LED ZEPPELIN

I've never understood why this album made Led Zepplin into instant superstars.I'm sure that at the time it was released it was quite grounbreaking (and I mean merely grounbreaking ,not revolutionary-there is a difference) but I just don't think it has stood the test of time well.The opener Good Times Bad Times is basically a passable 60's pop song, albeit with a blistering guitar solo.Babe I'm Gonna Leave You isn't actually their song.The hard chorus bit was perhaps something fresh in 1969, but by today's standards it's nothing special. You Shook Me again isn't their song and again,by todays standards it seems pretty lame.Dazed And Confused is perhaps the song that made this album, but it's a song I've never liked. It's basically a blues song that has a kickin chorus and a "blistering" (for 1969) guitar solo.Yeah in 1969 it was somthing new, but after we've had Van Halen, Black Sabbath, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai,Randy Rhoads etc. is it something we should be listening to all the time ?In my opinion, no. Side 2 has Your Time Is Gonna Come which is a pleasant enough song although the chourus makes me cringe a bit.Black Mountain Side is a nice acoustic ditty.Communication Breakdown sounds,frankly, lame by today's standards. At the time I'm sure that Zeppelin thought they were really mean hard rockin' dudes but ,sorry, when I hear it today it sounds almost quaint. I can't Quit You Baby is a dreary blues song with some sloppy guitar playing.How Many More Times,contrary to popular belief isn't their song it's just a medley of old 50's blues and pop songs, and it's just too damn long and dull.So there we have it,an album which was fresh in 1969 but pretty darn stale in today's day in age.So why is so popular? Simple. It's by Led Zeppelin, and people will tell you that if you don't listen to Zeppelin, you're simply not cool.Now I'm not saying that Led Zeppelin didn't write a few good songs but I feel that this album is clearly overrated by the majority of people.Personally I consider the first Black Sabbath album to be much more groundbreaking ,fresh, and exciting,yet it didn't make Sabbath into instant superstars.I don't consider Zeppelin to be the founders of heavy metal, I consider it to be Hendrix(how can you not bang your head to Purple Haze, Spanish Castle Magic or Wild Thing?)I think that Zeppelin were able to take the sound of Hendrix, Blue Cheer and Cream and make it more "defined" on a piece of vinyl. If you saw Hendrix play live I'm sure that you wouldn't consider Zeppelin as the founders of heavy metal. I feel that part of Led Zeppelin's appeal is not because they wrote breathtaking music,but because they have become so indelibly ingrained in American Rock n roll culture, that they have an aura of greatness, which I consider largely to be undeserved.

3 out of 10.. rounded to 2 stars..