Atlantic / Wea
1976
Presence
About This Album
Presence scales back the size of Physical Graffiti to a single album, but it retains the grandiose scope of that double record. If anything, Presence has more majestic epics than its predecessor, opening with the surging, ten-minute "Achilles Last Stand" and closing with the meandering, nearly ten-minute "Tea for One." In between, Led Zeppelin add the lumbering blues workout "Nobody's Fault But Mine" and the terse, menacing "For Your Life," which is the best song on the album. These four tracks take up the bulk of the album, leaving three lighthearted throwaways to alleviate the foreboding atmosphere -- and pretensions -- of the epics. If all of the throwaways were as focused and funny as those on Physical Graffiti or Houses of the Holy, Zeppelin would have had another classic on their hands. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Track List
(try tracks 1,2,3,4 and 5)
1.
2.
3.
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5.
6.
7.
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They really brought the blues back on this album to me this album sounds the most blusey of theirs since Led Zep II
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The intelligent discussion here is refreshing. I must disagree with some regarding the unnecessaril y sprawling nature of Achilles. I've listened to that song many, many times, and every time, I conclude that it is just right. The build-ups and final climax are just mind-blowing .
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This album is the Real Led Zep. The sound of this album shows who they are. It was without the glam the big budgets and when they showed they had become men. Look at the meaning of the songs and you can feel they had went through a lot of change and they express it on this album, Nobody's Fault but Mine sounds so cool and Achilles Last Stand makes me feel like I am Riding in the cavalry charging into battle with Custer.
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Panda, I definitely agree on a lack of tight tunes on this. Although, I love "Achilles" it is a sprawling, meandering affair. Nice parts and all, but they could have shaved a bit off. As I mentioned in my message on your profile, I'm interested in your rating system. Not hard to believe Led Zep would rise to the top. 40 years and rock music hasn't seen better.
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Thomas, we disagree on this LP & I really liked ITTOD, but I like that you noticed my comments. Ive been privately rating Pop/Rock with a complex mathematical system for the past 5 yrs,& LedZep is probably going to b the top (which I kind of expected). Been listening to some of these albums over 30 years so my opinions are hard to change, but music is subjective. Many great moments on this LP, but Plant in particular seems a bit disconnected from his band sometimes. No tight tunes on this LP.
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Oh, Panda...I liked your comment on the other Zep album. Gotta disagree on this one, though. Maybe 2-3 "eggs" on here, but a trying time for the band and they may have been lucky to get an album done at all. I think this is worthy of a purchase. Still some VERY amazing musicianship on all the songs. I agree that it was possibly their least realized record, but I don't think it was any worse than "In Through the Outhouse". I love John P. Jones, but that one never hooked me much.
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There is no doubt about it, this is the egg that Zed Zeppelin dropped. Most LZ albums should be considered masterpieces , but this album just stunk. There are good moments, but they fail to form memorable songs. Spend your money on any other LZ cd and you wont be dissapointed . This album is for die hard collectors and musicians only.
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Hey cursejehovah 6 , I personally asked everyone on that list if you were indeed "the original hard rockin roll in the hay", and they all said they have never heard of you.
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I AM THE ORIGINAL HARD ROCKIN'ROLL IN THE HAY WITH ALL THE WOMEN...SINC E SOUTH GATE,CA. 1970 AND EVEN BEFORE...JUS T ASK DAVE LOMBARDO (SLAYER) ROBERT AND LINDA,TERRI, C I N D I AND THE REST OF THE FRAIZER KLAN,JAMES DURKIN (DARK ANGEL),ART HERNANDEZ (VELVET FIRE)+ ELM ST. WATTS,TIM AND MARTY ZIEGLER,REX HARRISON,CHR I S LE DUC;HIS SISTER ROBYN,DANNY MILLER AND THE SAN MIGUEL LOKOTES
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all i ever have to say to stevie is I DONT WANT NO TOOTIE FRUITY NO LOLLIPOP ALL I WANT IS ROCK! ROCK! ROCK!
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actually there sort of is a greatest hits, but it's really a best of compilation thingy. Nevertheless , this is an extremley underated, great album from Zeppelin.
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Q: do you guys know why there isn't a Greatest Hits from Led/Zep?
A: EVERY album is a greatest hits!!! ROCK AND ROLL WILL NEVER DIE AS LONG AS THE MIGHTY ZEP CONTINUES TO FLY!!!! |
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Achilles Last Stand has one of the best heavy, hard rockin guitar solos that I've ever heard. Everytime I hear it it still send chills up my spine.
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"3 lighthearted throwaways" - Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide. Stevie, Stevie - c'mon now, we all know the job of a critic is to pick something apart (thank God you didn't bring in Dylan, like the idiots at Rolling Stone) - the band, less Robert, were so hot on these tunes, they were about to go out on tour, instrumental , before Robert wriggled out of his body-cast - any wonder his solo albums were markedly anti-ZEP until 1990's?
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I take it all back - the reviewers at Pandora are geniuses! This is the 3rd Presence song I've heard in the last hour - nice job! This abum is an outstanding Zep album, they really changed direction on this one, followed up with In Through the Out Door - this was all Page, In/ Door was mostly Jones, and 1981 would have put this all together. Check out CODA for some late 70's jams that hint at it. Dammit Bonzo, we miss ya.
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As a whole, I can't say this album is their best work. But, Achilles Last Stand and Nobody's Fault but Mine are 2 songs that rank up there with almost anything they ever wrote.
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this album doesn't get enough props. i agree that 'for your life' is the best on here, but 'royal orleans' is up there too.
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God I love tea for one... I forgot how awesome that song was for a while.
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same here...GREAT ALBUM!!! The whole ""For Your Life" is the best song on the album" bit is kind of lame. LED ZEPPELIN RULZ!!!
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undoubtedly one of the best Zeppelin albums ever! I can't even begin to understand why the guy giving the review bashed it so much....
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I agree, a tremendous album... if anyone does not think Zep laid the ground work for metal to follow, listen to Achilless last stand...powe r f u l ! ! ! Nobody touches Zeppelin, they are in theyre own atmosphere.
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This album took Zep's brand of heavy blues and merged it with a prog-rock sensibility. Amazing stuff, even by Zep standards.
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That's right - this was after Plant's car accident, and he couldn't walk at the time the album was recorded. Excellent album.
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Yeah, these "reviewers" leave alot to be desired. Is this their BEST album? Maybe not. But, Led Zep's WORST album is still BETTER than the majority of garbage the music industry has been pumping out since "Presence" was released in 1976. Also, the circumstance s during the time of this album (I think Robert Plant's son died?...and/ o r , Robert may have been injured in a car accident?) were not the best. Look up the history, but this was challenging for them to do at the time. And it still rocked.
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How is this not a classic? It's a great piece of work by Zeppelin, this critic doesn't know what he's talking about.
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"Would have had another classic on their hands"?????? ? ? ? ? And this isn't classic because..... Next time you want to give your opinion listen to the piece of work you are commenting on. This is an essential body of work for any one whom appreciates Led Zeppelin's catalogue.
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