Lez Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin's name has been lampooned by artists ranging from Dread Zeppelin to Jed Zeppelin to Fred Zeppelin, and there is even a northern California winemaker who came out with a syrah called Red Zeppelin. But it doesn't end there. One of the various Led Zeppelin tribute bands to emerge in the 21st century is Lez Zeppelin, and the thing that separates Lez Zeppelin from the others is the fact that all of its members are female. The Lez part will no doubt inspire listeners to wonder whether or not any of Lez's members are lesbians; never let it be said that Lez Zeppelin didn't come up with a clever gimmick. But Lez's name is the only thing that is gimmicky about this self-titled debut album; offering very little, if any, irony, Lez Zeppelin come across as a group of enthusiastic Led Zeppelin devotees who just happen to be female. This Eddie Kramer-produced CD is pleasingly solid, and lead singer Sarah McLellan's passionate performances of Led Zeppelin classics like "Rock and Roll," "Whole Lotta Love," "The Ocean," and "Kashmir" make it clear that Lez should not be dismissed as a mere novelty act. Devoid of post-'80s alternative rock influences, this 38-minute CD is quite faithful to the spirit of late-'60s and '70s rock — which is not to say that McLellan tries to emulate Robert Plant. Actually, Heart's Ann Wilson has a much more Plant-minded vocal style than McLellan (who is somewhat Janis Joplin-ish at times, but without sounding nearly as raspy). It should be noted that even though Led Zeppelin's heavy metal/hard rock material is a major focus on this album, Lez's members are insightful enough to realize that their heroes were more than headbangers — and Lez acknowledges Led Zeppelin's blues-rock side on "Since I've Been Loving You" and their folk-rock side on "Winter Sun." Bottom line: Lez Zeppelin show themselves to be one of the more substantial Led Zeppelin tribute bands on this worthwhile disc.