lambchops's Full Review: In Through the Out Door [Remaster] by Led Zeppelin
Everybody knows about Led Zeppelin’s first four numbered albums. They are classics—complete, energetic, exciting, and diverse. Led Zeppelin proved from the start that they were what rock and roll should be about in the late 1960s and 1970s. I am a die hard fan and cherish every single release from the band including their last real release, 1979’s In Through the Out Door.
The late 1970s saw a shift in rock music not to mention the unfortunate death of drummer John Bonham. In Through the Out Door was the last music Bonham made with his fellow bandmates Robert Plant (vocals), Jimmy Page (guitars), and John Paul Jones (bass guitar). While it isn’t as perfect as Led Zeppelin I-IV not to mention Houses of the Holy or Physical Graffiti it is still an outstanding example of the band’s amazing ability to create swaggering, confident, trippy blues-rock. This album represents everything about Led Zeppelin I’ve always loved even if there is no Stairway to Heaven, Black Dog, Kashmir, or Rock and Roll.
What In Through the Out Door does have is one of my favorite rock tracks of all time--Fool in the Rain. Before getting to that track, though, I have to mention how much I adore In the Evening. It’s a gorgeous rock song complete with massive riffs, stomping rhythms, and fabulous vocals from Plant. It’s a classic song. In contrast to the second song, South Bound Saurez it is distinctly “heavy.” South Bound Saurez on the other hand is an upbeat, groovy track. I love that it isn’t too serious but the instruments are still perfect. Sit back and relax to the summery perfection of the second track—while it’s not the best know Zeppelin track it is certainly one of the most exuberant.
Fool in the Rain is, at least to me, in a category of its very own. It combines the guttural rock and roll with a pop melody and uncharacteristically light instruments. I love the fact that even with the usual dense Led Zeppelin style dropped it is still a fascinating and perfect (yes I’m using the “p” word) offering. The pianos and obvious Latin slant add a little something extra to the mix. Fool in the Rain is the kind of track that could feasibly win the band new fans.
I don’t love every moment of In Through the Out Door. The rockabilly Hot Dog annoys me. I understand it was the band trying something new and different but it does very little for me aside from proving annoying. I still can’t help but love Plant’s performance but it is too long at just over three(!) minutes. Fortunately the band makes a return with the odd yet satisfying synthesizer driven Carouselambra. Again, it is not a favorite but it is a fair enough song. All My Love is however another in the “classic” category. Mellow, vaguely acoustic, and atmospheric it is a lovely and delicate track well worth checking out. I believe it to be one of Led Zeppelin’s most lovely songs.
The final song is I’m Gonna Crawl. Introspective blues makes it a standout on this worthwhile album. I can’t say it is as great as Fool in the Rain, All My Love or In the Evening but it is definitely a lovely way to end the band’s career—blues always was at the center of their sound.
Obviously Led Zeppelin never intended to end their career with this album. I’m sure they thought the band would last more than a decade. I’m positive they expected to be making music throughout the eighties. Alas, it was not meant to be. Out of respect to the art of music this was their last album save for the posthumous Coda which actually consisted of previously recorded tracks.
In Through the Out Door is a fine enough album. With just seven tracks, the fact that I’m so annoyed by one does drop it down a star, but overall it is still a necessary album for fans. Buy it and cherish every moment. For me Fool in the Rain alone makes it worth a full price purchase.
Track Listing:
01. In the Evening
02. South Bound Saurez
03. Fool in the Rain
04. Hot Dog
05. Carouselambra
06. All My Love
07. I’m Gonna Crawl
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
![In Through the Out Door [Remaster] by Led Zeppelin](http://di1.shopping.com/images1/pi/70/0d/4b/2005386433-177x150-0-0.jpg)
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.