Led Zeppelin 4: Zoso [CD, Original recording remastered, Import, from US]

   レッドツェッペリンが、前作『III』で酷評された怒りを爆発させ、ロック史上、確実に名を残すことを決定づけた名盤。キャッチーなギターのリフと、激しいヴォーカル、うねるベースと腰にくるドラムが一体となって、バンドの実力を目一杯発揮したアルバムになっている。
   特に多くのファンを魅了した<4>は、そのドラマチックな展開といい、後のロックバンドに与えた影響は計りしれない。ロックンロールから繊細なトラッドフォークをベースにした曲まで、4ピースバンドの表現の限界を越えたアルバムである。（たかいしさとし）

Also known as the "rune" album or Zoso because of the medieval symbols adorning the inner sleeve, Led Zeppelin's fourth album, released in 1971, turned them from mere superstars into giant behemoths of the rock world. On tracks like "Black Dog," "Misty Mountain Hop," and "Rock and Roll," the combination of Robert Plant's banshee wails and Jimmy Page's frenetic guitar playing forever altered the stylistic bent of hard rock music. And the foreboding "When the Levee Breaks" demonstrated that Zeppelin could indeed play the blues fairly straight if they so desired. Still, everything here ultimately took a back seat to the album's (and, ultimately, the band's) magnum opus--the expertly constructed and deftly executed classic, "Stairway to Heaven." --Billy Altman

Also known as the "rune" album because of the medieval symbols adorning its cover, Led Zeppelin's fourth album, released in 1971, turned them from mere superstars into giant behemoths of the rock world. On tracks like "Black Dog", "Misty Mountain Hop", and "Rock and Roll", the combination of Robert Plant's banshee wails and Jimmy Page's frenetic guitar playing forever altered the stylistic bent of hard rock music. And the foreboding "When the Levee Breaks" demonstrated that Zeppelin could indeed play the blues fairly straight if they so desired. Still, everything here ultimately took a back seat to the album's (and, ultimately, the band's) magnum opus--the expertly constructed and deftly executed classic, "Stairway to Heaven". --Billy Altman