Among the countless bar-raising accomplishments spread across Led Zeppelin’s legendary career, one that may actually top the near-perfect ‘Led Zeppelin IV’ is the almost-as-flawless assortment of songs the band wrote and recorded for the 1973 follow-up, ‘Houses of the Holy.’

The only reasonable explanation for the earlier album's greater legacy may be attributed to man's inability to process Led Zeppelin’s genius on such a monolithic scale twice in a row.

There are few superlatives in which to properly glorify the rousing guitar concerto of ‘The Song Remains the Same,’ the sublime sentimentality of ‘The Rain Song,’ the pure dynamic brilliance of ‘Over the Hills and Far Away’ and the sheer brooding magnificence of ‘No Quarter.’

Round out these stellar numbers with reliably top-of-the-line riff rockers like ‘Dancing Days’ and ‘The Ocean’ -- plus the super-funky ‘The Crunge’ and reggae-quoting ‘D’yer Mak’er’ -- and you’ve got another faultless Zeppelin album.

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