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Favorite companion disc


in_the_evening

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Quite a few wrong facts about Zeppelin in the article. Disagree on Physical Graffiti, think it's one of the better companion discs. And four stars for the IV bonus disc which is easily the weakest of the bunch (along with ITTOD)? I would rate the companion discs as follows:

Coda: Excellent *****

III: Very good ****

II, Physical Graffiti, Presence: Good ***

I, Houses of the Holy: Average (at best) **

IV, ITTOD: Poor *

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After close examination (listening with headphones) I have to admit that the IV companion disc isn't that bad. There's more subtle differences to the original album than I first noticed. I would rate it "average" now, just like HOTH. Same applies to ITTOD, the better mixes are significantly different. The three mono mixes are still disappointing though. My new rating would now be as follows:

Coda: Excellent *****

III: Very good ****

II, Physical Graffiti, Presence: Good ***

I, IV, Houses of the Holy, ITTOD: Average (at best) **

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Hot damn! As I vowed, September 25 was the day I cracked open my Coda Super Deluxe Box and now I am hearing what everyone has been hinting at...there is a wealth of goodies on these discs. Unlike some of the alternate mixes on the companion discs ("Achilles Last Stand", "Stairway", "Rain Song"), "If It Keeps On Raining" is truly a different take on "When the Levee Breaks". What it lacks in Bonzo's monster Headley Grange beat it makes up with Jonesey's wicked bass groove. It gives the song a different, but equally great flavour...and even though Bonham's beat is not the same, it still is rhythmic fun.

I have always loved "Baby Come On Home" since it first surfaced on the 1990 Box Set, and think it should have been on either of the first two albums instead of "Moby Dick" or "Black Mountain Side". "St. Tristan's Sword" isn't as revelatory as "12 Ribs/Carrot Pod Pod" but it is still new unreleased Zeppelin. Even the new mix of "Walter's Walk" sounds good on this companion disc...and I am not a big fan of that song as constituted on the original "Coda".

However, not to be a scrooge, but all of the companion audio could have fit on one CD...the total time for the companion audio clocks in at around 64 minutes.

Also, isn't there a Bombay version of "Four Sticks" with vocals? I seem to recall hearing one on a bootleg along with the Bombay "Friends".

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All of them. 

Agreed.

I think there are definitely some disappointments in the way the discs were released, how the material was presented, which outtakes were chosen (maybe), etc., but overall...this is something that no one thought would happen -- and I'm talking about in 2012, just before John Davis let the news slip.

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Coda takes the cake for me. I feel the content there makes up for all the disappointments on other companion discs. The only reason I bought ITTOD was because I got all the others... Honestly I was hoping that all the companions would feature at least one awesome live track but hey, I'm just grateful to get more Zep from Page himself.   

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 Ugh it's difficult picking favorites!! I'm dividing Coda into 2 albums since it's 2 discs and I'm not rating the debut with the rest because that would be like rating TSRTS with the rest, which doesn't make sense.

1- Coda (Disc 3). How can this gem not take the win?! I've never heard the Bombay Orchestra songs until this so that was a great surprise. St. Tristan's Sword is a great instrumental. Bring It On Home is freaking killer! I also like the 3rd official version of In The Light.

2- Led Zeppelin III. Every song here is pretty damn good, I find myself listening to this way more than the original III album over the past year.

3- Physical Graffiti. This one looked like a dissapointed from the start, but damn the songs are great! Driving Through Kashmir was the only let down here.

4- Led Zeppelin II. I still love Whole Lotta Love (Rough Mix)! Thank You and Heartbreaker and La La are all great too!

5- Coda (Disc 2). Besides Bonzo's Montreux, this album is great! I wish the Rough Mix of Bonzo's Montreux did not have those noises.

6- Houses Of The Holy. Every song here is great, but just not different enough from the original albums to be higher on my list.

7- Presence. I like this one, but not a fan of Royal Orleans with normal or weird vocals.

8- In Through The Out Door. A great album, but not different enough. However, I never have liked All My Love or Carouselambra until I listened to this...

9- Led Zeppelin IV. I'm just worn out on this album really. Perhaps my least favorite Zeppelin album in general! Going To California is the most beautiful instrumental song along with Thank You though. I have some stunning versions of Stairway To Heaven that could have made this companion disc 100% better! Why the heck did Jimmy use such a boring mix of their #1 song?! An instrumental version would have been better as with Kashmir IMHO. 

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 Ugh it's difficult picking favorites!! I'm dividing Coda into 2 albums since it's 2 discs and I'm not rating the debut with the rest because that would be like rating TSRTS with the rest, which doesn't make sense.

1- Coda (Disc 3). How can this gem not take the win?! I've never heard the Bombay Orchestra songs until this so that was a great surprise. St. Tristan's Sword is a great instrumental. Bring It On Home is freaking killer! I also like the 3rd official version of In The Light.

2- Led Zeppelin III. Every song here is pretty damn good, I find myself listening to this way more than the original III album over the past year.

3- Physical Graffiti. This one looked like a dissapointed from the start, but damn the songs are great! Driving Through Kashmir was the only let down here.

4- Led Zeppelin II. I still love Whole Lotta Love (Rough Mix)! Thank You and Heartbreaker and La La are all great too!

5- Coda (Disc 2). Besides Bonzo's Montreux, this album is great! I wish the Rough Mix of Bonzo's Montreux did not have those noises.

6- Houses Of The Holy. Every song here is great, but just not different enough from the original albums to be higher on my list.

7- Presence. I like this one, but not a fan of Royal Orleans with normal or weird vocals.

8- In Through The Out Door. A great album, but not different enough. However, I never have liked All My Love or Carouselambra until I listened to this...

9- Led Zeppelin IV. I'm just worn out on this album really. Perhaps my least favorite Zeppelin album in general! Going To California is the most beautiful instrumental song along with Thank You though. I have some stunning versions of Stairway To Heaven that could have made this companion disc 100% better! Why the heck did Jimmy use such a boring mix of their #1 song?! An instrumental version would have been better as with Kashmir IMHO. 

I was a little disappointed to with the version of Kashmir because I could not hear the difference, from the original. Having said that I am just happy that I have completed my collection of Led Zeppelin studio albums. I don't care much for bootlegs, though there is some live gems from those 1977 bootlegs that I love. Example would be the live Kashmir and sick again are Awesome. 

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  • 1 month later...

Quite a few wrong facts about Zeppelin in the article. Disagree on Physical Graffiti, think it's one of the better companion discs. And four stars for the IV bonus disc which is easily the weakest of the bunch (along with ITTOD)? I would rate the companion discs as follows:

Coda: Excellent *****

III: Very good ****

II, Physical Graffiti, Presence: Good ***

I, Houses of the Holy: Average (at best) **

IV, ITTOD: Poor *

I agree with Coda. That companion disc rocks! And yeah, I'd follow it up with III.

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