The official site for Tim's legendary Zeppelin reviews
In Through the Out Door
Well, sorry to report....but this album was extremely disappointing to me. This album gets a bad rap for a reason. Half the songs do not sound like a Led Zeppelin song at all. This album was more confusing to me than a Jussie Smollett police report. The boys seem to have lost their way a bit with this album. Would they find their way back with Coda........we shall see.
In the Evening
The main riff guitar riff is good but not great. JPJ uses a synth sound here that is at least something a little bit different for them. I cannot understand a word Robert Plant is saying in this song barely. Michael Irvin is more understandable than Plant in this song. The most interesting part of this song may be the middle break which has a very Pink Floyd vibe to it which I like. Unfortunately, this song just doesn't cut it as an opening song. It is not bad but it needed to be stronger to kick off this album. Or maybe this was the strongest song on the album and there was nothing better to open the album (I guess we will find out as I review the rest of the songs on the album).
South Bound Suarez
The good news is that Tyler Perry has given the green light for Madea 12. The bad news is this song sucks. This does not even sound like a Zep song. It sounds like an attempt to write a bad Black Crowes song. Sorry Zep, just not cutting it here.
Fool in the Rain
Interesting but super simple riff to kick off the song. This song has actually grown on me over the years. I used to not really be a fan of this song but as I have aged it has grown on me for some reason. The middle break in the song has a cool Spanish vibe to it. That is because JPJ and Plant were inspired by samba beats that played during the 1978 FIFA World Cup tournament in Argentina. The guitar solo is cool because it is a different tone than Jimmy typically would go for. He uses a fuzz pedal that drops the sound 2 octaves.
Hot Dog
I actually like the country sounding guitar intro......however from there it goes downhill faster than the other guy from Whams' career after George Michael went solo. This is another song that just does not sound like a Zep song at all. Maybe if it was released by a country band I actually may even like it. However, coming from Zep, it is a hard NO for me.
Carouselambra
Here we are with yet another song that does not sound like a Zep offering at all. I do not know what to make of this song. This sounds like a bad early Genesis song. This song has me more confused than a post op bikini photo of Ru Paul. It somehow clocks in at over 10 minutes long! As Nancy Kerrigan would say Why....Why....Why ?
All My Love
Wow, what is this song ? Man, this song is softer than a Nerf football. Now, I understand that Plant wrote this song as a tribute to his 5 year old son that died from a stomach virus. I get that ......however, this is not a Zep song. I mean we all make bad decisions (think of our exes or our beanie baby as investment dreams). However, this should have been a Robert Plant solo release not a Zep song.
I'm Gonna Crawl
Alright , last song of this album ........I have never been so happy to see something end since Blossom went off the air. Yet another song that does not sound like a Zep tune. I will say though that Page's guitar work is underrated in this song. That part of the song I did enjoy. I mean the song isn't bad but it is just not Led Zeppelin.