Led Zeppelin In Through The Out Door CD

Led Zeppelin: Robert Plant (vocals); Jimmy Page (acoustic & electric guitars, background vocals); John Paul Jones (synthesizer, bass); John Bonham (drums).
Personnel: Robert Plant (vocals, harmonica); Jimmy Page (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar); John Paul Jones (keyboards); John Bonham (drums).
Recording information: Polar Music Studios, Stockholm, Sweden (11/1978-12/1978); Polar Studios, Stockholm, Sweden (11/1978-12/1978).
Somewhere between Presence and In Through the Out Door, disco, punk, and new wave had overtaken rock & roll, and Led Zeppelin chose to tentatively embrace these pop revolutions, adding synthesizers to the mix and emphasizing John Bonham's inherent way with a groove. The album's opening number, "In the Evening," with its stomping rhythms and heavy, staggered riffs, suggests that Zeppelin haven't deviated from their course, but by the time the rolling shuffle of "South Bound Suarez" kicks into gear, it's apparent that they've regained their sense of humor. After "South Bound Suarez," the group tries a variety of styles, whether it's an overdriven homage to Bakersfield county called "Hot Dog," the layered, Latin-tinged percussion and pianos of "Fool in the Rain," or the slickly seductive ballad "All My Love." "Carouselambra," a lurching, self-consciously ambitious synth-driven number, and the slow blues "I'm Gonna Crawl" aren't quite as impressive as the rest of the album, but the record was a graceful way to close to Zeppelin's career, even if it wasn't intended as the final chapter. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
The last proper Led Zeppelin album shows the group's response to punk's encroachment to be a regal shrug and a continuation of the outsized heavy rock that made the band a legend. There are a few interesting stylistic detours--the almost salsa-like piano that drives "Fool in the Rain," the country-flavored hoedown of "Hot Dog"--but for the most part this is 1970s rock in the grandest style. John Paul Jones in particular struts his stuff here, his synthesizer powering "Carouselambra," Zeppelin's furthest excursion into prog rock, and sweetening "All My Love," a balladic requiem for Robert Plant's late son, Karac. Zeppelin sounds so assured on IN THROUGH THE OUT DOOR it's hard to believe the end of the band was just around the corner.Q (1/95, p.273) - 3 Stars - Good - "...by far their most keyboard-oriented, guitar histrionics-free album....songs showing that there were also other, altogether different sides to Zeppelin..."