Encomium: A Tribute To Led Zeppelin CD

Includes liner notes by Tori Amos, Blind Melon, Helmet, Big Head Todd And The Monsters, Never The Bride, Duran Duran, Cracker, Stone Temple Pilots, 4 Non Blondes, Rollins Band and Sheryl Crow.

Portions of the proceeds from ENCOMIUM will benefit various children's charities.

Slightly amended, tribute albums have become the sincerest form of flattery. ENCOMIUM: A TRIBUTE TO LED ZEPPELIN is way overdue, in light of the onslaught of tribute albums that have flooded the marketplace since the late '80s. Although Led Zeppelin was an English band, their influence on American music was inescapable. Thus, of the twelve groups to appear on ENCOMIUM, it's fitting that the only Brits included are Duran Duran, who, along with their American guitarist, do a reverential rendition of "Thank You."

Most of the chosen covers come from the earlier part of Zeppelin's catalog, weighing heavily towards LED ZEPPELIN III and LED ZEPPELIN IV. 4 Non Blondes kick off the festivities with a by-the-numbers-reading of "Misty Mountain Hop" with a riff or two from Santana's "Gypsy Queen" thrown in for good measure. Sheryl Crow wraps her raspy vocals around a rock-steady "D'yer Mak'er," while Rollins Band strong-arms "Four Sticks" to the floor and infuses it with a fair amount of rage. Adding pedal steel and slide guitar to "Tangerine," Big Head Todd & The Monsters gild its essence with a dreamy haze. The most drastically reworked arrangement goes to Tori Amos' reading of "Down By The Seaside." Joined by Robert Plant, Amos slows the tempo, extending the song to eight minutes, while painting it with varying tones never traversed by the original.

Producers include: Linda Perry, Dave Navarro, Don Gehman, Bill Bottrell, Brendan O'Brien

Engineers include: Eddie Delena, Don Gehman, Bill Bottrell, Nick Didia, Andy Torri.Q (6/95, pp.130-131) - 3 Stars - Good - "...Three stars are grudgingly awarded in recognition of the cool professionalism of the acts involved....and the outstanding quality of the Led Zeppelin songs they have opted to Xerox..."