The official site for Tim's legendary Zeppelin reviews
Led Zeppelin III
This album received a lot of criticism when it came out. Even the album cover was hated............it was a drastic departure from their first 2 albums that was heavy on sex, rock, blues, and swagger. The release of this album was met with about as much excitement as an Antonio Brown retirement announcement. This was a striking departure from the first 2 albums that for lessor bands...... would have been riskier than investing in the Iraqi Dinar. This album really showed Zep's influence by British folk, and American country influences. I think this is an underrated album as a whole. Yes it is different from Led Zep I and Led Zep II and yes it is not as good as those two albums but it is still good in its own right. I think critics did not like this album because it was not commercial at all. I mean how many of the above songs have you heard on the radio (I mean real radio, not Sirius stations or Pandora type stations) I think only Immigrant Song and That's the Way, Gallows Pole are the only ones to make real radio consistently.
Immigrant Song
Plant was fascinated with European folklore and middle eastern as well ( which will come up in future albums) ridiculous bass line in the chorus (listen carefully to it .....you wont be disappointed), this song was inspired by their 1970 tour of Norway, balls in a vice vocals by Plant. This song makes me want to put on a Viking hat, bear skin, leather boots and rape and pillage a small European village in the wintertime. Not a lot of lyrics in this one but the ones chosen are good.
Friends
An interesting song in an altered tuning. Again I wish Page would have done more songs in altered tuning's.
Celebration Day
A catchy riff. Not a very well known song here, Page's solo is a bit underwhelming on this one. An average Zep song still yields a 7 rating.
Since I've Been Loving You
Pretty standard sounding blues tune that Plant stole from a band called Moby Grap, again hidden organ work nicely done by JPJ. Page's guitar work shines here though, great solo, great tone. laid back but appropriate drumming.
Out on the Tiles
This is an underrated Zep tune, great drums here nicely syncopated, good guitar riff and tone on this one. Again not a widely known Zep song for some reason as this is really a good effort by the Zep boys here. One of the only songs Bonham receives a writing credit for as the term Out on the Tiles refers to being out on the town for a night of drinking which Bonham was all to aware of.
Gallows Pole
Nice folk/country vibe to this in the intro then it gets more rocking. Like the mandolin and banjo here. I don't care what anyone says the mandolin and banjo are freakin' cool ! This may be the only Zep tune with a banjo on it. This song is underrated as well (although you do here this one on the radio more than some of the other ones iI called underrated). Fancy drum and drum bass work here by Bonzo.
Tangerine
Cool country slide steel pedal in this one, nice altered acoustic guitar tone on this. Page uses a seldom used psychedelic electric guitar tone on this which is a nice alternative to his usual.
That's the Way
Country steel pedal in this song is awesome, this song makes me want to be back on top of the mountain next to Machu Pichu with my head literally in the clouds. Another underrated Zep song. This has a great chill vibe to it how could a band be so heavy on some songs and and so soft on others? That was the Brillance of the mighty Zep sons. Plant sang in a lower register for most of this one which again was a nice alternative. This song takes you on a journey and a yearning to a far away place when life was simpler. This is an Extremely underrated song in my opinion.
Bron Y Aur Stomp
This is a cool song that makes me want to be sitting on a plantation in south Georgia on the back porch drinkin' sweet tea with a collection of mountain people playing the song for me unamplified. Speaking of mountain people.....(Dan and Greg I think you guys were with me ) do you remember when we met the boy that played the banjo in Deliverance? He was working at a Waffle House in North Georgia on one of our camping trips and he was probably 50 years old at that point .....good times. Page displays his underrated acoustic abilities here. This song was one of many acoustic ones that Plant /Page wrote at Bron Y Aur ( a cottage in the rural countryside of Wales).
Hats Off to Roy Harper
Very Delta blues sound to this one because it was stolen from Bukka White (delta bluesman), this was not a commercial song at all and you would never hear it on the radio however this song really delves into the roots of led zeppelin. This song was a tribute to Roy Harper, a musician that actually opened some shows for Led Zep.