Led Zeppelin II review

Led Zeppelin's second album, largely recorded while on tour. Although put together during a pretty hectic time, it has like Led Zeppelin I been very influential and has been far more successful than many sequels.

Tracks:

1. Whole Lotta Love: 10/10 hypnotic, experimental, endlessly entertaining and heavier than a tropical thunderstorm, this masterful track is not only Led Zeppelin's most explicit song, it's also one of their best.

2. What is and What Should Never Be: 8/10 this one takes a bit of time to get going thanks to the jarring contrast between the verses and the chorus, but by the end Jimmy Page's epic guitar work and Robert Plant's awesome vocals will have you hooked.

3. The Lemon Song: 8/10 a bit too long and thematically similar to the other 2, but this is compelling throughout and worth listening to for That bridge and That outro alone.

4. Thank You: 7/10 one of Led Zeppelin's most syrupy and sentimental songs, but it's well played enough and it's kind of cute.

5. Heartbreaker: 9/10 truly epic. Jimmy Page's phenomenal guitar solo and the energy maintained throughout the song make this one a real firecracker.

6. Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman): 5/10 it's not too hard to see why this is Jimmy Page's least favourite Led Zeppelin song. It's enthusiastically played and mildly catchy, but the lyrics are offensive and it cowers in the shadow of Whole Lotta Love, which was its A side.

7. Ramble On: 8/10 the song only truly kicks into gear during the energetic chorus, but it's an enjoyable combo of Lord of the Rings and the rock star lifestyle.

8. Moby Dick: 9/10 John Bonham is one of the best drummers of all time, and if one wants evidence they need look no further than this. A drum solo which is so fast and powerful it sounds like a machine gun, Bonham sometimes broke his drumsticks while playing it.

9. Bring it On Home: 8/10 the first part of the song is very dull, but once the rock guitars kick in it becomes heavy, full-on Led Zeppelin fun.

Best song: Whole Lotta Love
Worst song: Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman)

Summary: A fantastic second album for Led Zeppelin, it's difficult to judge if it's better than the first one. They're both great anyway. Most of the songs are great fun to listen, it feels artful and the instrumental skill is unbelievable. Surely one of the best second albums in history, this one really takes some beating. It covers similar themes many times but then again, so do lots of albums.

Final rating: 9/10