Led Zeppelin Mothership


I just got Mothership on LP. After loving the re-release of the Song Remains the Same I am a bit disappointed.

While Jimmy Page has done a good job at removing the sibilance, and over-saturation of the treble on the Classic Records versions of Zep I and II, he has also removed the excitement. The "Oh my God I feel like I am in the studio with Zeppelin" feeling has been replaced with a dull but clean sound. By mixing it so that no one instrument stands out over the other he has taken all of the "fun" out of the music.

Oddly enough he did a better job with the cd version. It sounds more analog then any of the prior Zep cd's. While it doesn't sound as good as the lp version, or the classic records albums, it is some of the best digital rock I have heard.
nrostov

Showing 12 responses by phasecorrect

Let's be clear...the original lps outside of PG were never that good....I and IV being extremely muddy...I think mothership and the even newer remasters are a quantum leap...I also own some of the classic reissues that outside of being a bit bass shy ate quite good
Use your ears...who cares if a data base claims this or that...fwiw...rock is recorded with compression...so those who seek out early CD/pressings of classic rock hoping to get a compression free recording ate misled...its similar to running vocals through a PA...every heard "dry" vocals with no reverb,etc...sounds terrible
Fair enough...but if used judiciously... compression is not necessarily a bad thing...but this is highly subjective...and focused on Mothership...which is the orig post...a decent sounding best of.
Mothership is as outdated as this thread... The new 2014/15 zep remasters have been unanimously praised
To each his own...DR is only one part of the equation... Unfortunately it has become something of a focal point for some...shame...the added clarity, transparency, resolution of the remasters is quite...as for dynamics...I compared them to my original vinyl...they sound fine
For the record... The new releases fall into the "transition" rating according to the database...but again...some have fixated on these figures...without even giving the remasters a fair shake...bit that's audio...
That would be a mint condition UK vinyl first pressing...hard to find and pricey
Not really...premium Zep lps always comes with a cost...not parting with mine!
Or there are the first batch of CDs from the 80s...dull, flat, lifeless..but oh the dynamics!
Your talking to someone that had listened to Zep on vinyl for decades...that being said... And to beat a dead horse...the 180g gram reissues sound very good...trust me I know the material...butvl u like what u like...and so do I...life goes on
Let's put things in prospective...Mothership is a comp...songs every Zephead already has...but it was a good primer for try those that had older CDs which IMHO never sounded up to snuff...Cday vs new remasters... Apples vs oranges...modern live recording vs original band/recordings...Cday is good for what it is...but no match for orig releases...