JPJ's Thunderthief Reviewed by fan!! Next on Oprah....

[Mark Clark <airweasel@xxxxxxx>]

Hey everybody!
        In an effort to breathe some life into this group, I'm going to go 
through all the zeppelin members's non-Zep albums and review them, 
partly for the sake of MY enjoyment and with the hope that others out 
there will do the same. Feel free to comment on my reviews and share 
your own take on the songs presented for your listening enjoyment. 
Think of it like Oprah's book club...sort of. We can all discuss what 
it is that we get from the music the masters of rock have done on their 
own to get a better idea of what each band member contributed to the 
band-its all there in their solo works if you just learn how to look at 
from the right angle. Anywho, here is my first contribution to this 
delightful list. CHEERIO!

The Thunderthief
        by John Paul Jones (as reviewed by ME!)

(Note! It helps if you read this with a british accent because thats 
how I write.)

1)Leafy Meadows-Listening to this track reminds me rather of driving 
through the English countryside in a bright red convertible with the 
top down, just feeling cool and enjoying life and the scenery and 
everything. With one hand on the wheel, an arm resting comfortably on 
the door and the wind whooshing through my hair, I'd say life is pretty 
friggin' good. Got a fast car, good tunes and an upbeat take on life. 
Thats what this song speaks to me. But, then again, there could just be 
psychedelic drugs coursing through my veins and coloring my view. Who 
knows, but the album starts off really strongly with this standout 
track.

2)The Thunderthief-I won't bore you trying to analyze what the lyrics 
mean, but this is a standout track on the album and the vocals are 
mixed deep enough into it that it doesn't detract from the enjoyment of 
the roller coaster ride of the the rhythm track. The keyboard or 
harpsichord or whatever it is he plays during the songs final moments 
are a highlight, even more so than the guitar playing, which ain't all 
that bad either.

3)Hoediddle-This one strikes me as more of a freeform improv, just 
letting the music take itself wherever it wants to go before jumping 
into a delicious groove with a delightful guitar solo woven beautifully 
into the tapestry of sound Mr. Jones has created here. For a little 
while it evolves into a frantic mandolin exercise that just screams 
Medieval. If King Arthur had electricity back in the day, I dare say 
this would be something you'd hear during a party for the Gentry.

4)Ice Fishing at Night-This is actually a very lovely piece of music 
that I find very soothing to listen to. It excellently conveys the 
feeling of a lonely man holding a rod and reel over a hole in the ice, 
hoping for a catch. It reminds me of being in a cool blue room 
reflecting upon life.

5)Daphne-This one reminds me of the atmosphere of a tavern from the old 
west. Its got a slighty dirty, buy catchy groove, mixing piano in with 
the bass and drums and guitar. Not sure what the voices and words 
dropped here and there in the middle of it are for, but they do add a 
bit of an eerie feel to this track.

6)Angry, Angry-Most people who listen to this song will first be 
terrified by the vocal stylings of Mr. Jones. However, if you open your 
mind a bit-you'll be delighted by the song's driving rhythm track and 
the vocals will begin to make sense if you consider that this is the 
direction that Zeppelin could have gone, during the late 70's punk 
movement. Picture the Sex Pistols with some musical skill and better 
equipment and you've got this song. I quite enjoyed it once I stopped 
holding it up to the Zeppelin-esque expectations of music from a former 
Zep member. This demonstrates very well just what JPJ brought to that 
band-structure. Whatever is placed on top of it is just window-dressing 
for the sake of having a song thats more than just a rythm track-so the 
vocals just give it a bit of meaning-something to think about and take 
with you after you've listened and wondered, 'I wonder what he is 
trying to communicate with this song?'

7)Down to the River-JPJ and mandolins seem to go hand in hand on this 
track. It evokes in my mind  a picture of a little boy walking down a 
spring-time pathway on his way to play in the river, just enjoying the 
scenery and happy to be alive.

8)Shibuya Bop-Good god would I love to hear what Jimmy, Robert and 
Bonzo could have done on top of this oriental-influenced track. Geisha 
girls anyone? Very cool as it breaks down into a bit of psychedelic 
madness halfway into it before taking us on a mystical tour of the 
Orient via the delicious sonic textures that JPJ creates near the 
song's end. Truly the work of a musical genius. Kudos, man!


Mark
airweasel@xxxxxxx
www.desertlightning.com

Hey everybody!

        In an effort to breathe some life into this group, I'm going to go
through all the zeppelin members's non-Zep albums and review them,
partly for the sake of MY enjoyment and with the hope that others out
there will do the same. Feel free to comment on my reviews and share
your own take on the songs presented for your listening enjoyment.
Think of it like Oprah's book club...sort of. We can all discuss what
it is that we get from the music the masters of rock have done on
their own to get a better idea of what each band member contributed to
the band-its all there in their solo works if you just learn how to
look at from the right angle. Anywho, here is my first contribution to
this delightful list. CHEERIO!


<fontfamily><param>Helvetica</param>The Thunderthief

        by John Paul Jones (as reviewed by ME!)


(Note! It helps if you read this with a british accent because thats
how I write.)


1)Leafy Meadows-Listening to this track reminds me rather of driving
through the English countryside in a bright red convertible with the
top down, just feeling cool and enjoying life and the scenery and
everything. With one hand on the wheel, an arm resting comfortably on
the door and the wind whooshing through my hair, I'd say life is
pretty friggin' good. Got a fast car, good tunes and an upbeat take on
life. Thats what this song speaks to me. But, then again, there could
just be psychedelic drugs coursing through my veins and coloring my
view. Who knows, but the album starts off really strongly with this
standout track.


2)The Thunderthief-I won't bore you trying to analyze what the lyrics
mean, but this is a standout track on the album and the vocals are
mixed deep enough into it that it doesn't detract from the enjoyment
of the roller coaster ride of the the rhythm track. The keyboard or
harpsichord or whatever it is he plays during the songs final moments
are a highlight, even more so than the guitar playing, which ain't all
that bad either.


3)Hoediddle-This one strikes me as more of a freeform improv, just
letting the music take itself wherever it wants to go before jumping
into a delicious groove with a delightful guitar solo woven
beautifully into the tapestry of sound Mr. Jones has created here. For
a little while it evolves into a frantic mandolin exercise that just
screams Medieval. If King Arthur had electricity back in the day, I
dare say this would be something you'd hear during a party for the
Gentry.


4)Ice Fishing at Night-This is actually a very lovely piece of music
that I find very soothing to listen to. It excellently conveys the
feeling of a lonely man holding a rod and reel over a hole in the ice,
hoping for a catch. It reminds me of being in a cool blue room
reflecting upon life.


5)Daphne-This one reminds me of the atmosphere of a tavern from the
old west. Its got a slighty dirty, buy catchy groove, mixing piano in
with the bass and drums and guitar. Not sure what the voices and words
dropped here and there in the middle of it are for, but they do add a
bit of an eerie feel to this track.


6)Angry, Angry-Most people who listen to this song will first be
terrified by the vocal stylings of Mr. Jones. However, if you open
your mind a bit-you'll be delighted by the song's driving rhythm track
and the vocals will begin to make sense if you consider that this is
the direction that Zeppelin could have gone, during the late 70's punk
movement. Picture the Sex Pistols with some musical skill and better
equipment and you've got this song. I quite enjoyed it once I stopped
holding it up to the Zeppelin-esque expectations of music from a
former Zep member. This demonstrates very well just what JPJ brought
to that band-structure. Whatever is placed on top of it is just
window-dressing for the sake of having a song thats more than just a
rythm track-so the vocals just give it a bit of meaning-something to
think about and take with you after you've listened and wondered, 'I
wonder what he is trying to communicate with this song?' 


7)Down to the River-JPJ and mandolins seem to go hand in hand on this
track. It evokes in my mind  a picture of a little boy walking down a
spring-time pathway on his way to play in the river, just enjoying the
scenery and happy to be alive.


8)Shibuya Bop-Good god would I love to hear what Jimmy, Robert and
Bonzo could have done on top of this oriental-influenced track. Geisha
girls anyone? Very cool as it breaks down into a bit of psychedelic
madness halfway into it before taking us on a mystical tour of the
Orient via the delicious sonic textures that JPJ creates near the
song's end. Truly the work of a musical genius. Kudos, man!


</fontfamily>

Mark

airweasel@xxxxxxx

www.desertlightning.com