How The West Was Won: Reason enough to bring back the triple-LP.
Written: Jul 14 '03
Product Rating:
Pros: Songlist, production quality, Page's solos, each member is in tip-top condition
Cons: Nothing that makes it anything less than a must-have album
The Bottom Line: Easily the best live album of the new millennium, it will be immensely difficult for any other band to breach the caliber that Zeppelin has established here. Must-own.
toolhead's Full Review: How the West Was Won [Box] by Led Zeppelin
As I sit here in front of my computer, I try to think up a clever, enticing introduction that is able to impress you by stating something that hasn't already been said a thousand times over about the almighty Led Zeppelin, or even this album, the three-disc collection of live, previously unpublished material (at the date of this writing, the album is a mere five weeks old). But that's the whole dilemma...what can I tell you that hasn't already been confirmed by fans, critics, and the band members themselves over the past 35 years of the band's legacy? Led Zeppelin, one of the greatest live acts of rock and roll history? One of the greatest bands of their time, or any time? The greatest band...of all time? In the end, it's all been said before, so there's little I can do to try and inform you about general knowledge/opinion of the classic rock behemoth that is Led Zeppelin. I suppose my entire review would be best summed up in stating, quite simply, that I've owned this album for a mere three days now, only listened to it a handful of times (though as often as time would allow), and I'm already convinced that this is not only the best live album I've ever heard, but quite possibly, one of the best albums in my entire collection. Of course, all of Zeppelin's material (well, the vast majority of it) is typically mind-blowing, but in the case of How The West Was Won, I simply can't find enough good to say about it. Nonetheless, I'll give it a shot.
Rock has been littered (literally, in some cases) with a trail of innumerable throw-away live albums, and a select few in each era of recording history are truly worth the price of purchase, regardless of a fan's own background, taste, or preferences. I think it is a safe bet to say this is true for How The West Was Won. Fans of Zeppelin, new and old, aged and young, casual and dedicated, would be hard-pressed to find any particular flaws with this album, and although it does have a few imperfections, I'd think any Zeppelin fan a fool to argue this album away from its deserving five-star status. But before I wander too far into the realm of shameless praise, let's start off with the qualities this album so damn enjoyable in the first place.
First of all, the song list is virtually unbeatable. Many fans--including myself--will be prone to compare this release with the band's two previous live LPs, 1976's The Song the Remains the Same and BBC Sessions, a double album released in 1997 (these comparisons will appear continually throughout my review, so watch out). Although BBC Sessions offered a wide selection of the band's early material and blues-based rarities, and in spite of Song Remains' downright mediocre playlist, How The West Was Won incorporates both the band's best-known and most-loved tunes ("Stairway to Heaven", "Whole Lotta Love", "Rock and Roll", and "Black Dog" are all represented) as well as a fair amount of more rare, but equally enjoyable, tunes such as "Dancing Days" and "That's the Way". The cds contain a large list of songs (a record seventeen in all) that span the entire spectrum of the band's first five albums, from fast-paced, searing rockers to dissonant, psychedelic jams to more casual, acoustic set numbers. In short, this album has all you could ever want. It is a bit unfortunate that some latter-day hits, such as "Kashmir", "Achilles’' Last Stand" and "Ten Years Gone" could not be included, but considering those songs would be released years after this album (its material was culled from two live shows from June, 1972), this is clearly understandable. Each one of the first five albums are represented with a near-equal amount of tunes (except, unfortunately, the first record, which only claims one song, a 25-minute long "Dazed and Confused"), and it successfully spans some of the band's early, bluesier work with its later, more expansive songs, such as "The Ocean" and "Over the Hills and Far Away." In other words, though each fan's personal preferences may leave them wanting a few extra songs, there's enough diversity here to keep everyone satisfied.
Second of all, a quality that typically plays a heavy hand in the success of a live album: production quality. Both of these shows have been floating around fan bootlegs for so long now, that many older/fanatical Zepheads have probably heard them by now, but never in such fine sound quality as is demonstrated here. Page himself mastered and produced every song on the album, and in traditional Jimmy 'Perfectionist' Page fashion, the tracks themselves couldn't sound better. Each song is clear, crisp, and balanced across the equalizer...very solid and pleasing to the ears. How The West Was Won proves to be one of those albums that sounds great on a nice pair of headphones, but even better when cranked through a decent home or car stereo. I can think of a lot of studio albums (even today) that sound considerably worse than this one; as far as production is concerned, have no worries. Sometimes, John Paul Jones' bass can become a tad muddled under the bombastic sounds of the rest of the band, which is unfortunate (considering he is truly an equal in a band of giants--all four of them), but this is neither a consistent nor pressing issue.
Now for the actual performances themselves, easily the most important part of judging the quality of any live album. I'm sure that anyone pondering this album is wondering if they're in for the drawn-out, unenthused jams from The Song Remains the Same, which admittedly, is a travesty to a band that was so amazing, both live and in the studio, as Zeppelin was. To those still harboring these fears, take heed, the band could not be in better shape than they are here. Truthfully, I think the songs themselves say it best, because its difficult for me to conjure up words that adequately describe the form and presence that all four members demonstrate throughout the entire album.
John Paul Jones' playing, while easily the most unchanged song portions from the album versions, consistently lays down a solid, reliable foundation of bass, organs, and string arrangements, proving once and for all that, while he typically the most overlooked member of the band, he is no less vital than the other three. In a couple of the blues numbers, he shows his uncanny and steadfast (though rarely implemented) knowledge of how to use scales and off-the-cuff walking basslines to provide a groovy, swinging base for the other band to build on. Filling out the band's rhythm section is Led Zeppelin's late, legendary man behind the drum set, John Bonham. Bonzo, arguably the only member of the band that never slowed or tired his performances as he aged, is nothing short of amazing on the album, creating breath-taking fills, variations, and improvised drumlines in each song. Obviously, the inconceivably long take of "Moby Dick" is predominantly his biggest claim on the album, considering that at least sixteen of those nineteen minutes he (alone) is soloing on the drums, but his presence on the rest of the tracks is not to be neglected, either. Examine his stellar work on "Rock and Roll" and "Heartbreaker", both prime examples.
For those of you at home who know how to pack a six-string, you'll be pleased to know that the guitar work on the album is easily the centerpiece throughout the majority of the songs, though it never becomes so overbearing or domineering as to distract from the rest of the band. Page's soloing, while occasionally a little too grandiose and drawn out for his own good, is also in immaculate condition in each song; "Stairway", "Heartbreaker", and "Whole Lotta Love" are but three examples of why he is so often imitated in the fields of heavy metal and hard rock, even today, thirty years later. However, even more fascinating than his solos are his minor, spur-of-the-moment riff improvisations, giving each song a better sense of flow and spontaneity. Lastly, but superbly equally, is vocalist Robert Plant. Although Plant doesn't bring anything altogether new or fascinating to these live interpretations of the band's catalog, he never stumbles (or even meanders) from his boastful, invocative voice that is now legend in the halls of classic rock legacy. Robert's voice is as sultry, smooth, and expansive as ever, and he demonstrates that mile-wide range of his throughout the span of the three records. I actually tend to think of Plant trying to catch up with his band mates on many songs, but considering how stellar everyone's performances are, this is in no way insulting. Altogether, How The West Was Won consists of top-notch playing from each band member, both as a unit, and separately.
The only major flaw I can see in the album--and unfortunately, this one does pertain to the performances themselves--is the fact that some of the jams are just too long for their own good. Yes, I am one of those fans who can enjoy, or at least stomach, an 18-minutes Bonham drum solo, or the nearly half-hour long blues jam in the middle of "Whole Lotta Love", but some fans may not appreciate these extended versions as much. Some impatient fans might outright detest them. You have to be in the right mindset to enjoy them, so unless you're very relaxed and/or stoned off your chair, you may want to skip to the shorter, more concise songs. However, even though the jam sessions are long (very long), they are much more creative, focused, and overall enjoyable than the likes of The Song Remains the Same, so don't expect to have to sit through twenty-minute jams over and over, bored out of your skull. Like BBC sessions before it, How The West Was Won gives a glimpse of a legendary band in top-form, and to the eager listener, these extended versions will be a godsend, not a curse.
Typically, this is the part where I recommend particular bands to fans of the album, but instead, I'll relate it to some live recordings of similar caliber and interest. Pantera's Official Live: 101 Proof, Sepultura's Under a Pale Grey Sky, Pink Floyd's Ummagumma (disc two), Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsies, The Allman Bros. Band's At Fillmore East, Machinehead's Hellalive, Tool's Salival, Cream’s Wheels of Fire, and Led Zeppelin's own BBC Sessions. However, despite the general high quality of all these live albums, few of them (if any) are capable of measuring up to the new standard Zeppelin has set henceforth.
Essentially, your final decision on whether or not to buy the album should be as easy as this. Ask yourself, 'Am I fan of Led Zeppelin?'. If the answer is affirmative, then there's practically no good reason to be without this record. It is on par with BBC Sessions and far exceeds the quality of The Song Remains the Same, and may very well be one of the best live albums of the past four decades. If you are new to Zeppelin, or looking into discovering them, this may not be the best initial purchase to introduce yourself to such an amazing band (as great as it is, it's not for everyone), but give it some time, and this album is sure to grow on you, like an inseparable addition to your record collection. Led Zeppelin fans of any age, era, or dedication are truly fortunate to have such a wonderful live snapshot of the band at their best (arguably) period of all. How The West Was Won is a classic record in every sense of the word, not to be missed.
Recorded in California How The West Was Won is a brilliant and essential audio complement to the DVD. This 3 CD set was culled from two legendary perf...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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