Best Of Led Zeppelin Vol.1, The (Early Days) [ECD] - Led Zeppelin > Reviews > Forerunner of Zeppelin greatness

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Groundbreaking
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Good
Value for Money	Good

Advantages:	key tracks from Led Zeppelin I & II
Disadvantages:	remastered many times since

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Taking tracks from Led Zeppelin I and II this album shows how timeless their music remains. The first album is in a way very different from what was to follow and stylistically owes a lot to Jimmy Page's previous band, The Yardbirds. Even Page's trademark guitar, the Les Paul, is missing from the first album which was recorded mainly with a psychedelicly painted Telecaster (which now resides on the wall of the Hard Rock Cafe, Whistler). From the start though, its clear to hear the tightness of the band. Every member, from John Paul Jones' locked in bass playing to Robert Plant's howling vocals fit together perfectly in this mix of blues and hard rock. Many of the acoustic to rock switches that Page incorporates into later classics like Stairway to Heaven can be first heard here too.