LED ZEPPELIN — Physical Graffiti (review)

LED ZEPPELIN — Physical Graffiti album cover Album · 1975 · Hard Rock Buy this album from MMA partners
5/5 ·
Nightfly
Regarded by many Zeppelin fans as the bands finest moment and I'm not going to argue with that. What's surprising about that fact though is that Physical Graffiti, a double album, was not made up of solely new material, but included tracks left over from previous sessions.

The album opens in fine style with two typical Zeppelin Rockers, Custard Pie and The Rover. The latter was recorded a few years earlier in 1970 but was titivated up with a few overdubs by Page to get it up to scratch.

My own personnel favourite from the original first disc is In My Time of Dying which is actually based on a traditional song and had previously been recorded by Bob Dylan. Naturally the Zeppelin version has their trademark stamp on it and after starting as a slow bluesy number steps up a few notches for a bombastic middle instrumental section featuring some great slide playing from Page and Bonhams Bass Drum playing is on top form.

Next up is Houses of the Holy, another strong Rocker left over from the album of the same name which is followed by the funky Trampled Underfoot with good keyboard contributions from Jones and Plant, who is on great form throughout the album sings his heart.

Kashmir which closes the first disc has become a Zeppelin classic with its Eastern tinged riff and simple but effective Drumming from Bonham.

The second disc whilst not quite as consistent as the first nevertheless contains some fine moments. Highlights being the haunting In the Light, Ten Years Gone and some more great Heavy Rock in Night Flight, The Wanton Song and Sick Again. There's a nice acoustic interlude called Bron-Y-Aur and a bluesy stomp called Black Country Woman which is a bit of a throwaway track but amongst such good company I wouldn't complain.

Down by the Seaside, another fourth album leftover which didn't fit in with the mood of that release is a worthy addition here. Boogie with Stu, featuring Ian Stewart of Stones fame sounds like a barroom tune and although fun, is the weakest song on a superb release.

So despite a couple of less than perfect moments a 5 star album and one of the greatest albums ever.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

Unearthly Litanies of Despair Death Metal
ENGULFED
Buy this album from MMA partners
It Beckons Us All....... Black Metal
DARKTHRONE
Buy this album from MMA partners
Death Is Not The End Doom Metal
GLOSSA
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Way Forward Sludge Metal
BLACK TUSK
Buy this album from MMA partners
Till Aska Atmospheric Sludge Metal
WALK THROUGH FIRE
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

Agremorta - Adrocitas (Official Lyric Video)
AGREMORTA
Bosh66· 2 days ago
Agremorta - Ploratus Umbra (Official Lyric Video)
AGREMORTA
Bosh66· 2 days ago
Agremorta - Vertex Membrana (Official Lyric Video)
AGREMORTA
Bosh66· 2 days ago
HAIL SPIRIT NOIR - The Temple Of Curved Space (Official Track Stream)
HAIL SPIRIT NOIR
adg211288· 2 days ago
In Sulfur - The Gate (OFFICIAL VIDEO) 2022
IN SULFUR
Bosh66· 3 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed