Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Led Zeppelin Announce Led Zeppelin IV and Houses of the Holy Remaster Release

LedZeppelin.com today released details of the next two remastered albums, the untitled fourth album (hereafter referred to as IV) and Houses Of The Holy. As previously rumored, the two albums will get a fall release, in time for the lucrative Christmas shopping season - certainly Led Zeppelin IV (Super Deluxe Edition Box) will be item 1a on my Christmas list. The two albums will be released October 28th here in the Americas, 27th in Europe.

As with the first three albums, each album will come in a number of formats, including LP, CD and Digital download, as well as Deluxe 2 CD or LP Deluxe Editions with bonus material. As well, a Super Deluxe Edition Box set with 2 LPs, 2 CDs, a Hi-Rez download card and an 80-page hardcover book and a print of the original album cover artwork, the first 30,000 numbered.

The albums will contain the following tracks:

IV

Black Dog
Rock and Roll
The Battle of Evermore
Stairway to Heaven (never heard of it? ed.)

Misty Mountain Hop
Four Sticks
Going to California
When the Levee Breaks

Deluxe Edition Companion Disc Extras:

Black Dog (Basic Track with Guitar Overdubs)
Rock and Roll (Alternate Mix)
The Battle of Evermore (Mandolin/Guitar mix from Headley Grange)
Stairway to Heaven (Sunset Sound mix)

Misty Mountain Hop (Alternate mix)
Four Sticks (Alternate mix)
Going to California (Mandolin/Guitar mix)
When the Levee Breaks (Alternate U.K. mix)

Houses of the Holy

The Song Remains the Same
Rain Song
Over the Hills and Far Away
The Crunge

Dancing Days
D'Yer Maker
No Quarter
The Ocean

Deluxe Edition Companion Disc Extras:

The Song Remains the Same (Guitar overdub Reference mix)
Rain Song (Mix minus piano)
Over the Hills and Far Away (Guitar mix backing track)
The Crunge (rough mix, keys up)

Dancing Days (Rough mix with vocal)
No Quarter (Rough mix with JPJ keyboard overdubs - no vocal)
The Ocean (Working mix)

These releases come on the heels of the first three albums being released earlier this summer to what appears to be a huge success. Demand is great enough for the vinyl editions that here in Canada they can be very hard to find. However, personally I have picked up the first album deluxe edition on vinyl and the box set of Led Zeppelin III in recent weeks, to add to my deluxe CD for the first album and standard CD of Led Zeppelin II. I personally have been impressed with every aspect of these releases to date.

If the rumored release schedule continues to hold to form, Physical Graffiti will get a stand alone release next February, on or about the 40th anniversary of its original release on Feb. 24, 1975. Presence, In Through the Out Door and Coda will be released next fall, in time for the 2015 Christmas season.


 


Thursday, July 17, 2014

Robert Plant Returning to the Border

Robert Plant, with his Sensation Space Shifters, has released a video premiering his new album, lullaby and... The Ceaseless Roar, which Plant has referred to simply as "Ceaseless Roar" in recent interviews. The video shows Plant returning to the English countryside, and discussing how it affected the album.




One thing I have noticed on the promotions around this album, Plant seems to have stretched out his musical horizons more so than in his past couple of albums. The "every song starts to sound alike" factor seems like it will be less of an issue. Rainbow, which starts the video, sounds better and better and Somebody There (@2:26) has a great vocal hook.