffs. Bonham's drumming really is incredible rock drumming - hard, heavy, and not always as predicted. Somehow John-Paul Jones and his bass are by comparison, merely perfect.
There's a variety here - rocky numbers like 'Black Dog' and 'Rock n Roll', then slow blues like 'When the Levy Breaks'.
Since this album, the rock guitar has become louder and heavier through Motorhead, AC/DC, Anthrax, Slayer, through to the modern thrash. Despite that, this album still sounds fresh and has an edge of creative genius that many new bands just don't have as much of.
I write this not as someone who was there when it came out and is nostalgic (I'm too young!) but someone who found it after discovering the modern rock and metal world. And it's still, really, that good.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Audio CD
This is probably one of the best rock records ever done, together with Deep Purple's Machine Head and Made in Japan. I can't find a musically bad track on it, still I'm not fond of the lyrics tainted with mysticism on Battle for Evermore. The opening track Black dog has a wonderful riff wandering over the guitar which shows why Jimmy Page (together with Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath) can take full credit for pioneering the mammoth riffs of hard rock/heavy metal, which also is shown in Misty Mountain Hop, Four Sticks and When the Levee Breaks. I don't need to say something about Stairway to Heaven as it by many is rated as the best rock song ever written. But I want to stress the mastery of three underrated gems on this wonderful record, namely Misty Mountain Hop a very heavy and hooking track, Four Sticks with its driving rhythm in 4/5 and When the Levee Breaks with its, I can't find words to explain it, wonderful guitar sound. All in all it is a record well worth the money spent. And I will give a promise: If you like rock, hard rock or heavy metal, you will not be disappointed and will also have a record to be played on, and on, and on, and on ...
11 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Four Symbols, Zoso, IV, The Runes Album. To be honest, Led Zeppelin could have called their 4th studio album "A load of b****cks" and it wouldn't have made any difference.
Led Zeppelin IV is simply the greatest album ever recorded. In America, only Thriller, The Wall and Eagles-Very Best Of have sold more. And let's face it, in musical terms, only Pink Floyd of these three can be mentioned in the same breath as Led Zeppelin.
Just looking at the track listing is like looking at a greatesT hits album. Black Dog was the product of a jam between John Paul Jones and John Bonham. It remained a steady fixture of their live shows for years to come.
Misty Mountain Hop is simply mesmerising, fusing the brilliance of multi-instrumentalist/arranger supreme Jones with the awesome riffery of Jimmy Page, arguably the greatest guitarist of all time. I say this because Page's legacy, both as producer, live performer, songwriter and guitarist is far greater than Clapton, Beck and even Hendrix, who didn't stick around long enough to show off his sublime talents.
Going To California is essentially a nod to Joni Mitchell and gives a brief respite from the barbaric rock of numbers such as Rock & Roll and Four Sticks. To finish the album, When The Levee Breaks is just incredible. Robert Plant's wailing lyric above the blues inspired guitar lines and two-bar drum intro is simply breathtaking.
If you haven't heard any Led Zeppelin music, shame on you. And until you do, you haven't heard music. Real arse kicking music, that is.
14 of 18 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Audio CD
I hated Led Zeppelin until I was forced to listen to IV. By the time 'Black Dog' was over I'd changed my views for ever. By the time 'When The Levee Breaks'had ended Led Zeppelin had become the greatest Rock 'n' Roll band ever to give rise from these shores. Deep Purple had some SERIOUS competition. People rave about how great a guitarist Jimmy Page is (and he is) or how gifted a vocalist Robert Plant is (and he is) ,but the man who IS (or tragically was) Led Zeppelin, is John Bonham...what a drummer! The way he drives 'Black Dog' along, and the intro to 'Rock And Roll'puts him in the ranks of the immortals. The album switches from sheer gutsy heavy metal to melodic and acoustic music, to the climax to the album, where 'When The Levee Breaks' leaves you somewhere in mid air.It's unfair...this should have been a double album!
7 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
If you look at Led Zep's major attributes: passionate vocals, pioneering guitar work, towering drums, booming rhythm, they are all here in abundance on this album. For me it is the pinnacle of their achievement, combining the mystical with the masterful. There isn't a weak track as the music moves between out and out rock 'Rock and Roll' 'Black Dog' to the lyrical 'Going to California' via the transcendent 'Battle of Evermore' and peerless anthem 'Stairway to Heaven'. I know Stairway has had hours of airplay over the years, but it is a great track, and if anything this whole album in many ways seems too obvious a choice for best album for a lot of Zep fans. But Zep 2 is less textured, Physical Graffiti less unified. I love all their albums but always come back to this one because it is satisfaction guaranteed. They just don't make them like this anymore!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
LED ZEPPELIN's 4th LP has no pronounceable title, but who cares - it's...
8 tracks of unbelievable quality. Folk and Rock are superbly blended throughout. What else is there to say...
... Read more
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Published 1 month ago by Mr Paul Savory
4.0 out of 5 stars
The greatest album in the history of rock?
Zeppelin IV is widely considered the bands best album. It is understandable to see why, as much of the songwriting is improved and focused as the group finds themselves in a... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Lord Anon
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classic
My vinyl got un-playable, update time! Just classic & awesome. What else is there to say really. Buy it now!
Published 1 month ago by Spacemanlacey
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pure class
Great service from amazon and price great too. CD is superb if you like classic rock with a folkish/chilled mix. Love it,When the levvie breaks is on it too!!!! Awesome.Well happy.
Published 1 month ago by Big Kirrie
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classic rock
I love this album but never owned it as an LP. When I obtained a credit for some MP3s I couldn't wait to download it and I'm not disappointed. Read more
Published 1 month ago by MrPestle
3.0 out of 5 stars
buying and getting 'into' lz newly in 2013...
well, if i was a jury, no not ian, id still be out. ive read the reviews and heard the hype,, for years. im no youngster and have a very wide well versed music library. yeah, yeah. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Martin Harrison
5.0 out of 5 stars
Rock on!
Best Led Zepplin Album ever! Not one track that is weak, all brilliant. Includes the most classic Zepplin track. Read more
Published 2 months ago by wiseoldowl
5.0 out of 5 stars
In my opinion this is one of the best albums by Led Zeppelin and if...
Exactly what I wanted and in excellent condition ... Thank you I could not ask for more ... I recommend this to everyone.
Published 3 months ago by James Witty
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another blast from the past
First heard Led Zep in 1970, caught a gig in Berlin in 1980 and now I'm catching up aged 70!
Published 3 months ago by Mr. R. Booth
5.0 out of 5 stars
Led Zepplin 1V
One of the best albums ever but I'm sure everyone knows that already. Must have in your collection if you haven't got it already.
Published 4 months ago by Emms
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