Zep II is heavier than the first record. The album opens strong with "Whole Lotta Love." The blues influence is apparent in "What Is and What Should Never Be". "The Lemon Song" and "Thank You" move the album along, but are forgettable. "Whole Lotta Love", "Heartbreaker", and "Ramble On" are the hits and deserve to be, and have some of Jimmy Page's best guitar playing, but John Bonham's drumming on Moby Dick is also an impressive accomplishment. It really rocks. The band was reluctant to release singles, preferring the album to be a complete experience. U.S. label Atlantic Records did issue singles to promote the album: "Whole Lotta Love" and "Living Loving Maid" (She's Just a Woman). UK, no singles released.
Mesmerizing. Atmospheric, Brian Eno produced, Alt-rock playing-U2 has never been better. The imagery and tone of this album is the essence of U2 cool before they sold out and made yuppie rock such as "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb."