When most rock fans heard Led Zeppelin, they felt like everything in the world had changed. While the Rolling Stones and The Beatles were still being listened to by everyone, Jimmy Page had already predicted the sound of the 1970s. This was before the needle ever touched vinyl with their debut album. Hard rock was beginning to gain traction on the scene, as evidenced by this sound. However, Robert Plant believed that Led Zeppelin II was the group’s greatest accomplishment.
However, for half of its tracks, Led Zeppelin sounds more like a solid proof of concept than a fully realized album. It doesn’t mean it’s a bad album though; Zeppelin’s debut could stand up to any band’s best performance. Because a significant portion of the album still consists of covers, it’s just a little bit simpler. Understanding where the band was drawing inspiration from becomes clearer. Additionally, amazing moments of genius like “Communication Breakdown” add depth and complexity to their musical identity.
The first album found Plant still working on mastering his voice. Even though his performance was never more boisterous than it was on the first tour, it’s clear. All other rock vocalists will eventually learn their craft from him. Led Zeppelin II, on the other hand, is a somewhat different animal.
The blues continued to influence everything, but how exactly do you classify a song like “Whole Lotta Love“? Nobody had a label for anything that lay between blues and rock and roll. Page’s twangy guitar solo on the song placed him just below guitarists like Keith Richards in terms of sheer guitar-playing ability.
Led Zeppelin II is essentially the epitome of a rock album. It displays the abilities of each member of the band and has one of the most varied track lists of any recording. The blues is covered in “The Lemon Song” and “Bring It On Home.” However, where else can you find the same level of craziness as in “Heartbreaker” or in “Moby Dick,” with John Bonham’s incredible drum solo?
Zeppelin’s debut made them one of the most popular acts in England. Plant recalled that their sophomore tour marked the turning point in their lives, telling Louder, “Our whole lives changed, particularly mine and Bonzo’s.” We weren’t entirely sure how to react to the abrupt change. Bonzo was still living in a Dudley council apartment, and at the bottom of the elevator was his Rolls-Royce. Someone keyed it one day, leaving him baffled about why.
However, Zeppelin was certain to grow to a much greater extent than anyone had ever imagined. For the next few years, people began to regard Zeppelin as the undisputed rock god. This was in contrast to The Beatles and The Stones, who had their share of high points throughout their careers. Their journey began with Led Zeppelin II. Subsequent albums such as Physical Graffiti and their untitled fourth album placed them in the same category as the icons they admired.
From here on out, everything would only get better, but on Led Zeppelin II, Zeppelin had the ideal ratio of strength to naivete. The more difficult pieces were still to come. However, if they had chosen to perform this style of music continuously for the rest of their lives. They would have still been considered one of the greatest acts to walk the Earth.
