CARAVAN

With a compositional sophistication on full display and an array of compelling tunes, right after being signed by a new label, Caravan released their second studio album 'If I Could Do It All Over Again...' in September of 1970, with the record becoming one of the all-time classics of the Canterbury scene. Following up on the band's playful psychedelic-pop debut, this release seems much more like an ode to innocence and boyhood perhaps, yet it exhibits a much more progressive approach to the various pieces of music on here, ranging from minute-long interludes to long and winding jazz-rock instrumental bonanzas. Of course, there is an eclecticism and an ingenuity to this album, as it all seems quite experimental, daring and somewhat provisional, with the music here paving the way for future recordings like 'Nine Feet Underground' or 'L'Auberge du Sanglier'. Narrowing down the psychedelic elements and expanding their musical vocabulary with jazzy tropes, Caravan had delivered a promising and expansive work very early on in their career.

The lineup featured here is the same as on the band's debut album, yet the musicianship and the chemistry between the band members seems ameliorated by far, as one could tell while inhabiting the headspace of the gorgeous arrangements here, always sufficiently elaborate but never really technically pretentious or overindulgent. There are also several catchier tunes, the "remnants" of that brilliant debut album - just breathe in the laid-back euphemisms of the opening title track. An interesting song lulls gently for eight good minutes in the face of 'And I Wish I Were Stoned', while the organ-heavy 'As I Feel I Die' works excellently and still sounds quite cerebral, as opposed to the outdated soundscapes of the preceding song. A 10-minute mini-suite closes off side one, this one is a less successful patchwork of sounds. 'Hello Hello' by Richard Sinclair is a fairly good pop number, while the centerpiece here is the gargantuan 14-minute jazz-rock suite 'Can't Be Long Now', simply capturing the band at their most extravagant and forward-thinking. Needless to say, 'Limits' is a lovely little closing piece, on an album that sounds impressive and adventurous for 1970, with its jazzy swindles and carefree pop tunes, just a fantastic LP.

A vastly mature psychedelic pop-prog graces the two sides of the self-titled debut album by English band Caravan, with the Canterbury scene innovators releasing their very first work as early as September of 1968, which is rather incredible to think about, as this timing is right around the dawn of the progressive movement and the steady, gentle fade of the psychedelic rock craze. With a strong, ostensible inspiration coming from Pink Floyd's 'Piper' without a doubt, as well as throwing in a couple of references to The Doors, 'Caravan' is a delightful treasure of an album and a great precursor to the excellent fusion-y music the band would go on to explore during the 70s, and while this rather short (and imperfect) studio recording only gives us frail traits of the mighty Canterbury scene, it remains an interesting glimpse into that transitional period of the late 60s, for its proto-progressive blueprints.

With the songs centered around the protruding Hammond organ sounds as well as the strong melodies and vocal harmonies, 'Caravan' is a record that is much in the style of the early Soft Machine 'Volumes' as well as some of those Cream and Floyd-ish exploratory pop tunes. The band's very own debut album already positions Caravan as a band aware of their fine songwriting capabilities, as they explore them quite interestingly and present a lush collection of moods and tones, with some songs being whimsical and uplifting, while others are being more pensive and even gloomy. Album opener 'Place of My Own' is melancholic and distantly menacing, a great song, while 'Ride' might turn out to be too trippy for some tastes. A string of three absolutely excellent numbers follow on side one, and the already impression of the album is of a very consistent, well-organized work. Just three songs on side two, among which the 9-minute closing suite 'Where but for Caravan Would I?' stands out as the first really impressive piece with more complex, challenging arrangements from Caravan. And as poor as the mixing is, and as distracting as this can be, 'Caravan' is a worthy anticipator of the Canterbury scene and a fine late 60s work that still echoes the tastes of The Wilde Flowers and the entire psychedelic rock ooze.

I wonder why I like this class album so much. Maybe it's because all the tracks sound like 1 track as a whole, like a concept album. Or because it's simply a lovely progressive effort: very cleverly structured, elegant "Canterbury", performed in a loose, groovy manner. Delicate vocals, perfectly timed guitar, swirling organ throughout and exactly there we have THE Caravan characteristic: the organ weaves it into a woolen hip(pie) sweater, worn on a moisturized early morning walk through an ancient British forest in midsummer...then, all of a sudden, you stumble upon 4 lads, not quite sure whether it's the '60 or the '70 they're living in. You are grasped by music reaching your ears and rolling along with David, Pye, Richard & Richard within the timeless Caravan capsule. They would then roll all the way to the Land of Grey and Pink.

4.0

While this album offers moments of undeniable charm, it struggles to fully commit to a cohesive identity. The album starts strong with Waterloo Lily?catchy guitar riffs and bright melodies prove it's a solid opener. The second track isn't bad either: it takes a sharp turn into jazz-rock territory with bold experimental shifts. The issue begins later: from the third track onward, the band retreats to their comfort zone. The melodies grow repetitive, the rhythms turn predictable, and while their playful charm remains, it lacks freshness. Yet amidst these inconsistencies shines "The Love in Your Eye," a sprawling epic whose emotional resonance arguably ranks among Caravan's finest compositions. All in all, this isn't a disappointing album. In fact, its bold fusion-jazz experimentation?ironically?even overshadows the remaining tracks, which, while still pleasant, feel comparatively ordinary. Its high standard overall, along with the fragmented brilliance still justifies a solid four-star rating. For listeners open to jazz, this remains to be a album that's worth a listen.

Pure 1970s gold for anyone who loves rock that's smart but never stuffy. Caravan mixes jazzy basslines, trippy guitar riffs, and flutes that sound like they're dancing (Hello Hello is a straight-up joyride). As I Feel I Die shows their magic?crazy sax solos crash into gentle melodies without missing a beat, like a garage band that accidentally wrote a symphony. The whole album feels raw in the best way: fuzzy recordings, loose jams, and playful lyrics. Sure, it's "prog-rock," but forget the fancy labels?this is just great music that's aged like a weird vintage wine. Fifty years later, it's still the kind of album you'll want to play "all over again". 4.5 rounding up to 5.

Definitely one of the best albums of Caravan. Mostly constituted by instrumental pieces, this album lays less stress on vocal parts, which may be the reason why it is sometimes eclipsed by former albums like "the land...". But it's still an indeed masterpiece that may even reach new heights in the essence of being a Canterbury Scene with all the superb performances made mainly by keyboard or drum. In particular, "memory lain"features truly uplifting passages and "surprise, surprise"is a real surprise as well. The combination of viola and strings also add a distinctive texture to this album, which can be highlighted the most in "a hunting...".

Made in 1971 as the third edition of the Canterbury scene band caravans discography this album presents a strand of fast paced tracks such as "Winter Wine" and "Nine Feet Underground" The brothers Sinclair, David and Richard create a great crisp sound that Many may like The starting song "Golf girl" sets very English vocals with a heavy British accent and side of a steady beat and keyboards to fill the air. The lyricism presents a soft love story of two at a golf course sitting under the tree and hearing a story such as this backed up by good music is a great thing. track 2: Winter Wine being my favorite song on the album was also the song that introduced me to caravan and this album the song offers great guitar work by Pye Hastings and the solo he performs makes the song in my opinion. Track 3 and 4 are also good but pave the way for the 22 minute epic "Nine Feet Underground" The epic conclusion to this great album is phenomenal, it presents fast paced jazz elements that make me recommend this album to anyone reading

Let's go to Canterbury and check out the scene! Caravan is one of the primary examples of the Canterbury prog style. I am quite familiar with the title track, but not much else, so I'll say I'm a level one here.

Track 1 - Golf Girl

We begin with a trombone solo (I know right!?!) The band is playing a bouncy rhythm underneath as the vocals join in. Richard Sinclair's vocals are very British indeed. I like the whimsical instrumental but that follows. The trombone joins back in. As far as I can recall, this is the first song to feature trombone out of 65 albums I have listened to thus far. The beat is fun and remains bouncy as now we have a flute solo. The trombone is by John Beecham, and the flute is by Jimmy Hastings, who will apparently provide more woodwinds as we proceed. Fun track, I like it.

Track 2 - Winter Wine

We begin with clean strummed electric guitar and Richard Sinclair again on vocals. It begins with a ballady feel, but the rhythm section kicks in and the tempo increases. There is a nice dynamic shift at around the 3-minute mark. There is what I believe to be a keyboard solo at around the 4-minute mark, but it has a tone that could be a fuzz guitar to it. Cool panned wah-wah effect just before the 5-minute point. The rhythm section is very tight behind this extended solo. The vocals return around 5:55 and there are great harmonies at around 6:20. Great track.

Track 3 - Love to Love You (And Tonight Pigs Will Fly)

This one begins with a Hang on Sloopy type of riff and "more cowbell," but in a 7-4 time. Love the guitar tones at around 55 seconds in provided by Pye Hastings who is also the lead vocalist on this one. This is a very cool track, it sounds happy and poppy, but that 7-4 puts a twist on it. Excellent!

Track 4 - In the Land of Grey & Pink

As mentioned, I know this one quite well. Back to Richard Sinclair's vocals here. The beat is similar to Golf Girl. The lyrics are very trippy. We have a piano solo just before the 2-minute mark. The keyboard tone used in Winter wine is back here. (David Sinclair is the keyboardist but would leave for about a decade following this album.) There are some funny vocal parts that sound like they have puckered lips and are wiggling their fingers in a way that moves the lips while holding a note. Don't know how else to describe it, but I think we all played with that sound as kids. Fun song.

Track 5 - Nine Feet Underground (Medley)

And we have a sidelong closing epic of nearly 23 minutes to close out the album. There are several sections as listed below (cut & pasted from Wikipedia):

"Nine Feet Underground"

a. "Nigel Blows a Tune"

b. "Love's a Friend"

c. "Make It 76"

d. "Dance of the Seven Paper Hankies"

e. "Hold Grandad by the Nose"

f. "Honest I Did!"

g. "Disassociation"

h. "100% Proof"

Part b is sung by Pye Hastings, while part g is sung by Richard Sinclair. The rest are instrumental segments. According to my minor research, this track came about because David Sinclair had several instrumental ideas that he wanted to pull them together into a medley. The band liked the idea, and all contributed in bringing it together.

The track begins with "fuzz organ" with the rhythm section underneath. This is the tone I've been hearing on previous tracks. The organ is joined by guitar briefly, before the sax takes over, played by the previously mentioned Jimmy Hastings (Pye's Brother). David Sinclair has a truly unique sound as he uses wah-wah and fuzz effects on his organ. I believe we are transitioning to part b at around 5:55. Yep, vocals join in around 6:15. Richard Coughlan has some nice drum fills on this one. More organ soloing as we reach the 8-minute mark. I like the backing vocals at around 8:45, they add a nice touch. We transition to part c I believe at around 9 minutes in. David Sinclair is a good soloist, but I'd like to hear more from Pye Hastings. The next transition to part d seems to happen at around 10:45. This section is more mellow. Next change occurs at around 11:55 as the rhythm changes to presumably part e. Richard Sinclair is playing a wonderful bassline here. The next transition happens at 14:10 to what I believe is part f, if I'm keeping count correctly. A slower, but steady, tempo happens here. Things change again at 16:10 to part g and the vocals begin, so I must be on track. This part gives Moody Blues vibes. Things get rocking at around 19:30 for section h. This one reminds me of Rare Earth's version of "Get Ready." Richard Sinclair is quite a bassist, he seems a bit unsung as prog is known for having some of the greatest bassists of all time, and Richard Coughlin holds down the groove nicely. The track ends with a bit of a crash of cacophony.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

This is a very enjoyable album. It's very fun and whimsical for much of it. The songs on side one are each quite good. The epic on side two is also good but feels more like an extended jam session for much of it. I believe that is due to how it was pieced together. As mentioned above, there doesn't seem to be much of an opportunity for Pye Hastings to be featured on guitar, as most, if not all, of the solos are played by David Sinclair on the organ. I like it quite a bit, but I don't think it reaches the heights of some of the other albums on the list. I'll give this a 4 out of 5 stars.

When it comes to albums that capture the imagination, "In The Land Of Grey And Pink" (1971), the third work by the British Canterbury prog band Caravan, truly takes the crown. Both the fairy-tale album cover and the music itself are creations to lose yourself in constantly. The illustration by Anne Marie Anderson on the cover shows a piece of the two-toned land. For over fifty years, this image has represented the lightness of the music. Think of it as a surrealistic blend of works by Pieck and Tolkien, emerging in a musical fusion of jazzy elements with a psychedelic layer of prog and pop infused with a lot of humor. The sound of the tracks undeniably contributes to the airy character of the music. Of course, everything starts with the compositions and their execution, but the transparent production that David Hitchcock gave the record elevates the music to something magical. For me, my old edition has so much charm that I want nothing to do with the later polished versions. Long live my faded cover.

At that time, Caravan still had the strong lineup of their previous two albums. Who wouldn't want to listen to Richard Sinclair's clear voice, and his driving bass playing is a must as well. Alongside Sinclair, guitarist Pye Hastings also provides vocals. Not on a grand scale, but certainly beautiful. His musical input as a guitarist mainly consists of tight and subtle chords. In my opinion, the standout of the album is keyboardist David Sinclair. He frequently engages with his fuzzy organ, which leaves a brilliant mark on the album. Drummer Richard Coughlan completes the regular lineup with rousing grooves and tasteful rolls. Besides these four creatives, guest musician Jimmy Hastings adds the finishing touches to the music in many places with his flute and saxophone. What you hear is truly remarkable.

That "In The Land Of Grey And Pink" contains only five tracks is indicative of the band's members' independence, who primarily want to define their own playing field. The album has four tracks on side A, while side B is entirely devoted to the epic Nine Feet Underground. Like the Genesis album "Foxtrot" (1972) and the Yes classic "Close To The Edge" (1972), "In The Land Of Grey And Pink" has helped set the standard within progressive rock. It's amusing that people today consider a five-minute track to be 'long'; for me, we only start talking when a track exceeds fifteen minutes.

The album starts convincingly with the infectious Golf Girl. Richard Sinclair's singing immediately gives that pleasant feeling that makes the record so special. Notable here is also the theme that slide trombonist John Beecham lets resound throughout the track. For me, this is a very familiar sound, as my father played the instrument as well. Golf Girl is an unadulterated Caravan pop song, and that's the impressive part: the band manages to keep every track within their own framework, whether it's a short song or a progressive epic, Caravan always remains themselves. There's a passage with wonderful organ play, and Jimmy Hastings' flute adds that typical layer of frivolity. The subsequent Winter Wine, also sung by Sinclair, aligns most with the fairy-tale nature of the cover. The captivating track develops from grey-pink to pink-grey. In other words: from calm folk to lush keyboard passages and then even more beauty, you are entranced by the music. Winter Wine was initially an instrumental track with wordless vocals, which somewhat explains the strong solo section. Next comes Love To Love You (and Tonight Pigs Will Fly) written and sung by Pye Hastings. This mid-tempo song may be slightly less lush than the other tracks on "In The Land Of Grey And Pink," but it fits seamlessly. Side A concludes with the lyrically amusing title track. This mid-tempo track perfectly aligns with the band's motto: life is too short to be sad. A few times, Richard Sinclair has to bend deep to pick up his low vocal notes. The track can handle this André van Duin-like fun well.

After these fine four tracks, you get the same kind of music on side B, but with more depth. The over 22-minute Nine Feet Underground is more intense, thrilling, and musically captivating. The album side-filling track has a certain restraint that bursts open in the spicy, riff-oriented final part 100% Proof. From the first part Nigel Blows A Tune, you are placed in a comfortable position from which you are never torn away. Let yourself drift on the unique keyboard work of David Sinclair, who is also the composer of this masterful piece. Jimmy Hastings' tenor sax solo also adds distinction to the piece, leading into the second part Love's A Friend. This is one of the two vocal parts of Nine Feet Underground. It's particularly refreshing to hear Pye Hastings as a singer here, and Richard Sinclair's vocal contribution later in the track also deserves praise. As mentioned, there's a lot of focus on instrumental sections. The middle part of the epic consists of four relatively short instrumental pieces that together provide swinging, restrained, humorous, and psychedelic atmospheres. If the epic comes across as a noble patchwork, I can assure you that musically there's no sign of that. Thanks to the good arrangement work and the clever production, it's enjoyable until the last chord fades away.

I always like to keep my final conclusion short and to the point: it's good to dwell in the land of grey and pink.

Orginally posted on www.progenrock.com

The amusing title "For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night" is the name of the fifth studio album by British Canterbury prog band Caravan. The album was released on October 5, 1973 on Deram Records, the label that also housed Camel. Initially, the intention was to portray the lady on the cover naked. Deram did not agree with that and the pregnant model was given a nightgown. Although I find that retroactively extremely unfortunate, I have been hooked on the album for years due to the unapproachable charm of its music.

Everything on the album is dominated by the rigorous changes in the line-up of the band. Singer/bassist Richard Sinclair and keyboardist Steve Miller had left Caravan after the more jazzy "Waterloo Lily". First of all, the young Geoffrey Richardson was attracted with his viola and also keyboardist Derek Austin and bassist Stuart Evans joined in. However, the latter two did not stay with the band very long and in the end Caravan formed the line-up which is present on this album. In addition to veteran singer/guitarist Pye Hastings and drummer Richard Coughlan, there are keyboardist David Sinclair, the aforementioned Richardson and the excellent bassist John G. Perry. In fact, there are no less than three new members to be heard, although original member David Sinclair (the king of the fuzzy organ) is back on the nest, to the joy of many. So he is not really a new member. Furthermore, there is a very long list of collaborating artists. For example, at certain times a large horn section and a real orchestra are used.

It is logical that this entire line up change has had an impact on the musical aspect of the album. Not only as a musician, especially as a composer Pye Hastings had a large contribution. The main part of the songs is written by him, which means the music is more rocky but also more romantic. Fortunately, the typical Canterbury sound with its driving rhythms and voluptuous keyboard playing is never far away. Caravan always has something artistic in it but there also is the necessary humor and light-footedness in the music. Don't be fooled. Richardson's playing on the viola gives the music a nice folky nodge, but there is no explicit folk to be heard.

So what do we hear? Opener Memory Lain, Hugh / Headloss is immediately an attractive composition of more than nine minutes. Tasty riffs from the guitar are joined together with the windings of the viola and there is a delicious organ solo in unadulterated Caravan style. There also is excellent support from eight horns arranged by Jimmy Hastings. There is a nice moment when the drums and the flute together provide a few breaks. With the Headloss part the tempo goes up and at the end of it is a duel between guitar and violin. The subsequent Hoedown is a somewhat bouncy sneeze and Surprise, Surprise can be labelled as a sultry ballad in which the slide guitar certainly increases the atmosphere. Speaking of atmosphere: the text of C'thlu Thlu is downright creepy, although it has nothing to do with the title. C'thlu Thlu is a monster from the underworld, a lurid octopus, created by H.P. Lovecraft. Musically, the song sounds rather menacing and psychedelic.

The Dog, The Dog, He's At It Again is supposedly a pop song, I think it's a great pop song. Not only because the ambiguous text actually is bout a sexual act, but mainly because of that cool keyboard playing in the interlude. The singing of Pye Hastings and John G. Perry together also has a positive effect. Throughout the album, Perry shows that he is a perfect vocal opponent for Hastings. In the solid Be All Right he sings the lead vocals. He does an excellent job. His voice fits very well with the powerful atmosphere that the song exudes. It blends seamlessly into the intoxicating, congas-driven Chance Of A Lifetime. You would almost call this song the highlight of the album because it is so beautiful, but then the epic closing track L'Auberge Du Sanglier presents itself. Two highlights: A Hunting We Shall Go with its frenzied guitar solo and Backwards where the synthesizer and the beautiful orchestra almost make you forget that you are actually listening to a cover of Soft Machine. It fits like a glove.

"For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night" has a fantastic blend of epics, ballads, pop songs, psychedelics, hard rock and classical music. Caravan knows how to bring all that to the fore on an album of more than 44 minutes. I got to know the band and the LP somewhere in the mid-70s. Their unique music still manages to hold me in its grip and I am convinced that it will never let me go.

Orginally posted on www.progenrock.com