Better, in some ways, than the first Boxed Set

I'm going out on a limb here and making a claim that this second Led Zep boxed set is actually better than the first.



I know it sounds crazy, 'cuz we all know most of the big hits and immortal zep classics are on the first boxed set, and this one consists of all the lesser-known album tracks, throwaways, and material that was too weird or experimental to become a radio staple like "Whole Lotta Love" or "Stairway." But dammit, listening to this collection reminds me of why Zeppelin albums are so much fun: they weren't afraid to experiment and throw in some playfully weird tracks onto their albums to keep things fresh and unpredicatble.



And so we find most of that unpredictable stuff here: Boogie with Stu, Black Mountainside, The Crunge, Bring it on Home, etc. These were the works of a band having some fun and knowing full well these tracks would never attract much radio play. And that just happens to be the side of Zeppelin I like. After you've heard overplayed hits like "Heartbreaker" or "Ramble On" for the ten millionth time, it's the underplayed obscure stuff like this that can restore your interest in good ol' Led Zep.

Great band, horrible set

Led Zeppelin is, unquestionably, one of the greatest bands of all time in any genre. John Paul Jones, John Bonham, Jimmy Page, and Robert Plant were musical geniuses. And, as with most popular musical artists out there, the band released a career-spanning box set. But was this a good move or not? Read on for my review of Led Zeppelin - The Box Set.

PROS:
-You get a number of Led Zeppelin classics in this career-spanning box set - two whole discs worth of them! That's a whole lot of Zeppelin. And that's about it for the good things I have to say about this box.

CONS:
-There are two ways you can do a career-spanning box set - the good way (a definitive collection of all of your releases to date) or the bad way (basically a hits compilation, but with a lot of discs.) Sadly, this box set goes with the latter style. That means all this is is a really expensive hits compilation.
-Why buy this scattershot collection when for just a little more you can get the considerably better Complete Studio Recordings box set?
-If you're a casual fan, why not just buy one of the many single or double disc Led Zeppelin hits packages out there?
-In a lot of ways, this set just comes off seeming like the "leftover" tracks that didn't make it on to the first box set.

OVERALL:
I'm a pretty big Zeppelin fan, but I'm not too impressed with the way this box set was done. If you're going to get into Led Zeppelin, get the Complete Studio recordings box set. Unlike this one, that one will give you everything you have ever wanted from the band and then some.

Led Zeppelin - 'Box Set, Volume 2' (Atlantic) 2-CD

Maybe one of the best box sets I've ever seen.First,let's talk about the super-thick fifty(50)page full color booklet with a countless amount of that good 'ol priceless Zeppelin artwork.Old 45 single covers,live concert photos,old magazine covers,flyers,etc.Two discs,with a total of 32 songs.A couple of better known cuts,like "Good Times Bad Times","The Lemon Song","You Shook Me" and "Living Loving Maid(She's Just A Woman)".Plus plenty of somewhat obscure tunes that I haven't heard in awhile,like "Sick Again","Black Country Woman",the kick-ass "Boogie With Stu",""Bron-Yr-Aur","The Crunge" among others.A must-have for any true Zep fan.