The iPod Observer

Music Review - Physical Graffiti

Physical Graffiti
- 5 out of 5
- Led Zeppelin
- Reviewed by Ricky Spero
- This album bears every flavor of genius from the five records that came before. It is, I believe, the band's finest. With Physical Graffiti, Zep came raging back to their musical home territory -- hard rock and supercharged blues -- carrying lessons from their digressions in Led Zeppelin III and Houses of the Holy. The album showcases singer Robert Plant's at his most melodic since singing "Stairway to Heaven" (he's on my short list for best voice in Rock and Roll history), and drummer John Bonham at his most subtle and refined -- even while he's at his hardest-hitting. Guitar hero Jimmy Page delivers all the variously clever, noodling, bluesy, rocking guitar riffs he can cram, and oft-forgotten bassist/keyboardist/mandolinier John Paul Jones provides a kind of musical spackle, especially in the mellower second disc of this double album. But even while Physical Graffiti serves as a summary of the explorations of Rock's quintessential band, it also sets a new standard for the Rock Epic in my two favorite tracks, "Kashmir," and "In My Time of Dying." The dark, driving intensity of those performances has yet to be matched. "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Freebird," and "November Rain," though fine songs in their way, can't touch Led Zep at its most passionate. - Ricky Spero