Beth Hart (from A Tribute to Led Zeppelin

Beth Hart (from A Tribute to Led Zeppelin on Provologue) (by Lee Zimmerman)
 
You have to credit Blues-belter Beth Hart with truth in advertising. A Tribute to Led Zeppelin is all it promises, down to every riff and wail delivered by the original foursome. While it’s hardly surprising that Hart, a woman known for her own assured sound, would choose to emulate/imitate the Zep, one does have to wonder what she hoped to accomplish by offering these note-by-note re-dos of such familiar fare.
 
Another take on “Stairway to Heaven?” Really?
 
Of course, Plant, Page, Bonham, and Jones have provided ongoing inspiration to any number of artists over the decade. They helped establish the template for what we now refer to as heavy metal after all. As recently as a few months ago, Vanilla Fudge paid their own tribute to Zeppelin via a series of singles that culled from their classic catalog. Then again, Vanilla Fudge was given ample credit by the foursome themselves for not only taking them along on tour in the States early on, but having a decided impact on their seminal sound. In the Fudge’s case, they were simply coming full circle.
 
Here however, Beth Hart reboots the nine songs that encompass this set and performs them with note for note precision with nary any altering of the original arrangements. Hart’s vocals replay every one of Plant’s namesake nuances, and while she shares a certain sassy style of her own, from the opening volley of “Whole Lotta Love” onwards, one really needs to lean in and listen to distinguish any real differential. The musicians share Hart’s dedication to the delivery by referencing the melodies to the same extent. The only exception comes with “The Grunge,” a track given a tangled tempo every bit as intriguing as the original.
 
Otherwise, the familiarity factor plays heavily with every offering — whether it’s “Kashmir”, the medleys that link “Dancing Days” and “When the Levee Breaks” and “No Quarter” with “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You” or Zep’s perennial stand-out “Good Times Bad Times”.
 
Ultimately, it’s a well-executed effort overall, and given the trepidation Beth Hart admits to in the liner notes, she deserves credit for rising to the challenge. It’s also clear that this was simply a personal indulgence on her part, an opportunity to offer homage to her heroes without altering her own trajectory. Whether one will prefer the originals or these remakes is never called into question. Consider this simply a dutiful diversion. (By Lee Zimmerman)
 
Listen and buy the music of Beth Hart from her website
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