Customer Reviews

Now and Zen

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This was a big album for Plant. I remember when it came out. It wasn't popular at my highschool, but there was a crowd of cool kids into music who dug it. It's interesting to note that Jimmy Page (guitarist for Led Zeppelin, Plant's former band for the uninitiated) did the solos for "Heaven Knows" and "Tall Cool One" (including Led Zep-era samples of Page and Plant on the latter). Also, not only does great musician Kirsty MacCall sing back-up, but so does future Curve mastermind Toni Halliday.

The Breakdown:

"Heaven Knows" - I remember how modern this sounded when it first came out. It still sounds great to me. *****

"Dance On My Own" - is a cool, fun song about sexual frustration and what to do about it when you're alone. *****

"Tall Cool One" - I find cheesy, tacky and weak. A big hit. *

"The Way I Feel" - The best on the album . . . you just gotta feel it. *****

"Helen of Troy" - rocks out. Then there's the dreamy choral passage with the words, "The world is waiting here for you/ Don't you feel it anymore?" *****

"Billy's Revenge" - Rocks with old-school strut and features male back-up singers who cover many bases including doo-wap. ****

"Ship of Fools" - excellent guitar from Doug Boyle (as usual) not to mention a typically captivating vocal from Plant. A huge hit, deservedly so. *****

"Why" - is a wimpy synth overdose **

"White Clean and Neat" - interesting and pretty unique song with more old-school flavor (we're talkin' 50's) including sampled voices and other effects. ****

"Walking Towards Paradise" - a bonus track, more 80's synth shenanigans. Best left off the album, it still could've fit in somewhere but should not occupy the place that belongs to "White Clean and Neat." ***

This is the album where you knew for certain that Robert Plant had moved beyond Led Zep. For many, that is cause for a funeral dirge but, that does not mean that this was a bad album. It isn't, it's just different, and not too bad at all. "Now & Zen" came out in my senior year of college when I was finally over 21, so an early CD of this was played nearly to death. It always drove me nuts that "Walking Towards Paradise" wasn't included then but, this release has finally rectified that lapse. The whole album was fully digitally recorded so you get perfect sound, unlike all of our old Zep records! The band sounds great with Doug Boyle guitaring at the forefront and three women singing fine backing vocals. Everyone involved in this project are clearly veterans based on the perfect production. The first three songs are absolute classics with "Ship of Fools" taking the part of the killer Plant ballad reminding me some of "Big Log" from his earlier classic "The Principle of Moments".

The bottom line: Pick it up, new or used! The five songs I've mentioned earlier are indispensable and the rest are very listenable. The whole album has held up very well over the last 13 years.

Now and Zen, Robert Plant's fourth solo album, is an entertaining and cohesive piece of music. The material is appealing and catchy throughout. This disc was released in 1988 and contains ten songs altogether--one of these, "Walking Towards Paradise," is a bonus track. Every tune has something to offer. Overall, the musicianship is skillful, the songwriting is worthy, and the sound quality is nicely polished and crisp. The music is in a pop rock musical vein. When it comes to how the guitar and keyboards are utilized, there's a well-balanced synthesis of both instruments. Plant's former Led Zeppelin bandmate Jimmy Page guests on this album and contributes guitar solos on two compositions--"Heaven Knows" and the lively, free-spirited "Tall Cool One." Plant does a nice job with the vocals. Female background vocals are included on most of the songs. "Heaven Knows," "Dance on My Own," "Ship of Fools," and "Walking Towards Paradise" are examples of cuts that I like. The album's opening song, the exotic-flavored "Heaven Knows," is majestic in mood and features ethereal-sounding background vocals. The sunny, sleek "Dance on My Own" is a cool one that displays good guitar playing from Doug Boyle and infectious background vocals. The sole ballad of Now and Zen, the enjoyable "Ship of Fools," sports delicate, attractive, and dexterous guitar work from Boyle; undoubtedly, "Ship of Fools" is a nice showcase for his guitar skills. The sprightly "Walking Towards Paradise" is the CD's closing track--it contains an upbeat, engaging chorus. Surprisingly, the CD booklet only contains the song lyrics to five tunes--these being "Heaven Knows," "Tall Cool One," "The Way I Feel," "Ship of Fools," and "White, Clean and Neat." Phil Johnstone does well with the keyboards, and Chris Blackwell's drumming is noticeable and tight. The album cover is also cool. Something that I notice about Now and Zen is that it emanates an element of professional sophistication and feel. This album is just over 47 minutes in length. Now and Zen is worthwhile and solid.

This album was made in 1988. The first thing you notice about "Now and Zen" (if you're a Led Zeppelin fan) is how polished it sounds. After that, it becomes apparent how great Robert Plant souded vocally on the album, plus his fairly breezy attitude that comes across on many songs. These songs have sort of a lightweight, airy sound to them, and I don't mean that in a negative way. Whereas Zeppelin were about chugging, in-your-face riffs, everything so dense you could hardly breathe, this album is very pop. The only real "rocker" on "Now and Zen" is the commercialized "Tall Cool One," and even that is comparatively pristine sounding. "Dance on My Own" is a top-notch tune, Robert Plant sort of declaring right away his independent mind set to the world. Other standouts are the reflective "Way I Feel" and the truly majestic ballad, "Ship of Fools," which used to deservedly get frequent radio airplay. The quiet ending of that song is one of the better moments on this album. "White, Clean and Neat" is also worth mentioning; between the mini-chug of a riff and well sung backing vocals, an interlude of playful keyboards sneak in, along with speaking voices that truly give the song a unique feel. "Now and Zen" is properly closed out by the good "Walking Towards Paradise."

All in all, "Now and Zen" has no raging guitars, no pounding drums, and a fair amount of restraint from Robert Plant, something he's not always known for. Whatever you think about Led Zepp and Robert Plant, these songs have the potential to grab you. It's a catchy, well-produced, likeable album, with songs that display Plant's ability to move on and change with astute dignity. This album surely doesn't match up to the much mightier Plant album of 1990, "Manic Nirvana," but it is still a good buy.

Great voice and unique lyrics. If Zep is too much this is just right

This is an interesting work by Plant on the '80s with the typical pop-rock sound of the period. Now, even if you do not want to spend the money for the whole album, go and buy the "Ship of Fools" song as soon as it becomes available on a download store. It is such a great song and totally worthy of the $0.99. I don't know if Plant's material is already available at the itunes stores of the world but as soon as it becomes, remember: Ship of Fools.

Sounds like some people think well produced is bad. Not me. The whole cd does have that (good kind) of late eighties polished-ness to it. Most songs are very catchy either in a rock way, or a couple almost in a new-age way. If I remember correctly, this is a good headphones cd too. I would say this might not be quite as good as "The Principle of moments", but better than "Fate of nations". Someday Plant will put out a "Best of" and solve the dilemma. Until then this cd is good enough that after 15 years I still listen to it now and zen.

At least this album has more guitars than keyboards! Although I agree with the fact that it is more commercialized than the previous realeases, at least you don't have to put up with alot of duds to get to the pearls. Sure, there are times when I want to listen to Travelin Riverside Blues or In My Time of Dying, but my feeling is that this album has modern versions of When the Levee Breaks. Why do I say this? While When the Levee Breaks has had commercial success, it is still a very good song that has alot of feeling to it as do the songs on Zen. However, songs like Rock and Roll, while they may be good when you are a teenager and haven't heard LZ before, are songs that you later skip over after finding out the real soul of Zeppelin. I would rate this album a 5 if not everyone listened to it. ( I guess it is just the contrarian in me!).

I love every song on this album, but the three songs that stick out the most are "Ship of Fools", "Heaven Knows" & "Tall Cool One". I liked Plant with Zeplin & I like him solo too. He was great live as well. This album is definitely unique.

Any Led Zeppelin music is one hundred times better than this whole album. "Ship of Fools" is the only song even comparable. It's good!