Week 9: Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti (1975) - 3 Disc Remaster

"Oh let the sun beat down upon my face, stars to fill my dreams..."

After 40 years, Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti is an indisputable classic album and has been from day one. The album is a collection of new material along with some outtakes from previous albums.

Physical Graffiti includes some personal favorites of mine from the Led Zeppelin catalog. "The Rover" would have been my choice to open the album. John Bonham's opening drums would have been the perfect opening. "In My Time Of Dying" is a leviathan of Zeppelin blues. The Bonham groove here is untouchable and infectious. "Ten Years Gone" is a favorite of mine to play on guitar. No one was writing stuff like this at the time. "Kashmir" is arguably the album's best known track with its haunting chromatic melody and pulsing heartbeat bass drum.

This latest remastered release includes a third disc of unreleased "in progress" versions and mixes of some of these classics. I was bummed to hear there would be only one companion disc of only 7 tracks when the album has 15. Most of the previous remasters included a different version of every track on the original album.

Much like the remasters thus far, a lot of these versions are very close to the final versions. Usually there is an alternate vocal or missing track to the mix. "Brandy & Coke (Trampled Under Foot)" is a not quite polished version of "Trampled Under Foot". "Sick Again (Early Version)" is very different from the final version, which was great to hear. "In My Time Of Dying (Rough Mix)" is very close to the final mix as well (the dying, dying cough is omitted at the end). "Houses Of The Holy (Rough Mix With Overdubs)" is another mix close the final version. The standout track on the companion disc is "Everybody Makes It Through (In The Light) (Early Version/In Transit)." This is a striking early version featuring less guitar and more keyboard than in the final version. "Boogie With Stu (Sunset Sound Mix)" is another very close mix to the final. Lastly, "Driving Through Kashmir (Rough Orchestra Mix)" is also very close to the final mix. These slightly different mixes are a little frustrating and some of them I would have to sit down and do a meticulous side by side comparison on to really pick out the differences.

The CD packaging reproduces the original double LP sleeve and all of the inserts. The best thing about this new Physical Graffiti remaster is that Presence, my favorite, is up next. I want to hear an early version of "Achilles Last Stand" and I hope it is on the companion disc.

Keep listening and thank you for reading.