1973

At the height of their powers, ZEPPELIN was faced with the near impossibility of following the monster entity of "IV" in 1973. "Houses of the Holy" found them crafting a powerhouse set of songs, swirling untapped styles into the sonic stew, and spiking the entire affair with an enchanting touch of merriment. "The Rain Song" soars with breathtaking orchestration and dazzling dramatic melodies. "No Quarter" is a spellbinding dark cloud of apocalyptic themes and murky riffs. "Over the Hills and Far Away" is the ultimate campfire hootenanny, Page's fingers effortlessly dropping chickin pickin' country licks, the tones splashing and spewing against Plant's caterwauls and Bonham's trademark thunder in a climactic crescendo. Even the goofy stuff like the funky James Brown parodies in "The Crunge" and the pseudo-reggae of "D'yer Mak'er" is endlessly charming, showcasing the painstaking and forward-thinking arrangements of Page and John Paul Jones. All of this is wrapped up in a gorgeous, collectable gatefold lp sleeve, making the disc as synonymous with the 1970s as sea green paint and paneling in the den.

Picks of the litter, 1973: