Presence Songs Ranked
Presence is the seventh studio album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, released by Swan Song Records on 31 March 1976. While the record was a commercial success, reaching the top of both the British and American album charts, and achieving a triple-platinum certification in the United States, it received mixed reviews from critics and was the lowest-selling studio album by the band while they were still active. Presence is dominated by compositions by Page and Plant, with only one track credited to the entire group; unlike other Zeppelin albums, it features no keyboards and little acoustic guitar. Because Plant was still recuperating, the band could not tour to capitalize on the release, and only two tracks, including the ten-minute opener “Achilles Last Stand”, were performed live. However, the album has been re-appraised in retrospective reviews for its hard rock dynamics and simplicity compared to the group’s other work. Here are all of the Presence songs ranked.
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7. Candy Store Rock
“Candy Store Rock”, a rockabilly sounding track, complete with twangy guitar and echoing Elvis type vocals from Plant. Sounds weird at first, coming from one of the heaviest bands of their time, but its still good and will grow on you.”
6. Royal Orleans
“‘Royal Orleans’ is the only track on the album to be credited as a band composition and is a curious little oddity. It features a good funky riff and some frantic jazzy riffing and whilst it is enjoyable enough it really fails to go anywhere and has the feeling of filler about it.”
5. Tea for One
“Tea for One” closes the album on a really high note thanks to its slow burning bluesy atmosphere. This album isn’t without its faults of course. The missing acoustic and keyboard elements make this album a bit less eclectic when compared to its predecessors which is a nitpick but a slight flaw nonetheless.”
See More: Led Zeppelin Songs Ranked
4. Hots on for Nowhere
“‘Hots On For Nowhere’ is the middle ground for me on this album. Not quite being of the same calibre as the four standout tracks but considerably better than the two inferior ones. Another fast paced song it is as ever driven along by Bonham’s thunderous drumming.”
3. For Your Life
“Personnaly, I think Jones is at his absolute best on this track, with some, dare I say it, groovy basslines. This is his song, but Page plays yet another great riff and solo and Bonham does his usual pounding of the kit.”
2. Nobody’s Fault but Mine
“‘Nobody’s Fault But Mine’ is the third of the four absolute classics on the album for me and although it harks back to the early practise of adapting old blues tunes this one is done in a far more straight up rock way. Page plays some marvellous slide guitar and at times the guitar sound gives the feeling that the floor is dropping beneath you.”
1. Achilles Last Stand
“Opening track ‘Achilles Last Stand’ was at the time the second longest studio recording of Zeppelin’s career clocking in at almost ten and a half minutes (it was overtaken by the much maligned ‘Carouselambra’ from the final album). The song itself is a masterpeice and many including Page himself cite it as their favourite Zeppelin track.”