The final batch of Led Zeppelin CD reissues brings the band through its last chapter. Presence (1976) went platinum but was easily their most dispirited album, sludgy as if recorded under the influence of the bad drugs alluded to on the best track: the “monkey on my back” from the bluesy “Nobody’s Fault But Mine.” They shifted course dramatically for In Through the Out Door (1979), rolling out synthesizers, snappier beats and more sharply written tunes in response to the new wave that threatened to dim the luster of many ’70s rock stars.
Unlike some of their generational peers, Led Zeppelin saw the death of a key member as a sign to retire. Their posthumous Coda (1982) collected eight strong unreleased tracks recorded in the ’70s. All of the Zeppelin reissues include a second disc of early mixes or works in progress. Coda contains two bonus discs, mostly of high interest, including a soulful low-key blues, “Baby Come On Home”; an outtake from their first recording session, “Sugar Mama”; and a pair of songs calling on the musical traditions of India and recorded with the Bombay Orchestra.
