Houses of the Holy
follows the same basic pattern as
Led Zeppelin IV
, but the approach is looser and more relaxed.
Jimmy Page
's riffs rely on ringing, folky hooks as much as they do on thundering
blues-rock
, giving the album a lighter, more open atmosphere. While the pseudo-
reggae
of
"D'Yer Mak'er"
and the affectionate
James Brown
send-up
"The Crunge"
suggest that the band was searching for material, they actually contribute to the musical diversity of the album.
"The Rain Song"
is one of
Zep
's finest moments, featuring a soaring string arrangement and a gentle, aching melody.
"The Ocean"
is just as good, starting with a heavy, funky guitar groove before slamming into an
a cappella
section and ending with a swinging,
doo wop
-flavored rave-up. With the exception of the rampaging opening number,
"The Song Remains the Same,"
the rest of
is fairly straightforward, ranging from the foreboding
"No Quarter"
and the strutting
hard rock
"Dancing Days"
to the epic
folk
/
metal
fusion
"Over the Hills and Far Away."
Throughout the record, the band's playing is excellent, making the eclecticism of
Page
and
Robert Plant
's songwriting sound coherent and natural. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine