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REMASTERED LED ZEPPELIN III: Post Your Reactions/Reviews Here


Strider

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Since people have been talking about already receiving their Led Zeppelin remastered sets, I guess it is time to set up separate threads for us to discuss each album's merits and our thoughts and reviews on the music, the bonus tracks, the remastering job, the packaging, all the bells and whistles...pro and con.

This is the Led Zeppelin III thread.

Let me be clear...this is for your reaction to the actual product. Not what you heard on youtube or third-hand from a friend's phone. Also, no press reviews please...there is already a thread for those in the news section. This thread is for us fans on the Forum to discuss the remastered Led Zeppelin III sets once we receive them and have listened to them...hopefully on a good-quality sound system.

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Stunning remastering job, as I've said elsewhere. The "companion" audio for III is really where, for me, these remasters get very interesting: Alternate mixes of "Immigrant Song" and "Celebration Day," an instrumental backing track for "Friends," an official release of "Jennings Farm Blues," that alternate take of "Since I've Been Loving You"...this deluxe edition is a revelation on a few different levels.

Like with II, I feel as though I have a greater appreciation not only for what they were eventually able to mix together and release, but also for the incredible musicianship and real harmony that those four men had together. I'll cherish these glimpses into the behind-the-scenes for a long time to come, and can't wait for the other albums. :)

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Oh, I forgot to mention that you should feel free to share any photos you take of your Led Zeppelin III sets, what the books look like and the booklets, the joy of you opening the package for the first time, etc. Also, if you care to when you are posting your thoughts, please denote which format of the remasters you got: The Deluxe, the Super Deluxe, CD only, Vinyl only, iTunes, etc.

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LZ III companion disc is just fantastic, the best of the bunch. That's the Way is gorgeous; Jenning's Farm Blues sounds more improved over the bootlegs than I thought it would; SIBLY of course is amazing; instrumental Friends is wonderful, and it's great to be able to listen to it and Celebration Day without the synthesizer drone between them; Keys to the Highway sounds a LOT better than the version we got to hear on YouTube from Page's press event. This companion disc, IMHO, is a quite good, coherent album on its own.

Edited by tmtomh
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Oh, I forgot to mention that you should feel free to share any photos you take of your Led Zeppelin III sets, what the books look like and the booklets, the joy of you opening the package for the first time, etc. Also, if you care to when you are posting your thoughts, please denote which format of the remasters you got: The Deluxe, the Super Deluxe, CD only, Vinyl only, iTunes, etc.

I posted in the wrong review thread! Sorry! :hidinginwall:

Edited by SuperDave
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In 2 words... F#cking Awesome!

Having only been introduced to Led Zeppelin music in my 80's teenage years, I never owned an original Led Zeppelin Vinyl LP. I own the various CD's and earlier remasters, but to finally be able to own superbly remastered original albums is amazing.

I bought all 3 deluxe vinyl editions on Friday (release date in New Zealand). I've been playing them all weekend.

The remastering is brilliant. Listening to this timeless musical genius on remastered vinyl, brings out detail I hadn't heard before, and really feels like I'm finally able to fully enjoy the closest I'll ever be able to get to being there in the early 70's

It's also great to know the original 1/4 inch studio tapes are now well and truly decently preserved in HD digital, and will hopefully help to expose this music to, and influence, a whole new generation.

The companion disc material also adds a great insight into the musical process as the Led Zeppelin sound evolved.

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Album is DR10 for dynamic range. Great job so far. Mix of mostly DR9 and DR10 values, right around where you would expect for this music handled with care.

Damn, there is a whole depth level of bass revealed on these recordings for sure. I like it a lot better overall. The last boxset wasn't what I would call horrible but it doesn't hold a candle to these.

On tracks like Celebration Day a faint but very prolific smear has been erased replaced by a palpable sense of being there. I really really like these remasters, just like I liked the remixed Doors ones. It's like clearing away a layer of grime. It won't be totally apparent to people not interested in audio, but it's definitely something you can't ignore when shown the differences back to back. Subtle yet revealing changes make these 24/96 tracks definitive in every sense.

Revealing all that bass and separation is what puts it over the top. Again, I didn't even hate the last boxset, it just lost that power that original recordings possess.

Gallows pole sees the guitar get a decent dose of new detail. It's too hard not to appreciate all that a proper 2014 release can do to these old recordings. I am sure this is only amplified if you have some kind of nice home setup.

I'm listening on some nice beyerdynamics with a Denon 2112CI and the differences are very apparent between the early 90s set and this one at 24/96.

Edited by Khronikos
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^^^

Are you getting any physical copies of the album, Khronikos, or just sticking with the Hi Res files? Led Zeppelin III is one of my favourite Zeppelin albums...top 2 or 3 at least...so I am anticipating with relish hearing these new "That's the Way" and "Friends" mixes. "Jennings Farm Blues" I've had for years already on bootlegs but it'll be sweet to hear in audiophile form.

One thing I feel sorry about for those who only get the download files: How do you download the spinning wheel? :P

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I'm listening to the LP on my headphones . Much improved clarity than previous copies I have owned . Buy with confidence

Strider, great threads! Waiting on all 3 of the sets and I cannot wait to be doing that^^ :peace:

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Money is a bit short but I plan to get my favorite Zeps in the two CD deluxe cases. 3 is very high on that list along with the next 4 hehe. The downloads were ummm.... yeah. These recordings are amazing though. Loving them. Cannot wait for Presence and Graffiti!

Honestly, I was hoping for a 12 CD box like The Doors where they have DVDA and the CDs or in reality all I wanted was a discography of DVDAs for Zep. They don't seem to be able to do any of that without massively ripping people off.

We all know ONE friggin' Bluray could fit all their albums in 5.1 AND stereo hi-res. So I can't be bothered except to get a couple of these where I like the cover art and songs within more than the rest.

Edited by Khronikos
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Led Zeppelin III is probably my favourite of the three LPs anyway but I listened to the remastered one the whole way through last night, loud & have to say I was blown away by it, I genuinely didn't think that album could sound any better. Gallows Pole has always been a song that has kind of passed me by but having heard the version on the companion disc it's given the song a whole new life, Out on the tiles has even more energy, That's the way is even more beautiful & Since I've been loving you, what can I say? Every song is 10/10 for me.

My immediate reaction is that III also has the vastly superior companion disc of the one released thus far.

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My immediate reaction is that III also has the vastly superior companion disc of the one released thus far.

I've always loved the Paris Olympia show, so I'm thrilled to have it on the LZ I bonus disc. But that said, I've gotta agree with you - LZ III's bonus disc is basically a really good album in and of itself. Unlike the Zep II bonus disc, very little on the Zep III bonus disc is merely "interesting" - most of these versions are really great and worth repeated listening.

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Great so far, music speaks for itself on the companion disc. Amazing! Random thoughts:

  • Outstanding Jimmy! Thanks for the spinning wheel on the CD!!! Very nice touch!!!
  • Two date credits in the liner notes are confusing me:
  • First one: Jenning Farm Blues - Liner notes on CD say December 13, 1970. Shouldn't it be December 1969? Thought that was proven in other threads that this was recorded in December 1969
  • Second one: Immigrant song alternate take: says recorded May 29, 1970. If correct this means it was recorded before the Iceland show June 22, 1970. Either that date is wrong, or Plant is pulling our leg that he wrote the lyrics to Immigrant Song during that trip to Iceland, which he has claimed on more than one occasion. No doubt Plant has a fuzzy memory at times, but when I listen to him singing Immigrant Song lyrics for Bath Festival six days after the Iceland show, he barely sings any of the lyrics he wrote. So, I'm leaning in the direction that Jimmy has the wrong date for this alternate recorded version as well.

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LOVE the III companion disc, it is a gem. Bathroom Sound and Friends no-vocal tracks sound like Zeppelin in Dub, can really focus on the tight rhythm section and the sound is terrific on CD, drums sound fantastic, Gallows Pole is excellent as well,. Very happy w/ purchase :)

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Okay, this is nitpicking in the extreme, but slightly odd how 'Immigrant Song' becomes 'The Immigrant Song (Alternate Mix)' on the companion disc. Where did the 'The' come from? Also 'Bron-Y-Aur Stomp' is missing the extra 'r' that was added to all subsequent releases of 'Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp', for example on HTWWW and DVD Earl's Court segment. There needs to be a consistent policy on what these songs are called! Overall, absolutely love the deluxe release.

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I already loved LZ III, this new version just doubles it! I do like the simpler ''That's The Way'' for the most part and everything just sounds great. I see how ''Hats Off to (Roy) Harper'' came from ''Key to the Highway,'' very similar style. And it's nice to hear an official ''Jennings Farm Blues.''

Great work, Jimmy! Can't wait for the other six!

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