Welcome to the 7th installment of my Led Zeppelin studio album reviews! These are tandem reviews with my amazing wife, Sarah who is posting her own reviews over at Caught Me Gaming. So be sure to check out her write up on Presence right here!
As for me, I can sum up Presence like this:
Unimpressive overall. I really like three of the tracks though.
As a Led Zeppelin Album: 2/5
Compared to the Rest: 3.5/5
One of my favourite things to do with a Zep album is to follow along with John Paul Jones’ bass. On Zep’s previous albums there has always seemed to be a song that he would quietly dominate on the bass. Like his improvisation in The Lemon Song or his locked in groove in How Many More Times.
I don’t mean to pick on the guy as he is not THE problem with this album, but I think his mostly rote playing is a reflection of the entire product. He has a nice tone on the album’s 10-plus minute opener, Achilles Last Stand, but it is disappointing how he mostly sticks to following the melody. Maybe he was uninspired as he finds the tune to be as bland and overlong as I do.
For Your Life is a fully serviceable track but a bit boring. John Paul does not deviate from melody again, even when the tune breaks into its more funky moments.
The band goes full funk for Royal Orleans. This song has felt like filler to me in the past but I really got into its groove this time. This is the first time the band sounds jovial and it is a fun track to listen to.
Then we get to Nobody’s Fault But Mine. I adore this one! Yes, it is yet another blues number where they completely ignore the original artist. Blind Willie Johnson is the target this time:
It would have been a well-disguised cover if it were not for Plant completely lifting the lyrics. Instrumentally, the entire band kills it. Page’s bluesy riff must have had guitarists everywhere looking for phase pedals. Drummer, Bonham is locked in and John Paul plays it a bit simplistic but his driving groove fits.

Zep explores rockabilly with Candy Store Rock but they don’t nail it as well as funk. I give them props for trying something different here though. John Paul’s bass still doesn’t have much to say.
It wouldn’t surprise me to discover that Hots On For Nowhere is a leftover from the Houses of the Holy sessions. This is the hidden gem! Bonham drives this one hard and the variations on the main riff throughout the track lifts ones spirit.
Finally, the closer Tea For One has one huge tease of an opening. The band sounds like they’re gearing up for for a classic Zep groove… then it switches gears to Since I’ve Been Loving You, Part II: The Quest for More Money. Well a least they are lifting from themselves now! Since I’ve Been Loving You has some stand-out moments. It’s a tune that sticks with you. I dare anyone to remember what they just listened to after hearing all 9 and half minutes of Tea For One. John Paul is completely checked out for it.
This was Zep’s 7th studio album in 7 years, and the previous was a double. The follow up for Presence didn’t make a… presence until three years later. So, if they were not beginning to feel burnt out by this point, Presence still sound as if they were.

I kinda like those forgotten albums that people pass by so I like Presence. lol My daughter Lexie got this album as a gift from her friend saying she needed some classic rock in here collection.
I hear ya though as they were on a incredible creative run of the 6 albums before and when you take into the fact the tours they were doing something had to give..
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It’s not a bad rock album, just not a great Zep one, IMHO. They can’t all be winners!
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I like this one, from memory – I probably haven’t played it all the way through for a decade … which tells its own story.
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I’m just curious about how they came up with the album cover and who are these people? LOL! ‘Presence’ might take me a few listens to get used to, but Bonham’s drumming is good on “Hots on for Nowhere” and “Nobody’s Fault But Mine.”
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I agree with you on Bonham. He definitely had plenty of bright moments on the album. Sarah and I talked at length about the artwork. Sarah says the idol is supposed to represent the band’s presence in people’s lives. Whatever that means…
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Oh yeah, Sarah did talk about the album artwork. Whatever it meant, I’m still confused about the ordinary people and how that’s supposed to represent the band, but it is what it is.
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Yeah, I don’t understand it either.
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I’m with ya on the unimpressive part. For me it’s just two songs. Nobody’s Fault But Mine and Achilles Last Stand.
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Well, we’re in full agreement on one of them!
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Jovial is not a term I would have associated with LZ – I’ll have to check out Royal Orleans to hear what that would sound like!
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I think they can get jovial at times. Hot Dog surely is. I’d even say the Lemon Song sounds like fun.
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nice write-up here. Sadly, I’ve never heard of this album but have heard some of the songs. I have some listening homework!
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Thanks, Drew! It is definitely worth a spin if you haven’t listened to it before!
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Man do i like this one. Listening to it right now.
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Even Tea for One?
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Yes I like it. A little greasy “tea” song. # of my favorite bands sing “tea” songs. KInks, The Who and Zep.
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lol, very British of you! I actually drink tea every day. Even the hot ones!
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CB is a “tea granny” too. Maybe we should write a tune?
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Hmmmm….
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I cannot tell you the last time I played Presence from front to back, honestly.
I don’t think any songs from Presence will be making my lists. I guess we’ll see!
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One might make mine…
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OOOOOOOH.
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