The hat... If it wasn't for the bow, I'd question who was beneath there.
"Nobody's Fault but Mine", Presence
I really didn't get into Presence for a long time. I'd say of all the Led Zeppelin records, its the most inaccessible. Presence is a better album than In Through the Out Door, but takes more time to develop that taste. "Nobody's Fault but Mine" is one of the lesser, great Led Zeppelin songs. Meaning, its in the batch of great ones, but its not one of the best. All that...
Wow. So I did this last night, when I was supposed to -- and totally forgot that I never published it! Until right now, when I began writing the post for 3/11 (at 12:45AM, mind you). I wrote this when I wasn't connected to my internet, and IT DIDN'T SAVE. That has never happened to me -- typical computer disaster. My first. I was wise, and I left it open. I left my computer to watch The Killers (lame, but wait for my weekly wrap-up) and it FUCKING RESTARTED TO INSTALL UPDATES. So bye bye completed "Nobody's Fault but Mine" review, which I had not published because I wasn't connected to the internet, and had not yet adorned it with a photo! So um, that up there is all that blogger got. I'm gonna attempt to finish it now.
... goes on is absolutely thunderous. The band effortlessly sway between tempo changes, proving themselves to be an efficient unit. Such divine chemistry! The triple-tracked guitar is undoubtedly striking, but just sort of emotionless. John Bonham and JPJ hold down that killer rhythm, which is great and explosive. The harmonica sounds rough and delectable, adding yet another sublime element. And I'm listening, and Page's guitar is utterly dynamic. The whole song is great one, no doubt. But it fails me somewhere. Its a good song, but its missing that spark. Everything is a bit swift and emotionless. Like they just cranked it out, bam bam bam, "here you go"! The urgency and pressure under which Presence was crafted is immensely evident. On some it works in their favor. Not so much here. "Achilles Last Stand" certainly wins for token Presence epic. But that hasn't come up yet, so mum I go!
And now for tonight's actual post:
"Achilles Last Stand", Presence
Ho ho ho, do you enjoy how I played that? "Achilles Last Stand" is fucking marvelous. Rampant, volatile, and damn near dangerous. Staggeringly powerful and totally electrifying. Let's say I could only play one track to someone to prove the greatness of Led Zeppelin. "Achilles Last Stand" wouldn't be it. It isn't multifaceted enough. But if I had to prove Led Zeppelin to be an intense and heavy force, wild and unruly... That's "Achilles Last Stand". Which is a rather bitchin' trait, is it not? "Achilles Last Stand" emulates all of those words which I use so frequently to describe Led Zeppelin: dynamic, explosive, intricate, masterful. Everything is done with such sophistication, but its also untamed and ragged. And I dig that so much! As I was researching Jimmy Page's use of the B-Bender (edit: That makes it sound like he uses a B-Bender on this track. No, not that I know of), I came across something about how he is an overrated guitar player, because he made mistakes live, and probably wasn't even capable of note for note perfection. What a silly thing to expect from JP. What I'm talking about is the EXACT OPPOSITE of what those forum fools were discussing! His playing live, and in the studio, especially on this track, was fantastic. It was always inventive and he was CONSTANTLY exploring. That's the allure. The spontaneity and the rough nature. But it always had this underlying tidiness. Tidiness isn't the word, because that stuff could get straight up outlandish, but it was always conducive. He didn't go anywhere unnecessary. He took risks, but they well thought out and perfectly placed. Few songs showcase that better than "Achilles Last Stand". I normally associate "guitar army" with things like "Ten Years Gone". Lush build-ups and bursting pleasure. But "Achilles Last Stand" is a true GUITAR ARMY. Caps necessary! Its genuinely orchestral. I was going to say its also missing a certain emotional statement, but I'm calling myself out! That would be untrue of "Achilles Last Stand", I simply associated "emotion" too closely with melancholy. The guitar is climactic, even apocalyptic! It builds, it crashes, it scorches, and it PLEASES. He hits some of those great "happy/open" notes, as I call them. Its truly extraordinary. And seriously, John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Robert Plant -- the neglected lot of this blog, they're steaming here. Absolutely raging. JPJ is galloping. Along with John Bonham, a true powerhouse, they provided this great contrasted background for Page to layer on top of. And it all simply wouldn't have worked if those elements weren't all perfectly in place. I certainly dote on Jimmy Page as the master of that group, but don't get me wrong, I'm fully aware his talents alone couldn't have cut it. No one but those four. Its magical.
