Symphonic Zep (long)

[Jethro8146@xxxxxxx]

Well, out of lurkdom I come, and with me I bring news about the "Symphonic
Music of Led Zeppelin" CD that came out today (I'm assuming, anyway...haven't
seen it before today).  It contains classical reworkings of "Kashmir",
"Battle of Evermore", "Stairway to Heaven", "When the Levee Breaks", "Going
to California", "Friends" and "All My Love".  A freind of mine bought it, and
I had the good fortune to hear most of it.  So, in case any of you were
interested, here's a debriefing of the tunes...in the ear and out the mind of
one peasant Zep-head...

"Kashmir"--Pretty much what's to be expected of a orchestral version of the
song....sounds like an instrumental take on the PG version.  Nothing wrong
w/this however...runs about 8:30

"Battle of Evermore"--Didn't get to hear this one, so I won't say anything...


"Stairway"--A little on the disappointing side.  The guitar solo is emulated
quite well by the strings, and the section is VERY powerful.  Other than
that, i found it boring although there's a certain beauty about it (remember,
it's still "Stairway"...).  I was very let down by the fact that the final
section ("And as we wind on down the road") was completely left out.  After
the solo the orchestra does a fairly dull coda back to the initial melody
that lasts about three minutes.  Total time is like ten and a half.

"When the Levee Breaks"--Perhaps the most curious choice of Zep tunes on this
disc, IMO.  I was a little afraid to hear this one; afraid of what it would
sound like after the composer (or whatever you call the guy who writes all
the charts for the orchestra) put the Beethoven treatment to it.  I was
pleasently surprised.  It's not the in-your-face blues attack that the
original is, but that doesn't mean it lacks force.  Sounds a little more like
a Yanni-penned tune than anything else (don't take that the wrong way, all
you Yanni-bashers out there...you know who you are.  The track really is
good).  The drummer actually does a respectable job...running time in the
seven minute range.

"Going to Califiornia"--Didn't get to hear anything but the first minute and
a half or so...I will say this:  The track is over ten minutes and by the
time it got skipped I still had heard no hint of the melody.

"Friends"--I thought this song benefeited most from the string treatment.
 The P/P version is among my favorites of their reworkings, and I found this
to have far more beauty and power than the "No Quarter" version.  It runs six
minutes, and it does get a bit tiresome towards the end, but by far the best
track on the disc, IMO.

"All My Love"--The only song that I really didn't care for at all.  It runs
damn near 11 minutes, and Jonesy's solo doesn't come around until about 8:45.
 I found this track to be flat out dreadful.  Granted "All My Love" is far
from my faorite Zep tune, but it's not without merit.  This take on it,
though was completely devoid of any redeeming qualities.  

Other tidbits--The disc opens and closed with a couple of tunes I've never
heard of before (unless P/P leaked any on their new ideas to the guys who
came up with the idea).  The first one I didn't get a chance to hear, but the
last song sounded a little like a lost "No Quarter" tune remixed by some
quote unquote DJ who had a few too many mushrooms on his pizza.

Well, I hope this has provided someone w/information they found useful.  Just
remember one thing...the preceeding message has been brought to you by Jeff's
opinion.  Do not take Jeff's opinion as the word of God and then flame him
after you spend $15 on this CD, only to find it sucks.  I personally enjoyed
hearing fresh takes on Zep tunes that didn't completly piss me off.  Just my
two cents...

Peace-
Jeff in podunk Kansas

PS-Before I return to lurkdom, let me pose one last question...what possess a
person to put out an album of classically reworked Zep songs and NOT include
"Rain Song"?  Just wonderin'...Later.