Houses of the Holy--The Metal Balloon Takes Flight

Houses of the Holy, released in 1973, is an important album in the Led Zeppelin discography. I like to think of it as a plateau; the band melds the products of their first four albums into this one, sort of like adding an exclamation point to their work up to this time, before moving on to higher and different musical ideas. The Indian and Moroccan influences which would later color their music doesn't appear on Houses of the Holy, nor are there any vestiges of their basic blues roots. Instead, this album has a distinct hard rock feel, with just the right amount of pop seasoning.

The players and their contributions are:

Robert Plant, lead vocals
Jimmy Page, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, electric twelve-string guitar
John Paul Jones, bass guitar, piano, organ, mellotron, synthesizer, backing vocals
John Bonham, drums, backing vocals

The tracks and my comments on each are as follows:

1. The Song Remains The Same--An urgent repeated note on the electric twelve-string guitar starts this musical odyssey. Jimmy Page shines with his guitar work, and John Paul Jones turns in a gorgeous, melodic bass line that is as distinctive as the electric guitar solos that Page churns out. John Bonham accents the tempo changes with some outstanding drumming, and Robert Plant's vocals are awesome. Some of the lyrics are beautiful--"California sunlight, sweet Calcutta rain, Honolulu starbright...". Lyrical imagery at its best.

2. The Rain Song--You know, it's rare, at least for me, to find a song that creates a mood to match it's descriptive title, but this one does just that. It makes me imagine that I'm in a isolated cabin in the middle of a slow summer rain. Jimmy Page's dry, brittle sounding acoustic guitar is perfect for the mood, and his electric guitar licks (especially the 9th chords), are the perfect complement. The mellotron solo fits nicely, and by the time this album was released, the mellotron had become a staple in Led Zeppelin's menu of instruments. Jones' bass playing is melodic and his performance on this album might be his best. Plant's vocals are rather languid and lend to the effect of the song.

3. Over The Hills And Far Away--A true musical opus. A brilliant acoustic guitar with an unforgettable hook opens the song, and is soon joined by another acoustic guitar playing a counterpoint part. Plant's vocals have almost a pop feel, but when the entire band kicks in, the song becomes undeniably hard and heavy. Page's electric guitar solo is just what we have become to expect from him, and the syncopated licks in the song are laid down by Jones and Bonham. The ending of the song is a pleasant change of pace.

4. The Crunge--Can you say "funk"? Can Led Zeppelin do "funk"? The answer is a resounding "yes" and "yes". They really jump on this one in a style that is eerily reminiscent of James Brown or Rufus Thomas. The stuttering bass line and the trademark "soul" 9th chords mark this song. The synthesizer does a credible imitation of Motown horns, and there are some obscure references to some great soul artists--..."call me Mr. Pitiful" (Otis Redding), and ..."I don't need no respect" (Aretha Franklin). The lyric about the bridge at the end has some significance, but I just can't quite recall what it is.

5. Dancing Days--This number's a straight-up hard rocker, featuring an organ to compliment Jimmy Page's lead guitar licks. There's even a little slide guitar in this one, too. Bonham sets up a good tempo, and Jones' bass line accent the kick drum. The mood of the lyrics are rather light, which is a contrast to the edgy feel of the music.

6. D'yer Mak'er--This song is just good old fun. The chord progression is pinched directly from many songs from the 1950's, and the lyrics are uncomplicated also. This just might be Led Zeppelin's 50's tribute song. It works well, and gives us a clear idea of how versatile this band really was.

7. No Quarter--No Led Zeppelin album would be complete without a "dark" tune, and this is it. There's a lot going on in this one, with the added piano, synthesizer and synthesized bass. The tune starts rather quietly, but when the beat picks up, it quickly becomes ponderous. Plant's vocals are somewhat muddy, but I think that this is what Jimmy Page was looking for in the production of this song. It's a longish number, and could probably get a little monotonous after a while. My least favorite song on the album.

8. The Ocean--This song has got a touch of funk, but nothing like The Crunge. Jimmy Page's guitar riff, doubled by the bass, is central to this one, and John Bonham's drum licks gives it that little touch of funk. The time change at the end has an uplifting effect, and provides a good feel upon which to close the album.

Houses Of The Holy, as I said before, seems to be a compilation of the band's earlier work. Perhaps they felt that they had to make this sort of statement before moving on to different musical themes and ideas in their later work. I think that they made that statement more than adequately, and I highly recommend this album as one of their best.