Houses of the Holy [Remastered]

by Led Zeppelin

Overview

Houses of the Holy follows the same basic pattern as Led Zeppelin IV, but the approach is looser and more relaxed. Jimmy Page's riffs rely on ringing, folky hooks as much as they do on thundering blues-rock, giving the album a lighter, more open atmosphere. While the pseudo-reggae of "D'Yer Mak'er" and the affectionate James Brown send-up "The Crunge" suggest that the band was searching for material, they actually contribute to the musical diversity of the album. "The Rain Song" is one of Zep's finest moments, featuring a soaring string arrangement and a gentle, aching melody. "The Ocean" is just as good, starting with a heavy, funky guitar groove before slamming into an a cappella section and ending with a swinging, doo wop-flavored rave-up. With the exception of the rampaging opening number, "The Song Remains the Same," the rest of Houses of the Holy is fairly straightforward, ranging from the foreboding "No Quarter" and the strutting hard rock of "Dancing Days" to the epic folk/metal fusion "Over the Hills and Far Away." Throughout the record, the band's playing is excellent, making the eclecticism of Page and Robert Plant's songwriting sound coherent and natural. [A remastered CD was released in 2014.] ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	10/27/2014
Label:	Atlantic / Rhino
UPC:	0081227958282
Rank:	477

Tracks

1. The Song Remains the Same
2. The Rain Song
3. Over the Hills and Far Away
4. The Crunge
5. Dancing Days
6. D'yer Mak'er
7. No Quarter
8. The Ocean

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Led Zeppelin   Primary Artist
John Paul Jones   Bass,Organ,Piano,Keyboards,Mellotron,Synthesizer,Guitar (Bass),Piano (Grand),Piano (Electric),Synthesizer Bass,Synthesizer Piano,Vocals (Background)
Robert Plant   Vocals (Background),Vocals
Jimmy Page   Guitar
John Bonham   Drums,Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Rod Thear   Mixing Engineer,Assistant Engineer
John Davis   Mastering Engineer,Remastering Engineer
Peter Grant   Executive Producer
John Paul Jones   Composer,Group Member
Phill Brown   Mixing Engineer
George Chkiantz   Engineer,Mixing Engineer
Drew Griffiths   Engineer
Andy Johns   Engineer,Mixing Engineer
Keith Harwood   Engineer,Mixing Engineer
Bob Potter   Assistant Engineer
Jimmy Page   Composer,Producer
Eddie Kramer   Engineer,Mixing Engineer
John Bonham   Composer
Robert Plant   Composer