The winds of Thor blow cold, and it's good!

With LZ 3 Houses has always been my favorite in the discography of the great Zeppelin.
But it has always been a somewhat frustrating disk in sound. Skimpy battery predominant mediums messy mix (particularly on "The Song Remains The Same"), etc. In fact, this is a disc that accused defects directly related to the time of registration.
After listening to the new remastering LZ IV, which left me a strange feeling (that is "better", but not as good as could be expected), I did not expect better Houses of The Holy . Again, I was wrong.
If the first chords of The Song intro leaves nothing presage extraordinary, once the JPJ bass comes in, it takes a good kick in the waltzing. Pêchus more serious, percussion more "dynamic", improved mix of clarity. Phew! So this piece is always a bit strange, since the voice of Plant were accelerated in the mix to give a special impression. But never, ever, this song has sounded so good!
And this is still nothing.

Just behind tumbles The Rain Song.
Some acoustic arpeggios in the left speaker, quickly doubled by an electric. The stereo image is gradually moving to the right speaker. Plant's voice arrives, with a slight reverb. The acoustic guitar sparkles, delay on electric sends harmonics in heaven.
And suddenly: the mellotron and (against) Low come in. The reverb is widening means cellos in the background (real?).
And after a long dreamlike passage, Bonzo stuns us with its clubs studded with nails wrought iron.
Pfeeew!
Glad to hear it before I die!

Over The Hills is also superb, with dry guitars (6 and 12 strings) of very clear and well defined intro, and a beat ultradynamique once the battery is installed. The mix is ​​powerful and airy, and is a real jewel for the voice of Percy.

The Crunge the jamesbrownesque sketch follows, unchecked by Ludwig Bonham Bass and John Paul Jones. The sound has undeniably sustained facelift, with a rhythm guitar and aggressive and less creaky synth that finally detached from the bass line. Where's that confounded bridge? Who cares. The groove is too good!

And then - Vlam! - Dancing Days, the pachyderm in open tuning riff recorded during a session to Stargrove, the manor of Mick Jagger, is falling on the corner of the muzzle. I love this piece since Jean-Bernard Hebey had the "Song of the Week" on his radio show. This does not rejuvenated me, I know! Never has pummeled as deliciously.

Well, and then there was D'yer Mak'er, reggae miserably missed the Zep. Yeah, yeah, yeah. The sound is good. Point.

Fortunately, just behind comes the part strength for the vast Johnesy: No quarter!
Breath clearly audible at first, a low scraping the depths, a piano heavenly bubbles, riffs major steel Page. Light incense, turn off the lights, the Dogs of Doom will scream in your head! Listen létagement sound plans, beautiful nest for what, after all, quun "rock record."

And ends with the brilliant The Ocean. Hold on to the railing after inarticulate bellowing Bonham, we leave for 4 minutes rocknroll ruckus.

Conclusion: With the first album, Houses of The Holy is definitely the album that benefits most of the new remastering. Check-is more airy, stamps and most respected titles will earn much. For me, its just rediscovering. But attention, you will notice no difference if you listen to MP3. However, on a good chain, with good headphones or good monitors, you can enjoy all the refinements of art studio according Mister Page.

A word about the bonuses. Say that they are quite "superfluous" and will not excite the crowds for decades. Between The Song of a mix without the voice of Plant (which is not so bad, for once) and "pre-mix" that are just below the final versions, we regret not to have got a little concert from his store. Jimmy Page is known to collect "soundboards" recordings, and bootleggers of experience know that some are excellent. Why do not we have chosen a deluxe edition for this? Because the double live "The Song Remains The Same" was recorded during the tour that followed the release of Houses? Everyone knows that the group wasnt on top at Madison Square Garden and Page sétait stuck a finger of his left hand in a door. You could have heard a "good show" of the tour, right?
Well, too bad. We have a copy remastering.
This is already something.