The first time I heard of Greta Van Fleet was when a friend played me a YouTube clip of four teenagers playing in front of their friends at school in something that looked like a lecture hall or something. GVF was on fire but their friends – who had probably never even heard of Led Zeppelin – looked like they had been taken to another planet or something. I thought they were cool as f**k and I also knew that we were going to get more of these guys in the near future. We did. Two E.P’s in 2017 and a debut album in 2018 and Greta Van Fleet was the talk of the town. Of course, accusations of Led Zeppelin plagiarism occurred and even though that was highly exaggerated there was a resemblance both musically and in singer Joshua Kiszka’s Robert Plant like voice. But GVF was also good at what they did. Damn good even and now after two highly acclaimed records a third is out on the market – with a whole lot of expectations in tow.
The album opens on a slower, mid-paced note with the somewhat trippy yet big-grooved Classic Rock stomper “Fate Of The Faithful”, a 70’s rocker with a touch of the late 60’s. The tune brings on a darker gloom with a crunchy organ brought in for some rougher edges. The song do bring on a Led Zeppelin influence but also Pink Floyd comes to mind her and there. It’s an organic and rootsy piece with a chunky vibe and a strong main melody that holds water all the way. Very good. The band brings out the acoustic guitars for the mid-paced half-ballad “Waited All Your Life”, a warm number with a summer vibe and some gorgeous melody arrangements. It’s an early 70’s driven number with a smoother main melody and a refrain that really grabs a hols. Very good.
Latest single “The Falling Sky” is a real banger, a punchy and beefy slamming rocker full of driving guitars and a kicking groove. It also holds a bluesy vibe much due to the added harmonica and there’s a bit of a flower-power twist within the melodies with smoother 60’s pop lines involved. It’s a chunky rocker perfect for the stage with a chorus that really slams. Very good. “Sacred The Thread” is a stompy number where the guitars holds a rawer edge. It’s a mid-paced number, not a far cry from a band like Rival Sons and even though it’s a raunchy rocker it’s also somewhat spacey with dreamy melodies and a floating rhythm. It’s at the same time quite direct and the chorus sticks right off the bat. Very good.
“Runaway Blues” is a pretty much a balls-to-the-wall rocker, short and concise and quite simple with a direct attack. It’s uptempo and hard-striking and at not even one and a half minute long it kind of ends before it started which makes it somewhat forgettable and a bit of a throwaway. I can’t really grab the tune even though I don’t think it’s bad. “The Indigo Streak” is a big, busy Hard Rock stomper, very much in-your-face. It’s an upbeat and distinct tune with a catchy riff and a big 70’s Classic Rock feel. It’s quite a colorful tune that both holds a slight 80’s touch, especially some harmonies makes me think of 80’s Yes and parts that has me thinking of The Doors of all bands. It’s a melodic and catchy number that will go down like a storm live. Good one.
The organic and robust “Frozen Light” brings on some heavy guitars, beefy drums and a rowdy groove. There are some cool dreamlike and quite trippy passages too which makes for a dynamic contrast. It’s all very mid 70’s sounding and holds a big soundscape with some embracing vocal-melodies and and huge, catchy chorus hook that hits home right on the spot without being the least hit-searching. Terrific. “The Archer”comes in mid tempo on a heavy stomp. There are acoustic guitars that blends fine with electric ditto and it almost brings on a hippie-feel especially in the slower and softer passages. The time-changes in the song almost brings on a prog vibe. It’s highly melodic yet rootsy and big-grooved. Very good.
Leading single “Meet The Master” starts out sombre and mellow on a down-beat rhythm with lots of rootsy acoustic guitars in the vein of Led Zeppelin and a smooth, vulnerable vocal melody. We’re given a ballad here but it’s no glossy power balladry at all. It’s a Classic Rock ballad that takes on a juicy groove and with orchestrated strings giving the song a more bombastic soundscape. Gorgeous arrangements, strong melodies and lots of emotion with a magnificent chorus hook makes the tune a real winner. The album closes with “Farewell For Now”, an upbeat and swinging pop-rocker 70’s style. Acoustic and electric guitars rub shoulders on a stompy and direct groove, very live friendly with hooky melodies and a splendid refrain that takes the song on a home-run. Brilliant stuff.
Greta Van Fleet went from huge Led Zeppelin influences to blend them with clear nods towards Rush to this album where they show their own identity in a much larger scale. That said, I’ve never seen GVF as a clone-band by any means but here they have grown into their cloth with some big margins. It’s a splendid album where the band’s big 70’s style and productions has been evened out a bit by a clear and slightly more polished production, something that in my book has done the band good. Quality-wise the song writing and arrangements are the strongest the band has thrown out so far and the way GVF keeps on developing both style and production it’ll be interesting to follow where the band will go and do next.
8/10
More Greta Van Fleet reviews:
Anthem Of The Peaceful Army
The Battle At Garden’s Gate
Tracklist:
1. Fate Of The Faithful
2. Waited All Your Life
3. The Falling Sky
4. Sacred The Thread
5. Runway Blues
6. The Indigo Streak
7. Frozen Light
8. The Archer
9. Meeting The Master
10. Farewell For Now
CD & Festival reviews 