Overview:
The first thing you have to know about this collection is you won’t ever appreciate it unless you’ve already heard most or all of Led Zeppelin’s album work. The main purpose of this collection was to give old fans a new look at Zeppelin. This doesn’t qualify as an album, nor necessarily a collection. You’ll notice on this collection that the same song is repeated, however not the same.
These are early versions of their earlier works. Some of the songs are much more up tempo then their album counterparts, others are scaled back. These infamous studio sessions have been highly bootlegged over the years, and in some cases you may find even better material on them than on BBC Sessions. But this is still a very interesting collection for fans looking for ’’new’’ material from Zeppelin.
Tracks:
DISC 1
1) You Shook Me - This version is a little louder than the album version. It is also a bit shorter. Other than that, it’s about the same sound and quality. You do, however, notice the raw energy of the band in it’s earlier stages. (8/10)
2) I Can’t Quit You Baby - Like the preceeding song, this song is much like its album counterpart. The quality is a bit more copy and raw than the album version. This is clearly a very early recording of the song. (7.5/10)
3) Communication Breakdown - It’s a tad more exciting than the album version. Unlike the previous two songs, it’s longer than the album version. At times the lyrics seem different than the album version, either in how they’re sung, or the actual words. (8/10)
4) Dazed And Confused - The first gem of this collection. This is a very emotional, early version of what was already classic. The lyrics are mostly the same, except for in a few places. This is arguably better than the album version. (9/10)
5) The Girl I Love She Got Long Black Wavy Hair - Another gem. Page’s guitar work is definitely terrific here. If you had heard this song at the time of it’s recording, you would be able to say, without doubt, that Led Zeppelin would become superstars of rock and roll. (9/10)
6) What Is And What Should Never Be - More upbeat than the album version. There is definite changes between this and the album version. (7/10)
7) Communication Breakdown - It’s back. This version is shorter than the one previously played on the album, but longer than the album version. It gives you a somewhat different feel than the album version, but it’s close to it. (7.5/10)
8) Traveling Riverside Blues - Another gem. It’s very experimental, even by Zeppelin’s standards. It has a very bluesy feel to it. (9/10)
9) Whole Lotta Love - A rougher version of this Zeppelin classic. It’s very enjoyable, since you get a much different feel from this version than the original. (8.5/10)
10) Somethin’ Else - Not very Zeppelin like at all. Not a bad song, since it shows Zeppelin’s want to try new styles. This song probably wouldn’t fit on any Zeppelin album though. Not even Houses Of The Holy or Physical Graffiti (both were extremely experimental and have a huge variety of styles on them). (7.5/10)
11) Communication Breakdown - Probably the most different version you’ll hear of this song. It’s a lot smoother and flows nicer than the other versions. This is the best version of the song in this collection. (8.5/10)
12) I Can’t Quit You Baby - A very long, much different take on I Can’t Quit You Baby. It’s very very good. Perhaps it is even better than the album version. This version is something special. (9/10)
13) You Shook Me - This version is mega long. It’s heavily built on the instrumentals, and is much more far out than any other version anywhere. Not particularly great. However, it has its moments. (7/10)
14) How Many More Times - As has been the case with the preceeding song, this one is very long. But unlike it, it’s very very good. It paints a very good picture of what Zeppelin was like in its early days.
DISC 2
1) Immigrant Song - Faster than the album version. Plant makes his lyrics much easier to understand than the album version. It has a strange appeal which the other doesn’t have. But in the end the album version is better, but don’t let that diminish this song for you. (9/10)
2) Heartbreaker - It reminds me a lot of the album version. There really isn’t much difference other than this one appears to have been performed live. (8.5/10)
3) Since I’ve Been Loving You - Shorter than the album version. It has a different appeal. It’s smoother than the album version, which makes it another gem. (9/10)
4) Black Dog - Starts off with a different opening. It seems a bit less fierce than the album version, and it’s not quit as enjoyable since the recording of Plant’s voice isn’t always high quality. (8/10)
5) Dazed And Confused - Long and drawn out. This version is really only special for those who are big fans of the song. For those who aren’t, they may have a hard time listening to the whole eighteen minutes and thirty six seconds of the song. (7/10)
6) Stairway To Heaven - Although a great song, this version isn’t much different from the album version. You’ve probably heard as many variations in live versions. It is, nevertheless, a gem, and maybe the best song in the collection despite it’s lack of difference from the album version. (10/10)
7) Going To California - Not much different from the album version, but it has a live feel to it. A lot like the previous song, it’s enjoyable just because it’s a good song even if it doesn’t have much variation from the album version. (9/10)
8) That’s The Way - Again, much like the album version. Although, this song does seem a little less enjoyable than the original, even though it has a live song feel. (8/10)
9) Whole Lotta Love (Medley) - It challenges for the best song in this collection, even though it’s really multiple songs on one track. Definitely a must hear on the album, even if its thirteen minutes and forty five seconds long. (9.5/10)
10) Thank You - A good choice to close out BBC Sessions with. It is very different from the album version. Highly recommended song. (9/10)
Conclusion:
Although there isn’t anything here you haven’t heard in some version before, almost all of it is ’’new’’ material since the songs have different feels and directions on them. A must listen for Zeppelin fans who have heard most of their stuff and have seen all their styles. This collection will blow your mind on many of the tracks. (9/10)