How the West Was Won

How the West Was Won
While the seemingly endless archive of Led Zeppelin studio material has been tapped again and again since the band's demise, there's been precious little official material to back up their reputation as one of the most powerful live bands of their era -- until now. This three-disc set, culled from what was arguably Zeppelin's peak period, specifically over two shows in Los Angeles, 1972. That's hot on the heels of their untitled fourth album ("Zoso") and headed full-bore for Houses of the Holy, a moment when the band were at their most gripping, and most excessive. The latter element is showcased in full flower on a version of "Dazed and Confused" that pushes well beyond the 20-minute mark, with Jimmy Page trotting out virtually every weapon of eardrum destruction at his disposal, from e-bow to distortion pedal to flat-out funky picking. Similarly, the percussive tour de force "Moby Dick" finds drummer John Bonham in full Ahab mode for 18 of the most sweat-soaked minutes in recent live album history. Just as importantly, How the West Was Won demonstrates that Zeppelin knew when to keep things short and sweet: The one-two punch of "Immigrant Song" and "Heartbreaker" that opens the first disc is breathtaking in its galvanizing effect. Although the vast majority of the songs contained herein are well-known (to say the least), there's an undeniable freshness in the alternately playful and fierce sparring in which Page and singer Robert Plant engage on a mega medley grounded in "Whole Lotta Love" and on "Since I've Been Loving You." One part time capsule and one part time machine, How the West Was Won is a must -- not just for Zep-heads, but for anyone interested in where hard rock has been and is likely to head in the future. [Released concurrently is a two-DVD set entitled Led Zeppelin, containing five and a half hours of alternate live footage, recorded at London's Royal Albert Hall in 1970, Earl's Court in 1975, and the Knebworth Festival in 1979.] David Sprague, Barnes & Noble