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ITTOD - Why is this the most disliked album of Led Zeppelin?


IzzyBlues

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The album has some AMAZING songs, and it's probably one of my favorite albums of Zeppelin's next to III.

In The Evening, Fool In The Rain and I'm Gonna Crawl are the standout songs on the album. Carouselambra is debatable however I really like the song. All My Love is probably the weakest song with South Bound Saurez and Hot Dog virtually untalked of, although good songs in their own right.

I thought that album was a step in the right direction for them as a band, but I never understood the critisicm for the album because it has some of the most underrated songs on them (mainly I'm Gonna Crawl). It's almost as if the band members were ashamed of putting out the album because they never really gave it any reception.

Of course this is just my opinion and all. My brother who was the one who got me into Led Zeppelin in the first place told me he "hated" ITTOD, I couldn't really understand why.

Could someone shed some light on why this album is the least loved / most criticized of Led Zeppelin's catalogue?

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When compared to the rest of the catalogue this album sounds soft, uninspiring and just not as good. At least in my opinion. Carouselambra is the only really good song on the collection. At least it sounds different and goes in a new direction. Can't understand one word of the lyrics but the rhythm section sounds great, and Jimmy wakes up from his heroin slumber for a little bit. Fool in the rain is a nice song too. The Purdie shuffle is in good form with Bonzo giving a nice performance.

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I hated the overall sound when I first started listening to it, but now I really like it, every song's a gem and I love the fire Zeppelin still had with all the drugs they (Bonham and Page) were doing at the time. It's a fantastic album. Probably my 2nd favorite, coming after Presence.

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I remember when the album was released, and it delivered on every level. It is an excellent album, and it was extremely relevant back in the day. Zeppelin were changing with the times, and this was very much a natural progression . The problem is that people get used to a certain approach, and sound, and become resistant to change. Those are the same people who want it to be 1969 or 1971 forever, but could you imagine how boring a catalogue of albums that sound the same would be? AC/DC is a perfect example of a band stuck in a single gear. ITTOD was a spectacular documentary of Led Zeppelin, and the era in which music was going through great change. I still remember when it was released, and the first time I dropped the LP on my turntable. I was mesmerized by the progression and growth, and I love the album to this day.

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^^ If it is not their worst album, which is?

Hey CP. It looks as though you are still having trouble using the Quote button. Well I had the same problem until I switched browsers from Internet Explorer to Chrome.

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I remember when the album was released, and it delivered on every level. It is an excellent album, and it was extremely relevant back in the day. Zeppelin were changing with the times, and this was very much a natural progression . The problem is that people get used to a certain approach, and sound, and become resistant to change. Those are the same people who want it to be 1969 or 1971 forever, but could you imagine how boring a catalogue of albums that sound the same would be? AC/DC is a perfect example of a band stuck in a single gear. ITTOD was a spectacular documentary of Led Zeppelin, and the era in which music was going through great change. I still remember when it was released, and the first time I dropped the LP on my turntable. I was mesmerized by the progression and growth, and I love the album to this day.

agree with this 100%

also let's not forget the packaging - pure genius there!

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Not to be the thread police, but there must be at least 10 threads asking this very question..

I love it but it is a very different Led Zeppelin for many reasons..

Too much piano... But it was great to see John Paul Jones step up like he did.

Not enough Jimmy Page.. now we know why, but at the time it didn't make sense.

A clean and sober Robert Plant approaching music and life very differently after a sad, life changing event.

John Bonham plays some grooves unlike anything he'd ever played before with the band..

I agree the cover was brilliant .

And I think the next album would have been at the 4 / PG level... if they got the chance to make it..

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Thanks JTM. I will try that.

Dark Lord: Coda was only released as the band were contractually obliged to do one more album. So I don't really count that. As far as ITTOD being better than LZ 2, then that is a brave call.

Well, fortunately, there is no right or wrong in personal preference, and I like ITTOD better than LZ II. I did not realize that Coda had been disqualified from this discussion, so I will just stick with ITTOD being better than LZ II.

ITTOD was to Zeppelin what 90125 was to Yes....the beginning of a new era, a new direction, and hope for an increasingly diverse future.

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ITTOD was to Zeppelin what 90125 was to Yes....the beginning of a new era, a new direction, and hope for an increasingly diverse future.

Excellent observation! And Discipline was a new era for King Crimson. My only issue with ITTOD is that Jimmy's guitar is so deep in the mix. He's playing so much stuff that you can barely hear! But I guess that was the fashion at the time, for example Fripp is turned WAY down on the Discipline album. I would love to remaster both of those discs!

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Excellent observation! And Discipline was a new era for King Crimson. My only issue with ITTOD is that Jimmy's guitar is so deep in the mix. He's playing so much stuff that you can barely hear! But I guess that was the fashion at the time, for example Fripp is turned WAY down on the Discipline album. I would love to remaster both of those discs!

Thanks friend. I like Jimmy being down in the mix. It is a nice change, and it gives the spotlight to Jones for a change. Jimmy's work on ITTOD was subtle, but still brilliant, and as they say, "sometimes less is more". He had 9 years of domination, and there was too much talent in the band not to let some of the responsibility shift to others, even if it was because Jimmy was a mess. I love the optimism of change and diversity for Zeppelin as a new decade began. If XYZ was any indication, it could have been really cool. I can't escape the feeling I had when ITTOD was released. It was a really special album, and I did not feel cheated by their growth. They still had great balance.

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A fresh new approach going into the 80's? Agree completely. But they all got there under very different conditions.

KC and Yes had very different lineups than their previous incarnations.. Led Zeppelin still had the same 4 members,,

King Crimson added Adrian Belew and Tony Levin..

It was 7 years after RED which was from a totally different band..

90125 followed up Drama with a very different band ... Only Alan White and Chris Squire were on both albums.

The Trevor Rabin era Yes was originally going to be called Cinema.. King Crimson was going to be called Discipline.

I hear a lot more of Zeppelin's earlier sound on ITTOD than I hear Crimson's earlier sound on Discipline...

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ITTOD is always going to be the runt of Zeppelins litter all you can do is try to improve it slightly.They had run out of steam and would have probably split if Bonham had lived. That said most bands would kill to have an album run like Zeppelins.

All killer hardly any filler.Compare with The Stones for a really shoddy back catalogue.

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A fresh new approach going into the 80's? Agree completely. But they all got there under very different conditions.

KC and Yes had very different lineups than their previous incarnations.. Led Zeppelin still had the same 4 members,,

King Crimson added Adrian Belew and Tony Levin..

It was 7 years after RED which was from a totally different band..

90125 followed up Drama with a very different band ... Only Alan White and Chris Squire were on both albums.

The Trevor Rabin era Yes was originally going to be called Cinema.. King Crimson was going to be called Discipline.

I hear a lot more of Zeppelin's earlier sound on ITTOD than I hear Crimson's earlier sound on Discipline...

I don't really see how the personnel aspect matters, as Zep still brought about the change, and it was largely based on happenstance, and the fact that Jimmy was addicted and struggling to be reliable, but nonetheless, his condition proved to be a big facilitator of change, just as new members were to Yes, etc. I agree with you that ITTOD was less of a departure than 90125 proved to be for Yes, but it was evidently enough of a departure for people to squawk about it. We will never know where it could have led, but it certainly left me with a sense of optimism about the future, especially with tracks like Carouselambra and I'm Gonna Crawl. Fool in the Rain, although a great track, is the one song that changes the mood a bit too much for me. I would have preferred Wearing and Tearing in its place. One thing I would like to say, to clarify my position, is that although I really enjoy ITTOD, I would have been disappointed if they followed up with a similar album. What ITTOD signified for me was that they had the ability to look outside of the confines of their image, and make some great music that wasn't the same, old same old. Good discussion everyone.

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Jimmy was tired, so was Bonzo. Their work on that album reminds me of someone hitting the time clock on their way into a factory job. Robert and JP alone couldn't hold it together. Sure Robert was seeking new directions on the album and was really experimenting. But it took Jimmy a long time to crawl out of his hole. Their zenith was truly IV, Houses and PG. Sure Presence and Out Door have a lot of great moments, but just listen to the rhythm guitar fills in All of my Love, very basic stuff and far below the level of guitar genius that Page had demonstrated previously...and found his way back to. Thank God for that...

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^^ If it is not their worst album, which is?

Well I am sure this has been discussed a few times on here, and it's all about personal preferences. But for me, III and even HOTH are weaker than ITTOD.

I do agree with other posters on this thread: the album has a different sound, almost too clean and sterile. This may have been from Polar Studios or a deliberate effort on JPJ's part, who more than likely, is the actual producer of this album. Also, Page's thin reedy Telecaster sound was such a change from the beefier Les Paul sound.

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The album has some AMAZING songs, and it's probably one of my favorite albums of Zeppelin's next to III.

In The Evening, Fool In The Rain and I'm Gonna Crawl are the standout songs on the album. Carouselambra is debatable however I really like the song. All My Love is probably the weakest song with South Bound Saurez and Hot Dog virtually untalked of, although good songs in their own right.

I thought that album was a step in the right direction for them as a band, but I never understood the critisicm for the album because it has some of the most underrated songs on them (mainly I'm Gonna Crawl). It's almost as if the band members were ashamed of putting out the album because they never really gave it any reception.

Of course this is just my opinion and all. My brother who was the one who got me into Led Zeppelin in the first place told me he "hated" ITTOD, I couldn't really understand why.

Could someone shed some light on why this album is the least loved / most criticized of Led Zeppelin's catalogue?

i know several people who think ITTOD is one of their BEST !

for me the 6th album rules ALL albums on this earth!

then its a tie between HOTH & ITTOD !

so i dont know where ever u got this idea! (i havent read anyones replys yet but many i know and i are confident that its not the norm to feel that way re: ITTOD ! )

i mean its got IN THE EVENING !

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