Which Led Zeppelin albums?

[kelesh]

I have heard enough to determine that I like them. Which cds should I get? I want to maximize good songs and minimize bad songs.

Currently I'm planning on getting II, III, IV, Houses of the Holy, and Physical Graffiti (first cd of physical graffiti came highly recommended by a friend).

Another option is to just get Early Days: The Best of Led Zeppelin, Vol. 1 andLatter Days: The Best of Led Zeppelin, Vol. 2., but that just has 23 tracks so I'm skeptical of it maximizing good songs.

I am not a big fan of albums that have 25-50% bad songs.

Any ideas?

 

[rickcr42]

Physical Graffitti and ll are must haves . totally different sounding styles but essential led zeps

 

[RickG]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickcr42 Physical Graffitti and ll are must haves . totally different sounding styles but essential led zeps

Agree, but I'm with eyeteeth on this one.

III is sooo cool. I'd have to say, (don't care if it's a minority choice), that this record is one of their best.

Highly underated...

Happy listening!

 

[eyeteeth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kelesh Currently I'm planning on getting II, III, IV, Houses of the Holy, and Physical Graffiti (first cd of physical graffiti came highly recommended by a friend).

Getting II, III, IV, Houses of the Holy, and Physical Graffiti leaves only 'I', 'Presence' & 'In Through The Out Door' to complete the works not including 'Song Remains The same' (live) & 'Coda' (odds & ends).

I,II,III,IV,Houses, & Physical make up the essential IMO. Zeppelin diminishes after that. There are no bad tracks on their 1st 6 LPs. You may not like some but they're not bad.

II, IV, & either Houses or Physical should give you an idea if spending more is worth it. Physical Graffiti is a double album and like most double albums it wanders through different styles more than single albums.

III is my favorite, but I am a listener who is too well aquainted with all their music. Side two is acoustic, side one is elegant, compact, efficient, unpretentious, magical little rock songs.

II, IV, & either Houses or Physical should give you an idea if spending more is worth it.

 

[hottyson]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kelesh Any ideas?

Would he have all the good songs covered if he just got the "The Complete Studio Recordings" set?

 

[DarkAngel]

Everyone here must be crazy..........

Buy Zep I it is their best album. Also contains thier best song ever "dazed and confused"

Not a bad idea to get "early days & latter days" 2CD hits collection, 23 tracks that are well selected.

 

[eyeteeth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkAngel Everyone here must be crazy.......... Buy Zep I it is their best album. Also contains thier best song ever "dazed and confused"

DING DING!!! Round 1

In this corner DarkAngel...

'Whole Lotta Love' from II is where they really found themselves and perfected the early Zep sound (although stolen from black americans, & they finally gave Willie Dixon some money for ripping off the 1962 song "You Need Love").

 

[john_jcb]

Well, no collection would be complete without "How the West was Won". These CD's let you hear them like those of us that heard them live remember this group. I saw them 3 times and each was amazing. Picking the best song is hard and there will never be agreement. Maybe not my favorite but one I love to play on my speaker setup and play it loud is "When the Levee Breaks"

 

[Mr.PD]

I have that 2CD set of early and later days.
I like the later days but not the early days.
It is a nice sampler set, so to speak.

I guess I don't like Led Zeppelin as well as I thought I did.

 

[DLeeWebb]

Get the boxed set "Led Zeppelin: The Complete Studio Recordings," and the newest "How The West Was Won." You would have all of their studio albums [which you will probably end up buying piecemeal anyway...] and the best of their live recordings. I saw them live four times. This CD set is good, although the DVD is even better. Everything on both set is remastered and the album art is preserved. You'll end up saving money. I'm serious! Led Zeppelin never made an album that was 25% bad. Happy exploration...

 

[Tom M]

I feel zep is best listened to in album form not as a song collection. Get the albums! My picks are III,Houses of the Holy and Physical Graffitti. Latter on, get a copy of IV and I.

 

[DLeeWebb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom M I feel zep is best listened to in album form not as a song collection. Get the albums! My picks are III,Houses of the Holy and Physical Graffitti. Latter on, get a copy of IV and I.

The boxed set "Led Zeppelin: The Complete Recordings" is organized by individual album. All songs are in their original order and the album art is as on the original albums.

 

[john_jcb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DLeeWebb Get the boxed set "Led Zeppelin: The Complete Studio Recordings," and the newest "How The West Was Won." You would have all of their studio albums [which you will probably end up buying piecemeal anyway...] and the best of their live recordings. ............

This is what I would do if I were you.

Then I would pick up some Vanilla Fudge, Hendrix, Canned Heat, Electric Flag, Byrds, Jefferson Airplane and The Who.

 

[Sovkiller]

IMO the best Zep's are I, II, IV and Physical, on the rest you will find songs that you will not like....in the case you are not a fan....even the Physical has a few....

 

[RickG]

Quote:

Originally Posted by john_jcb This is what I would do if I were you. Then I would pick up some Vanilla Fudge, Hendrix, Canned Heat, Electric Flag, Byrds, Jefferson Airplane and The Who.

Canned Heat? Yes, my man. Bob "Bear" Hite kicks butt. This is serious pre-moon landing stuff.

One of my favorite records from '68...Living the Blues