Okay, this is in some ways a very unique album. In other ways it just doesn’t work. The obvious elephant in the room is that these are four chicks jamming out on classic Led Zeppelin. Not sure if the “Lez” in Lez Zeppelin means they make out with each other or not but I would like to think so.

The girls score points for taking the entire first Zep album and recreating it, musically. Guitarist Steph Paynes does an amazing job recreating Jimmy Page. We are talking the real deal, the acoustic parts, the effects, the leads, the riffs and the rhythms. To be honest, she does such an amazing job on “You Shook Me,” “Dazed and Confused” and “How Many More Times” that one can’t help but be amazed.

While the band has created a lot of hype, and fame, and have played major festivals around the globe, and been praised by some of rock royalty, including Aerosmith’s Joe Perry, they are, after all, still a tribute band. Recreating the first album, musically and visually, was a great idea and makes the release better than just a greatest hits type of offering. Still, there is a lot of talent there and I would love to hear Steph in her own band as she has the chops to do some great things.

Vocalist Shannon Conley, despite amazing stage presence, and being the hottie of the group, is probably the weakest link as she does not ‘do’ Plant as well as her band mates ‘do’ Page, Bonham and Jones. There are girls who can sound just like Plant (Ann Wilson anyone?) but Shannon does not do that. As spot on as the rest of the band is one wonders why they didn’t go for the kill. This band is a force to be reckoned with live but on CD they are a bit of novelty. The CD is worth owning but after a few spins you will realize that if you want to hear Zeppelin I then nothing beats the original.