IN THROUGH THE OUT DOOR

An album that marks a change for the band, more keyboard-oriented and poppier. If Led Zeppelin didn't end, maybe it could have been great in the 80s, because this album feels like a unconfident transitional album that is experimenting and looking for a new sound. One negative aspect to note is Jimmy Page not being as great as always, playing less-inspired guitar riffs and solos (with the exception of the magnificent "I'm Gonna Crawl".

In The Evening doesn't start things very well, being an overly repetitive song with the same synth riff going on for many minutes and a weak chorus.

South Bound Suarez is poppy, with rhythmic piano, "lalala" vocals, and catchy guitar riffs. An improvement over the opener for sure as this song is really fun and refreshing for Led Zeppelin.

Fool in the Rain is a song dominated by piano. It starts as a pedestrian piano song then turns into a crazy salsa song! The percussion in this section is really good, proving that Bonham can really play any style he wants.

Hot Dog is another fun song. It sounds very western and really shows John Paul Jones playing some good piano.

Carouselambra is the "epic" of the album. It is very unusual, as most of the song is dominated by synths you would hear on a disco song. The rhythm section is outstanding and the song is consistently good until the last section which is too "disco" for my tastes.

All of My Love and I'm Gonna crawl are the highlights of the album. All of My Love is a very emotional song dedicated to Robert Plant's diseased son which is why the song may sound quite tender, poppy, and childish (the synth solo). I really love the arrangements and songwriting in this piece. I'm Gonna Crawl is even better. A wonderful symphonic intro is followed by a sad blues song with strings, making it quite unique. The song is incredibly good and the best is the emotional, desperate, and hearbreaking guitar solo which stands among the best guitar solos of Jimmy Page. You have to hear it.

An uneven album like Presence, containing mediocre songs, good songs, and a few excellent ones. This album is more symphonic and less guitar-heavy than the others. Try it at your own risk, but if you are a Led Zeppelin fan, you can't miss it.

Highlights: All of My Love, I'm Gonna Crawl.

Let Downs: In The Evening