Product Description

Led Zeppelin's seventh album, PRESENCE, is a straight-aheadrocker, that has much more of a "live" feel than some of their previous recordings. Gone are most of the big productionflourishes, and in their place the big power trio + vocals sound that made Led Zeppelin such a popular concert band.
The opening "Achilles Last Stand" is a driving, up-tempo rocker, while the closing "Tea For One" is a slow, Chicago-style blues, featuring Plant's moaning vocals and Page's alternatingly sweet, and frenetic solos. Elsewhere, "Royal Orleans" mixes delta blues with Indian music, "Hots On For Nowhere"is a stop-time boogie, and "Candy Store Rock" is heavy metal rockabilly.

Track Listing

1. Achilles last stand
2. For your life
3. Royal Orleans
4. Nobody's fault but mine
5. Candy store rock
6. Hots on for nowhere
7. Tea for one

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3648 in Music
• Released on: 1997-08-25
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered

Amazon.co.uk Review
Presence is one of Led Zeppelin's more overlooked albums, languishing in the monstrous shadow of its predecessor, Physical Graffiti. It's more noted in Zeppelin mythology for the circumstances in which it was recorded, in double-quick time with vocalist Robert Plant's leg in plaster after a car accident. The lack of time does show--much of the album feels like generic heavy rock, bigger on volume than variety. It's worth the price of the album, however, for the ten and a half minute long "Achilles Last Stand", a crashing, galloping epic with John Bonham sounding like he's eschewed drumsticks in favour of tree trunks--and "Nobody's Fault But Mine", a Blind Willie Johnson blues standard regenerated with a 3000-watt boost by Jimmy Page. Led Zeppelin's contribution to rock was primarily physical--raising its heat and density levels, heightening its sensual force. --David Stubbs

Customer Reviews

power!
From the first moment I heard this album when released the power that came out of the grooves of my record player just blew me away and over 30 years later it never fails to send shivers down my spine on every listen. Every track is fantastic I can't pick out a favourite.

UNDERRATED WHY? THIS ALBUM ROCKS
I'm not a long term Zeppelin fan as i've only got into 'em last year, i have gotten their firt 4 albums and this album is breathtaking. My favourite no doubt is Achilles Last Stand such a brilliant song 10 minutes long a masterpiece in rock n' roll. All you'll find in this album is just good old rock n' roll it's just as good if not better then their first 4 albums but i probably wouldnt go that far as their first 4 albums are masterpieces. This album is worth buying alone just for Achilles Last Stand great rock album by the legendary Zeppelin. Not a bad place to start with Zeppelin either.

Often underated masterpiece
While Led Zeppelin need no introduction, I constantly get the feeling that when praise is heaped upon them, this album should be spoken of more highly. They recorded Presence off the back of some difficult circumstances, though when all is considered, one has to admire them for what they managed to achieve.
While it does not contain the experimentation that was prominent in Houses of the Holy and Physical Graffiti, it is still thoroughly enjoyable to listen to. Jimmy Page says it was his favourite with Plant quoted as saying 'it sounds the most Led Zeppelin.' By this they refer to the exclusion of acoustic guitar arrangements and keyboards. They were replaced with blues based guitar jams which I personally feel work to good effect. Each song sounds like a excellent jam in which the band members are really enjoying themselves. The songs on this album are all fairly different and although they follow a similar style are very much disuinguishable. The epic 'Achilles Last Stand' is as good a song as Led Zeppelin have written. Other songs such as 'Nobody's Fault But Mine' and 'Tea For One' stand out as real Led Zeppelin classics. What this album proves that even when they haven't got much time on their side, they can still produce a highly credible album which always fails to gain the praise that it so richly deserves.
To be blunt, this is one of their finest efforts which is only bettered by their debut and possibly 'Led Zeppelin IV.' The way to understand the point which I am making is to go out and buy this marvellous album.