Led Zeppelin
Presence

It is undeniable that, one way or another, everyone succumbs to the allure of Led Zeppelin. The success that grows with each album release, the endless rehearsals for ever more massive tours they undertake, and the magazines that sell in huge numbers every time they dedicate a cover to the group: the Zeps had the world at their feet!

1976 also brings troubles to the Zeppelin camp, as Jimmy Page is accused by Kenneth Anger of neglecting the work on the soundtrack for his movie, producing no more than 28 minutes of valid music, defining the guitarist as unable to withstand the drug to which he is entirely a slave. Those that could be defined as the real dangers of life were real constants that began to wear down - as in the case of Bonham with alcohol - those who had chosen the unlikely path of risk. But the event that hindered the recordings of "Presence" was Plant's car accident in Greece on August 4, 1975, which forced the singer to convalesce for several weeks on the island of Jersey, also for tax reasons. Page's ideas for the album began to take shape as early as September 1975, and were then materialized with the work of Jones and Bonham by the end of the following October. The rehearsals took place at S.I.R. studios in Hollywood, while for the recordings, the Musicland in Munich was chosen, to dodge the American taxes once again.

"Achilles Last Stand" throws us with the power of a tornado into this sonic monument where Page's heroic guitar leads the rest, building with Plant's vocal impetus a barrage of melodies and instrumental overdubs that do not diminish the overall result even compared to a masterpiece of the past like "No Quarter." The epic climax reached in the instrumental finale elevates the lyrics clearly inspired by travels in Africa (Seek a man whose pointing hand a giant step unfolds - Guiding us from the burning path that churns up into stone - If one bell should ring celebration for a king - So hard that should be again = Cerca un uomo la cui mano indica svelando l'orma di un gigante - Guidaci fuori dal sentiero di fuoco che crea pietre - Se una campana dovesse suonare a festa per un re - Sarebbe così difficile ancora). In "For Your Life," it is predominantly the coexisting dialogue between guitar and drums that dominates the scene, while the executed verses shine with their own light, mainly due to their pleasant catchiness, with lyrics intensely dedicated to a drug story (Oh and she said: don’t you wannit? - Don’t you want coca coca cocaine, - Hadn’t planned to - Could not stand try it, friend, yeah! = Oh, she said: do you want? - Don’t you want coca coca cocaine, - It wasn’t planned - Couldn’t resist trying it, friend, yeah!). When moving on to "Royal Orleans," one realizes the funk spirit (a taste of which we had already received with "The Crunge" from "Houses Of The Holy") perfectly incarnated by the four Zeps, making the song a decent conduit that leads us straight to another highlight of this album: "Nobody's Fault But Mine." The guitar introduction leaves no room for doubt, once heard it imprints in your brain and won't leave, making the mutual influence between the winning Bonham/Jones rhythm duo and Page’s majestic performance favorable to the completion ring represented by Plant’s restless but decisive performance. If we wanted to fully dive into the 50s and the good they brought, there is nothing left but to let yourself be transported by the rolling "Candy Store Rock," a piece where Elvis's spirit naturally comes out without necessarily crying out to authentic reproduction. With "Hots On For Nowhere," one cannot but acknowledge that the band seized the opportunity to unleash that measured and extemporaneous lightness reproduced - by lively vocalizations mixed with pleasant swing flavors - of which even a Zeppelin-branded album needs. The terminal stop of this album is "Tea For One," a very slow blues that listens very well, albeit wanting to unequivocally evoke the glories of the grandiose "Since I've Been Loving You," but resulting simply as a well-executed and updated reissue for the times.

An album whose production lasted 18 days and was initially thought of as titled "Thanksgiving" and then "Obelisk": the idea was to put on the cover photographs depicting life from the 50s with an obelisk in the center representing the band's strength. In Great Britain, the gold record target was achieved on the day of its release, but the not-so-distant publication of the first live album "The Song Remains The Same" also prevented it from becoming a must-buy.

The seven tracks of "Presence" reflect a period far from happy for the band (Plant’s presence in the studio in a wheelchair confirms its difficult gestation), failing to transform with that continuity that had distinguished their recent past, the efforts and trials that had made them dare to go beyond.