MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: LED ZEPPELIN - THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME (Blu-Ray)

For decades, this was the official document of the great juggernaut of the '70's, Zeppelin in its arena-conquering days. But it was supplanted and ignored when Jimmy Page brought the band into this century with his catalogue overhaul, beginning with his How The West Was Won box, making it the priority and go-to place for concert Zep. It's understandable, as this original beast had a bad rap, and it wasn't going to shake it.

Part of that was the film from which it came, a so-so production marred by those ridiculous fantasy sequences. The band was also less than enthusiastic about it, so over the years the lingering negativity attached itself to the album too. That finally got somewhat fixed in 2007, when Page remixed the whole thing, and added a whole bunch of tunes, some of which had been in the movie but not the film, and vice-versa. In addition to vastly improving the sound, the original double-album was now beefed up to a full concert length, recreating a typical 1973 night, arguably the peak of Zeppelin popularity.

Now comes this edition, ostensibly to celebrate the group's 50th anniversary. It gives it another audio step-up, now making it to Blu-Ray audio for the first time with a new remastering. There are some new additions, although nothing as major as the 2007 additions. The video portion includes footage of four songs you won't find in the film: Celebration Day, Over The Hills and Far Away, Misty Mountain Hop and The Ocean. Some edits to the lengthy Dazed and Confused, and already-long Moby Dick drum solo have been removed, perhaps not really a bonus.

Of course, it sounds massive now, more regal, befitting these dark princes of rock excess. I'd say it matches up to How The West Was Won, perhaps not the best performances, but as a full document of a Zeppelin show. I'll always argue the best live shows would be way before this, from the first few tours when the group was suffering from so much bloat. Here, favourites like Black Dog and Rock and Roll are dealt with quickly, while lengthy and moody numbers such as No Quarter and The Song Remains The Same dominate. The parlour tricks, Page's bowing and Plant's awkward scatting don't work well outside the venue. That's wishful thinking though, as Page has a tight grip on the catalogue, and has shown a preference of keeping the vaults closed for the most part. Despite its shaky past and excesses, this is a valuable document that now sounds a whole lot better thanks to Page's tinkering and polishing.