IF I COULD DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN, I'D DO IT ALL OVER YOU

In general I'm used to relisten to an album when I write a review. This is one of the few cases in which I can review basing on my memory only. This is one of the two Caravan's masterpieces, the other IMO is In The Land Of Grey And Pink. What makes those two albums special in the Caravan's discography is the mixture of pastoral and psychedelic moments. The picture on this album's sleeve is a clear example: the four guys in a green wood are not too psych and not too hippy. It gives a hint about the kind of music that the album contains.

The title track, as well as Golf Girl on the following album is a nice opener which doesn't pretend anything. It has an unusual tempo, quite jazzy, and a link with the British Glam until the keyboard solo that's an excellent example of Caravan's music. The Caravan sounds in this period are acid, specially keyboards and guitar but are frequently mitigated by Jimmy Hasting's flute.

I remember a thread about music very "English" on which Genesis were elected as the most "English" band ever. "Don't Worry" is a very English song. The vocals and choirs are one of the distinctive tracts of this Caravan period. They and the keyboard are the pastoral element and the acid role is taken by the guitar. This song has different parts. My favourite is the second half.

"As I Feel I Die" is one of the most psychedelic and pastoral at the same moment songs. It starts very quiet with keyboards and vocals, but after few minutes bass and drums start a riff in I think 5/4 if I'm not wrong. It goes acid but jazzy at the same time. Another great number of this album. Also the sudden end is very appropriate. I can't imagine this track fading out.

"With An Ear To The Ground" is another very "English" moment. It's an anticipation of songs like Winter Wine or the epic Nine Feet Underground as it contains all the elements that will make those two songs great. So it's a great song as well. Only the last two minutes of piano are a bit boring respect to the rest of the song.

"Hello Hello" is a classic, instead. Released with several titles and recorded several times in this version it reaches its completeness.

After a short and nice pastoral filler as "Asforteri" the epic in four movements arrives. Each part has its title but I've always perceived it as a single song. I remember a reviewer on a magazine about 30 years ago. He was reviewing "Caravan and the Big Symphonia" and he thought that For Richard was a new song dedicated to the actual "betrayer" Richard Sinclair"... Well, in this track we have a great flute performance of Jimmy Hastings. The thing which impressed me first is the high volume keyboard intro just after the flute has finished its part. The uptime quasi-latin tempo on which the acid guitar plays a melody without adding non-needed notes followed by the sax solo....what a track!

"Limits" is a short closer. Very nice and jazzy with some psych noises and gimmicks in the end.

I can't rate this less than 5 stars. Unfortunately, Caravan will be able to repeat themselves only with In The Land...then their quality will slightly decrease till to the poor The Album and Back to Front.