VOTD 2/18/2023

 Led Zeppelin: Presence (Swan Song)

Purchased at Jerrys' Records

In one trip to Jerry's years ago, I bought three of the most contentious albums by 70s big name powerhouses: King Crimson's Islands, Yes' Tales from Topographic Oceans, and Led Zeppelin's Presence. I suppose in the latter's case, you could make an equal case for In Through the Out Door as being the band's most contentious album, but I'll stay with this one. I still have the sticker on the cover, reading $4. Even in imperfect (though pretty good) condition, buying this now at that price would be unlikely.

I've gone back and forth on Led Zeppelin so many times. I can't say they have ever been my favorite band, or even close to the top. But I sometimes question my own tastes sometimes, insofar as, do I like or dislike something because its popularity? It's easy for me to eschew popular, big name bands just because that's what they are. 

It's also easy for me to put down current popular music, the old trap of "music was better in my time." Was it, was it really? 

Here's the thing. I grew up in the era of bands. Indeed, it was rock bands, but the point being that it was musicians in collections that created an identity and sound. Plenty of bands were influenced, sound something like Led Zeppelin, but nobody else was exactly like them. They're instantly recognizable. I couldn't tell you one current pop singer from another now, they sound anonymous to me. Add to that how the vocals are treated in current production: highly compressed, processed, autotuned. It's like facial plastic surgery; it ultimately makes everyone look (or sound) alike. I do appreciate the greater diversity to current artist, unlike the prominence of 70s white male rock combos. But I just don't like the music or the way it's made. It's a producer's medium now, not a musician's (generally speaking). 

What to make of this record? There's the surreal cover, of an unnamed twisted obelisk appearing in various, otherwise innocuous settings. What's the meaning? Maybe there isn't any, or maybe it's the "presence" entering into ordinary lives. Like, a mystical force, or even a cult. I won't read into it too much. I think the band is clearly trying to draw a distinction between themselves and other groups who present as straight forward rock and roll bands. The cover is by the design group Hipgnosis, known for their surrealist but sharply photographed imagery. That means Throbbing Gristle's Peter Christopherson had his mark on the imagery. I like that.

Regarding Led Zeppelin itself, I've long stated that I found Robert Plant to be the most annoying member of the band. He certainly would have run out of lyrics pretty quickly if he wasn't allowed to sing "oh baby, baby" and "need your love". I have been reminded by two different people that nobody else could have done what he did, fronted this band that way he did. I don't think I have an argument against that. I also admire Robert's ongoing dedication to music, of working over the years since the dissolution of this band. He's continuing to record and perform, when the other two remaining members maybe turn up every few years, but not to the same extent. That's a shame, John Paul Jones is a great rhythm section player, and Jimmy Page an interesting producer.

And what of the album? Let's start by saying it's not the band's best work. They have successfully shed their blatant blues band roots, even though it turns up again on "Tea for One". I find this record a bit padded, which shouldn't happen for something clocking around forty minutes. "Nobody's Fault but Mine" is essentially another blues workout, with a great tough band sound but going on perhaps longer than it should. I was never taken with the plodding "For Your Life". My favorite track is "Hots On For Nowhere", a sleeper song that's pretty funky. 

I read a book about LZ once, a trashy narrative if ever there was one. There's something in the story about how Jimmy Page did all of his guitar overdubs over a weekend. At least, that's how I remember it. It was a difficult time in the band's relatively short existence, only become more troubled leading up to In Through the Out Door. Maybe they should have sat on this album a little longer, tinkered with it more. The mix is very guitar and bass heavy, something I'm sure they wanted, but also maybe could have worked over more. Who knows. There's little point in trying to analyze this music at this point, so much has been written about it. I can only share my viewpoint of the present as I experience it again.