On their first two albums,
Led Zeppelin
unleashed a relentless barrage of heavy
blues
and
rockabilly
riffs, but
Led Zeppelin III
provided the band with the necessary room to grow musically. While there are still a handful of metallic rockers,
III
is built on a folky, acoustic foundation that gives the music extra depth. And even the rockers aren't as straightforward as before: the galloping
"Immigrant Song"
is powered by
Robert Plant
's banshee wail,
"Celebration Day"
turns
blues-rock
inside out with a warped slide guitar riff, and
"Out on the Tiles"
lumbers along with a tricky, multi-part riff. Nevertheless, the heart of the album lies on the second side, when the band delve deeply into English
folk
.
"Gallows Pole"
updates a
traditional
tune with a menacing flair, and
"Bron-Y-Aur Stomp"
is an infectious acoustic romp, while
"That's the Way"
"Tangerine"
are shimmering songs with graceful
country
flourishes. The band hasn't left the
behind, but the twisted bottleneck
of
"Hats off to (Roy) Harper"
actually outstrips the epic
"Since I've Been Loving You,"
which is the only time
Zeppelin
sound a bit set in their ways. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine