Label: Universal Music (Japan), UICY-93586
Style: Rock, Classic Rock, Folk Rock
Country: Heston, Middlesex, England / West Bromwich, Staffordshire, England
Time: 79:37
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 512 Mb
Review
Originally released in 1994 `No Quarter’ contains 14 musical pieces,
mostly intelligent and imaginative re-works of songs written jointly by
Page and Plant and recorded by Led Zeppelin in the 1970s. Most buyers
interested in this collection will be Zeppelin fans and very familiar
with all the `originals’ from Zep’s back catalogue.
One of the
reasons Page and Plant hit it off when they met in 1968 was that they
shared wide-ranging musical interests, and their subsequent
joint-compositions incorporated ideas from North African and Indian
music (check out Page’s frequently unconventional guitar tunings) as
well as Mississippi Delta blues, Appalachian mountain music and the folk
traditions of the British Isles.
On this album the duo perform some
of their best songs with new arrangements backed by 7 musicians playing
variously banjo, mandolin, bodhran and hurdy-gurdy as well as bass and
percussion. To add further spice to the mix, a traditional Egyptian
11-piece musical ensemble is deployed on many of the tracks, and – on
those recorded in Marrakech – 4 Moroccan musicians. To top it all off,
the entire string section from The London Metropolitan Orchestra
(violins, violas and cellos) guest on a brand new interpretation of the
Zep classic `Kashmir’ to close the album.
Some of the songs on the
album are performed in front of a live audience and some are studio
recordings; some recorded in Marrakech in the open air and some at a
cottage in Snowdonia. Overall the result is a very rich musical
experience, more complex and varied than any one of Zeppelin’s glorious
albums to which this collection will inevitably be compared. One or two
songs – `Since I’ve been loving you’, `That’s the way’ and `Battle of
Evermore’ – don’t really get the full exotic treatment but are re-worked
in a more conventional manner, and improved on nevertheless.
Overall
this is a truly excellent and mature piece of work which will appeal to
any Zeppelin fan, and also to any open-minded listener with wider
musical horizons who wants to hear something a bit different. Production
values are exemplary, giving a rich and satisfying sound where no
instrument or voice dominates the action, but where everything is in
fine balance.
Review Calling this album by the video title of
“Unledded,” as a takeoff on “Unplugged,” sorely misses the point of why
“No Quarter” is not just Jimmy Page and Robert Plant doing acoustic
versions of Led Zeppelin songs.
The primary attraction of this album
is the infusion of Eastern rhythms and sounds into their old songs. The
Egyptian Ensemble’s percussion section uses instruments you just do not
hear on rock ‘n’ roll albums: Dobolla, Duf, Bendir, Reque, Merwas, Nay
and Finger Cymbals (for good measure the back up band includes a Bodhran
and Hurdy Gurdy). As soon as you hearing the opening of “Nobody’s Fault
But Mine” you know that there is an exotic twist to these songs this
time around. “No Quarter,” “Friends,” “The Battle for Evermore,”
“Gallows Pole” and “Four Sticks” all benefit from this fresh approach.
Then,
just to make things really interesting, we get the string section of
the London Metropolitan Orchestra to come in on the awesome version of
“Kashmir” that ends the album. Consequently, the songs were we do not
really get the full flavor of this exotic twist, such as “Thank You,”
That’s the Way” and “Since I’ve Been Loving You,” seem a bit out of
place. It would be hard to argue that Plant’s voice is everything it
once was, but ultimately he is just another instrument on this mix.
I
have always appreciated the mixing of musical styles, whether it is
Paul Simon and Peter Gabriel using South African influences or Loreena
McKennitt blending Celtic and Eastern music together, so I certainly
consider “No Quarter” to be in that successful vein. The fact that these
are Led Zeppelin songs just makes this album that much better.
Review
This album contains a superb and ambitious re-working of some classic
Zep songs such as Kashmir, No Quarter and Four Sticks. This is a more
mature and refined sound than the original Led Zeppelin songs while
retaining the tightness and intensity of the originals.
In the Zep
days, the dynamic duo were influenced by Arabic and Indian music to the
extent that Page frequently used unconventional guitar tunings in some
of his songs. But in this album they have brought their Eastern
influences to the forefront by incorporating an Egyptian orchestra. This
works exceptionally well with several tracks, which they have taken to
new heights and directions.
While remaining grounded in their Blues
roots, they also pay homage to their eastern influences by recording
informal sessions with Egyptian musicians which adds a touch of
simplicity and mysticism.
Plant’s voice is as strong and bluesy as
ever (check out Nobody’s Fault But Mine) and Page’s guitar solos are
inspired and played from a place “deep down inside” (check out Thank
You).
We’re not talking about your average rock-stars here – never
content with resting on their laurels, the album bursts with creativity,
originality and ambition. From the haunting and vibrant No Quarter to
the East-West fusion of Kashmir, P&P inspire, delight and take their
classic songs to parts very few rock bands have reached, and beyond.
(classicrockreview.wordpress.com/category/jimmy-page-robert-plant-no-quarter/) May 25, 2013
01. Nobody's Fault But Mine (04:06)
02. Thank You (05:48)
03. No Quarter (03:45)
04. Friends (04:36)
05. Yallah (04:59)
06. City Don't Cry (06:08)
07. Since I've Been Loving You (07:30)
08. The Battle Of Evermore (06:41)
09. Wonderful One (04:57)
10. Wah Wah (03:59)
11. That's The Way (05:35)
12. Gallows Pole (04:09)
13. Four Sticks (04:52)
14. Kashmir (12:27)
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