Phoenix Rec. 
Jake Holmes : The Above Sound (US,1967)****°
I knew already that “Dazed and Confused” by Led Zeppelin (1968)*, even when not mentioned, was inspired by the original of Jake Holmes (1967), but I did not know the album was so interesting and that it showed such a diverse talent from whom it should be said is much more than just this track alone. I recently found a cheap copy of the limited mini-LP sized CD reissue, so I decided to say more about its qualities.
“Lonely” immediately sets the tone with a very fast-rhythmic fuzz melody on guitar, combined with well arranged dynamics with its 3 layers of guitars (fuzz, bass, acoustic guitars) that are brought in an intelligent way into a musical song context. This is followed by a warm more ballad-typed song, equally gifted in its own sense. The next song is rooted in older rocking styles, showing breathing dynamics with some swing. “Too Long” could easily be a combination of something Nick Drakish with a different melancholic real life story of songwriting (with a song more comparable to the areas of Roy Harper, Al Stewart or John Martyn), where the “too long” theme is rhythmically saddening in it’s total content (with its lyrics, while technically being also more comparable to a fingerpicking idea). Also “Genuine imitation life” shows calmly breathing and strong heartfelt tensions. “Dazed and confused” is much more interesting in its guitar and dynamic song tensions and less blues compared to the different, also heavy-rockier Led Zeppelin version. Here is also shown with some short part of a fuzz/bass/acoustic guitar drift in it, which reminds me more of Pink Floyd (especially for the kind of early PF’s slightly pushing out of rhythm bass). “Penny’s” is again a more ‘warm’ ballad. The next track, “hard to keep my mind on you”, just like the opener, shows again most clear interesting layers of rhythmic variations on guitar with a classical baroque vision (a song in 5/4). And also the song after that uses fast rhythmical-melodic parts in the guitar arrangements, using several rhythms at once hanging together while keeping the song core breath with emotions and content perfectly. Last track is the calmest song with some contemplation of thoughts on age differences.
A professional album that deserves hero status.
* according to wikipedia it was adapted first by the Yardbirds by Jimmy Page who heard and was impressed by the song from the opening act by Jake Homes. He reworked it later for Led Zeppelin.
