It's 1974, you pull up to a small bungalow in your new Datsun 240z. It's a Friday night and you're ready for a bitchin' time. You knock on the door.. "Hey man, come on in!" Kids are crammed into this place, visions of paisley, plaid, denim, band T's, high waisted bellbottoms, bellowing blouses, long hair and the sent of ganja with a hint of patchouli engulf the room. This house is rockin' with the hi-fi sound system blaring, the turntable is spinning the most glorious guitar solo you've heard since Hendrix's Cry of Love.. "Dude this song is far out!" the guy who's parents are out of town replies, "Yeah man, it's Zeppelin's new album." You pick up the orange cover with the little blond girl upon the rocks.. this is Houses of the Holy..
Led Zeppelin's 5th studio album, Houses of the Holy which went 11x platinum and contained some of their most famous hits. Surprisingly enough, most of the record was made in the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio... did you know they had a mobile studio!? It was created in '68 in order to provide a place where you could record at any time without the limitations of a normal studio.
No Quarter meaning "No Mercy" is one of the most visual songs on the record.. It's a dark and perilous quest starting off with the subtle synth and keyboard sounds which John Paul Jones puts through a Moog Taurus in order to give it an eerie gutted effect. Robert's vocals are haunting and dismal and Jimmy sets fire as he breaks out into the main reoccurring riff... This is a GREAT cruising song.
The Rain Song is sure to bring up nostalgic feelings with its wistful mellotron and melancholy lyrics. For me, it's a song about the ever changing seasons of love and the emotions that come along with it... "Upon us all a little rain must fall."