A Sneak Peek...
And this time a once-in-four-year review!
On February 29, 1988, a unique date that only recurs once every four years, Robert Plant chose to release his fourth studio album "Now And Zen".
Robert Plant comes with a new lineup of musicians, after a relatively weak album from 1985 and after an equally weak reunion show with "Led Zeppelin" that year on "Live Aid".
Plant returns more or less to the sound that characterized "Led Zeppelin", with guitar-based songs, Hard Rock, Blues and a few oriental motifs, all combined with 1980s Pop, full of keyboards and programming.
Guitarist Jimmy Page is featured on two songs from the album, the opening song "Heaven Knows", which was also the first and most successful single to reach number one on the Billboard chart and "Tall Cool One", which was the third single from it.
"Tall Cool One" was Plant and Page's response to unapproved sampling from "Led Zeppelin's" songs, by "Beastie Boys" on their 1986 album "Licensed to Ill". the song features sampling from "Whole Lotta Love", "Dazed and Confused", "Black Dog", "Custard Pie", "The Ocean, plus lyrics from the song "When the Levee Breaks".
The album also includes the excellent ballad "Ship of Fools", which was released as the second single and reached number three on Billboard. This is without a doubt one of the greatest songs in Plant's solo career.
"Now And Zen" was commercially successful and topped the album charts on both sides of the ocean, reviving Plant's solo career, which was at its low point at the time.
The problem with this album is the eighties production that is full of keyboards and programming. Overall there are no bad songs that with another production could have made this album much better.
For listening: Spotify, Apple Music.