Why In Through The Out Door is a GREAT album

[tmtomh]

On 11/14/2017 at 1:11 PM, woz70 said:

True.

But from the perspective of the buying public Let It Be was the final album of newly recorded music.

I think Phil Spector's production set it aside from the rest of The Beatles' canon anyway.... but it was still the last album.

Much as, like or loathe it, CODA was Zep's last album.

 Agreed.

And on a somewhat tangential note, Coda is a so-so album only because Physical Graffiti was such a great album. Had the seven 1970-72 outtakes on PG still been in the can and available for use on Coda in 1982, Coda would've been an incredible single album, or a very good double album, and to this day probably would be considered one of the two or three greatest albums ever released by a band after its demise.

Edited November 16, 2017 by tmtomh

[Mr_K]

Why a great album? No outstanding songs like WLL or STH or Kashmir, but an album that I can listen to repeatedly and enjoy from start to finish. Sure, I wish it was longer, had one or more songs with an edge to them, that really pushed a hard rocking sound that was a hallmark of of their earlier albums. Just one more tune other than ITE with a great guitar riff and I think the album would be rated higher than it is. Thanks.

[Blaize86]

I personally believe that 2 of the bands most played songs on mainstream radio come from this album.

All my Love and Fool in the Rain.

FITR I believe gets no respect. Who would of thought that type of beat and tempo would come out of the mighty Zep. 

Bonham's Purdue Shuffle is pure genius and never tires during the song. The insane samba soccer chant beat in the middle is brilliant followed by what I think is one of Jimmy's best solos. Robert is as clear as ever with one if his best vocal performances ever. 

All my Love should have stuck with the original Jimmy solo ending. 

I'm Gonna Crawl has cheesy keyboard intro but has a wonderful Jimmy solo and Robert singing his balls off with heavy echo. 

Hot Dog is fun 

In The Evening - pure Zep. A little over produced with Robert coming in too heavy on the reverb. Live is better.

Carouselambra- take away the keyboards a bit and raise Roberts vocals and it's a gem. The ending fade had Bonham in top form coming off and on the rider cymbal and floor toms with breakneck speed but it fades too fast. The song should have ending with just Bonham and that beat. 

South Bound Suarez sounds like a Plant solo album song. Has a great riff though and Bonzo is holding a great pocketed beat. 

Happy Holiday

[rm2551]

Fool in the Rain is indeed an amazing piece.

I think people generally not into ITTOD album are generally not appreciative of the direction and/or song structures - not necessarily the musicianship or absolute quality of playing (AS USUAL). Understandable as it is quite different. Not everyones taste, fair enough.

For mine, they just expanded more and more. different throughout from LZ1 to ITTOD. And CODA is still to me a better album than most other bands would be capable of. Imagine having that kind of quality on the shelf as "spares" Fucking hell!

I couldn't say a least favourite Zep album to be honest. And I know what a sycophant shitty fanboy kind of comment that sounds like, but I swear it's true. I really don't have a "least favourite" - or at least, the order in which I'd rate them is subject to constant change, and all are greatly appreciated is maybe a better way to put it.

You just have to love what these guys produced. Fucking timeless, the LOT.

ok, maybe one more beer then bed....

Edited November 24, 2017 by rm2551

[The Rover]

If Led Zeppelin had been able to tour the US in 1980-1981, I think they might have replaced ALS with Carouselambra. And after many performances of Carouselambra, stretching it out, as only LZ can... fans would be as endeared to ITTOD as they were for Presence.

But sadly, we'll never get to see this happen.

[z1inspector]

On 2/24/2013 at 9:32 PM, mckjuana said:

 

The keyboard solo ruined all my love completely.

The extended solo-less version on the old Studio Daze bootleg, is infinitely better.

 

And how many of us pull out Plant's early solo career stuff anymore? I can't because the production of some has dated horribly, and the quality of some was just awful...or I should say is now awful from a contemporary stance.

I do quite often ! & love his 1st 2 solo albums....slow dancer? Come on! Awsome! 

[Christopher Lees]

I've learned how to appreciate this album over the years. When I was a kid I was the biggest Zeppelin fanboy in the world, and ITTOD was the last album I got of theirs. It took me years to get all the albums and when I got ITTOD, I had to admit for the first time ever that I didn't absolutely love something Zeppelin did. Soon, I realized that I didn't really like this album and wondered how they could have put this out. Looking back now, I think I can name a few things that rubbed me the wrong way.

1. Cheesy keyboard sound. It was all over this album like way too much cheap perfume.

2. Cheesy vocal harmonies that sound like they were done with some kind of effect. Think the choruses to Southbound and Hot Dog for example. Hated it.

3. Hot Dog - boy did I hate this. I was never a country fan and back then, no one was listening to country that I knew. It sounded so corny. Horrible. Hated it. Plus Jimmy's super sloppy playing.

4. The lack of a hard rock, album defining, classic Zeppelin riff like Black Dog, Heartbreaker, Kashmir, Nobody's Fault, Immigrant Song, WLL, The Ocean. Where was the "Zeppelin" on this album?

5. Robert's new limited range and grating voicing that almost sounds off pitch in some songs. Where was the best-in-the-world Plant voice of WLL, Black Dog, Dazed and Confused?

I became of fan of Led Zeppelin after being introduced to their early albums. It was the swaggering riffs, Plants unequaled rock vocals and range, Jimmy's enthusiastic, sharp, kick ass solos and the well placed hooks that make you listen to the songs over and over again. The early Zeppelin had great lyrics fully of imagery and mystery. It was the most perfect music I ever heard. I started with Zeppelin 4 and then got 2 and 1 soon after. I had just those tapes for about a year. Then I got HOTH and about 6 months later I got 3. This was Zeppelin to me.

ITTOD had almost none of that!

Now I realize it is a strong album none the less. ITE is a classic, rocking Zeppelin tune with a great riff, inventive solo and the intro has that mysterious quality that we've heard on earlier Zeppelin, like In The Light or even the bow solo in DAC or HMMT. Fool In The Rain has an outstanding guitar solo on it. No one can agree if it's just a sloppy mess of a flash of genius! I tilt toward the latter. I'm Gonna Crawl has the best Page solo since the HOTH album. Zeppelin fans know that Page lost his mojo by 1978. We know from listening to the live boots that Page never quite captured lightning in a bottle like he did between 71-73, but I'm Gonna Crawl just might do it. It's dripping with feel. That first bent note of the solo has more feel in it than 10 Clapton solos. The whole song captures a sophisticated feel and it's impressive. Hot Dog grew on me. It's a fun song and I like it. Why do I have to be so serious? Southbound has a great chorus and nice guitar riff there. Carouselambra still doesn't quite do it for me, but I can appreciate it as a sort of part 3 of a continuing epic: The Song Remains the Same ---> Achilles ---> Carouselambra.

All My Love captures poignancy perfectly. Not easy to do. And it's proved to be one of Zep's most enduring and popular tunes.

Fool In the Rain is still played on the radio and people love it, even regular folks who aren't Zeppelin fans.

I think the album would have been better if they replaced Carouselambra with Ozone Baby and Darlene.

[Xolo1974]

It’s funny how carouselambra really polarises opinions. I love it, and think it’s the best song on the album.

[Guest WD52]

The horrible late 70's parping keyboard sounds are what ruin the album for me I'm afraid. 

[hummingbird69]

If anything John Paul Jones ever did could be considered "parpy" I highly doubt he'd be as highly revered as he is today. Carouselambra is a masterpiece.

[JTM]

15 minutes ago, hummingbird69 said:

If anything John Paul Jones ever did could be considered "parpy" I highly doubt he'd be as highly revered as he is today. Carouselambra is a masterpiece.

Carouselambra is most definitely "Parpy"  "Pa Pa Par Par Par Par Par Par Par Kerrang" repeat, repeat. No masterpiece in my book, etho..

[reids]

If this (ITTOD) is Led Zeppelin at their worst, then It’s still better than 90+% of other groups at their best. This one just has JPJ & RP at the helm when JP & JB were not at their best due to personal issues at the time. 
 

R😎

[zeplz71]

1 hour ago, hummingbird69 said:

If anything John Paul Jones ever did could be considered "parpy" I highly doubt he'd be as highly revered as he is today. Carouselambra is a masterpiece.

  👆 This

[paul carruthers]

It's the variety & giving the album a bit more "Light and Shade" as opposed to Presence that makes ITTOD great for me. The keys being the driving force on any particular song never bothered me in the slightest...