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Music review: Beth Hart – ëƵA Tribute to Led ZeppelinëƵ

By Clint Rhodes for The newsroom@heraldstandard.Com 2 min read
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Rhodes

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Beth Hart - ëƵA Tribute to Led ZeppelinëƵ

Beth Hart gets a whole lotta led out in exhilarating style on her latest effort that highlights select Led Zeppelin classics.

With an abundance of hearty confidence, Hart owns these memorable arrangements that serve as a fitting tribute to one of the greatest groups in rock music history.

Added to the fiery guitar-driven numbers is an orchestral element that provides a subtle touch of elegance and assists in spotlighting HartëƵs soulful and gritty vocal performance throughout the album.

ëƵWhole Lotta LoveëƵ opens the set in rousing fashion as HartëƵs vocals match the intensity and raw sexual passion displayed by Robert Plant on the bandëƵs second album from 1969.

The California native next reproduces the spellbinding beauty of ëƵKashmirëƵ from 1975ëƵs double-album ëƵPhysical Graffiti.ëƵ HartëƵs guttural vocal outbursts take this number to another level and proves she is more than capable of treating the ambitious piece in the proper manner it deserves.

HartëƵs all-star backing band shines on the straightforward rocker ëƵBlack DogëƵ as HartëƵs mighty voice keeps pace with the raging musical storm that masterfully fluctuates in both pace and presence.

The band goes on to infectiously capture the funk groove of ëƵThe CrungeëƵ first featured on 1973ëƵs ëƵHouses of the Holy.ëƵ HartëƵs voice is the perfect vehicle to deliver the soulful tone of this James Brown tribute track with Hart announcing, ëƵI wanna tell you about my good thing.ëƵ

While itëƵs difficult to match the mystical aura of ëƵStairway to Heaven,ëƵ Hart maneuvers along this sacred ground with a commanding magnetism that is comparable to PlantëƵs original hypnotizing performance from 1971ëƵs ëƵLed Zeppelin IV.ëƵ

For me, the highlight of the album is found on ëƵGood Times Bad Times.ëƵ IëƵve loved this track ever since purchasing the bandëƵs eponymous debut release. As a curious 10-year-old, the spirited effort introduced me to the beauty and emotion of a rock and blues marriage with tracks like ëƵBabe IëƵm Gonna Leave You,ëƵ ëƵDazed and ConfusedëƵ and ëƵCommunication Breakdown.ëƵ

ëƵThe Rain SongëƵ escorts things to a tender conclusion with Hart offering up a Janis Joplin vibe when abruptly declaring toward the close, ëƵUpon us all a little rain must fall.ëƵ

When all is said and done, Hart does a smashing job of making sure the song does indeed remain the same.

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