IT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS

The album opens on the wings of a great viola line delivered by the sensible hands of Geoffrey Richardson, and that sounds immediately like good news, since no one can disdain a classical touch of taste and feeling. Pye Hastings' voice, now raspy and old, conveys however those hardly definable, but always lovable "Caravan moods", as acid, disenchanted and sweet as ever did. The song material proves that they can still pull a trick or two from the old hat. Particularly memorable to me results the flamenco-tinged track 4 Ready Or Not, with outstanding vocals and great viola ornaments in pizzicato. Also track 5 Spare A Thought is a nice quiet song, with an intimate delivery that brings the listener closer to the lovely lyrics. Both this and the following track Every Precious Little Thing feature the invaluable assistance of Mr. Jimmy Hastings with his transverse flute.

But, hey, I don't want to spoil you the fun of discover track by track this album, so I'll avoid to go into more detail. I just have to say that listening to this I just think "What an excellent addition to my library!"

First Track: Down From London

Here Caravan open from the Show of our Lives to Blind Dog. A Story begins.

"He was tied up with a nun" /great naughty lyrics ! The fun side of Caravan even in later years

A nice opening track from a story evolving into a nice solo led part. I never like faded ends to a song so that took a few point off.

Second track, Wishing You Were Here.

Caravan never really got far into popularity at all in the USA, and this song maybe some kind of frustration or wonder why not! Let's head west. California can seem to help here. Wishing you were Here. Its not Pink Floyd.

WAIT! The song progresses into the best part , no longer self obsessed, just playing music and the keyboards are juicy here, but left us with ... what.. don't stop here :(

Third track (and album title). None of Your Business. A look back to the early days and Who Do you Think You Are vibe. It gets it here and actually after 2 or 3 listens i get how close it was to those early days. The best part of this song is the freedom it presents half way through. it hints so slightly it can break free and combined elevator music and stuttered violins, and keyboards with a cool baseline leading into a lovely meal of all sorts of festive food and living the beach life on some Caribbean island.

Ready or Not. For me the best track of this album. The paranoid but partly just being cheeky perhaps, or perhaps not. A little bitter, or just plain childish. Enjoyable for those reasons alone and of of course the catch line... Ready or not.. we're gonna get you!.

I love the island cool vibe between the cold lyrics. A feel of steel drums. For those in England in the 70s if you remember a tv show called "Rent a Ghost" you may know what i mean.

Spare a Thought. What a nice flute and acoustic guitar. For me it was a universal song for the ones they lost as a band or friends and also through the covid or just being old and time left us all in the lurch. A good tribute or land lubber shanty.

Every Precious Little Thing

Again we still dealing with the past 2 years. Touring, playing, being with your friends. But things change. "Smallest Things that mean the most .. count the fingers on your hand". True friends are hard to come by. As you get older you value the friendships and love and some of course can be lost.

If I Was to Fly

This surely is a dream, and pretty high, however i doubt they were anyway near as high as 1969. Its again lookng back wishing you were high, knowing that the highest you can get these days it reminiscing and dreaming of the time you once had and wish you had now.

I'll Reach Out For You

Nice guitar intro. Where we going? good strumming. Let's listen to the lyrics.

You don't wanna spend your life like a shadow Living in and out of your dreams Gotta find a way, way out of there

The romance of love or lost love. Appreciating those who love you or could have loved you. The album is a little cold generally, maybe the times we living in maybe these days. Not sure, At this point i wondered what the album was about.

There is You.

At last we have a jazzy laid back dreamy song where wee can get into what the whole purpose of the album was about. Again, a look back to the past, and what love means in its many capacities. The album is delicate with its walls and pretend songs. That for me is what I liked about it. After what 60 years no less, we stil wonder about the delicacy of emotion and connection to others.

Luna's Tune

Caravan always leave us with questions. Second best song of the album for of course the violin/keyboard and composition and atmosphere. Time for reflection.

Bravo! Good to Excellent 3-4 Stars.

It's hard to believe that CARAVAN has existed in one form or another as a band since 1968. That's well over a half century! Regarded as one half of the original Canterbury Scene along with Soft Machine this band released five classic albums beginning with its 1968 eponymous debut and ended with 1973's "For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night" before succumbing to the same record company pressures that many prog bands experienced. Starting with 1975's "Cunning Stunts" CARAVAN began to water down its Canterbury jazz-rock roots and instead deliver sometimes bland AOR and cheesy pop that alienated fans of yore and attracted little if any new followers.

Somehow through it all band leader and only band member to embark on the entire CARAVAN journey, Pye Hastings has continued to sporadically release albums throughout the 80s, 90s and 21st century and while few have probably been sitting back waiting for the next chapter of the CARAVAN canon, here it is! IT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS is the first studio album since 2013's "Paradise Filter" and released on the MadfishMusic label. The album features nine tracks with the current lineup of Pye Hastings (guitar, vocals), Geoffrey Richardson (viola, mandolin, guitar), Jan Schelhaas (keyboards) and Mark Walker (drums). Lee Pomeroy guests as the bassist and Jimmy Hastings adds some additional flute sounds.

Given CARAVAN's fall from grace so very long ago, one may ask why another CARAVAN album so late in the game? After all it's only the first five albums that have any sort of epic status and the remaining 11 albums that followed merely forgotten filler that even very few CARAVAN fans get excited about. Well it makes a little more sense when you realize that Pye Hastings wasn't one of those Canterbury dudes that went from band to band like many of his compatriots did. Nope, CARAVAN was and remains his baby and the ONLY band he has participated in since leaving The WIlde Flowers so very, very long ago. Born in 1947, Hastings is now in his 70s and no spring chicken and unfortunately his classic vocal style has deteriorated a lot as has his songwriting bravado.

IT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS is an earnest attempt to recreate the classic CARAVAN sounds of yore circa 50 years ago when "If I Could DO It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You" and "In The Land Of The Grey And Pink" were circulating in the British underground. Unfortunately this latest offering falls flat in capturing those long abandoned moments and Pye Hastings' vocals haven't aged well as the entire album sounds like your grandfather telling tales of yore in musical form although the lyrics are purportedly in reference to the more recent pandemic and other events. While CARAVAN has always been more of a progressive pop band shrouded in Canterbury mystique, IT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS unfortunately points to the albums that came after the classic big 5 era rather than returning to past glories.

Right from the start with the opening "Down From London," it's clear that Hastings is trying to rekindle the magic that has elevated CARAVAN into classic prog status but unfortunately doesn't succeed in doing so. The tunes do employ catchy pop hooks that are indeed out of the CARAVAN playbook but missing are the progressive touches that made albums like "Waterloo Lily" and "For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night" so utterly addictive. The album comes off as a soft rock tribute to 70s folk rock without ever going where a classic CARAVAN fan would hope. While nobody really expects an artist well past his prime to deliver a product that will outdo the classic era, i was hoping for at least something progressive.

What really is the deal breaker for me with IT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS is that Hastings' vocals sound so feeble and weak. We can probably safely say that CARAVAN hit its prime close to 50 years ago and will never rekindle those classic moments but you can't blame an old timer for trying. Unfortunately this album does nothing for me whatsoever. If only a few time signature deviations were inserted or some jazzy moments. Nope, this is just simple songwriting that is pretty straight forward with only a few flute sounds to give any indications of a prog connection. It unfortunately appears the classic past masters are no longer capable of delivering what the fans truly want from them. So it would be best to give this album a miss and instead turn to Norway's Needlepoint who HAS successfully reconstructed those classic CARAVAN sounds circa "In The Land Of The Grey And Pink" with amazing acumen. Oh well, Pye. We still love you! Just not this newest edition to your post-classic era canon.

I am unsurprised Caravan continues to be terribly mediocre. When this album was announced I was like "lol perfect timing, a little brother for "Yes" The Quest." Notice the parenthesis? Those are there because neither band is actually the real one. So yeah here Caravan has one original member, Pye Hastings who has written the bulk of a Caravans output since the 60s. That being said numbers like Can't Be Long Now and Winter Wine, pretty much most of Caravans signature songs he wasn't responsible for, rather the Sinclair cousins were. Here and for the last 45~ years one can see Pye Hastings contributions to Caravan, forgettable "pop" songs with atrocious lyrics.

Overall this album is okay, just kind of lacks in memorability, each song blending together because they sound the same, cheesy lyrics and overlong songs (every song is outrageously stretched). Its not bad for me it sounds like an absolute lack of inspiration. It sounds like an album that didn't need to be made because everything said on here was already said on better albums decades ago.

TLDR Sounds nothing like classic Caravan just another boring Pye Hastings solo album. I'm not reviewing the rest as they are so samey/non Canterburian.

CARAVAN is the monster that emerged from Canterbury in 1968. 10 years to bring out a baby in 2014, another 8 for this one; Pye remaining the only one active with Geoffrey coming soon after. Folk, rock and jazz, melodic pop first, progressive forays around certain tracks with individual solos and a warm and luminous sound; bridge between prog and psyche. A huge box set of 37 records covering their legacy titled "Who Do You Think We Are?" "Is released this year just before this memory album of their journey through musical time. In fact CARAVAN is just a musical dinosaur that I could only get into in this column.

"Down From London" sets the tone directly, country-style folk-pop-rock with Geoffrey's violin, that fits well with the story; the final cascading guitar solo, fresh, brings closer to the Canterbury atmosphere. "Wishing You Were Here" follows with a rhythmic ballad and its flight of instruments throughout the title, heavy rock evolution midway then the keyboards that smell of vintage. "It's None Of Your Business" with a sound à la DIRE STRAITS, bucolic for one of the two great pieces with snub on the music industry or what remains of it; it's fresh, it smacks of work to find a classical composition that unfolds so easily; little groove with a fresh keyboard that takes you to the Genesis territories, psyche violin,we are well at the genesis of rock when we took the time and that confirms the progressive imprint; a title that makes you say that making music sounds easy, ending with the return to the tune of the enchanted and dancing departure and a last rhythmic solo by Pye and Jan. "Ready Or Not" violin forward peeping over the JETHRO TULL but not CARAVAN also has a stamped viola sound; brief samba aside on this track where bossa nova hints clearly ooze; always a frank dynamic and the cottony voice of Pye which completes to melt the listener not knowing any more if he is in the 70's or just now, superb. "Spare A Thought" and the acoustic, divine, simplistic ballad; guitar, violin, flute to imprint a bucolic, melancholy memory of life that passes and some that pass away, a title that flows naturally.a title that makes you say that making music sounds easy, ending with the return to the tune of the enchanted and dancing departure and a last rhythmic solo by Pye and Jan. "Ready Or Not" violin forward peeping over the JETHRO TULL but not CARAVAN also has a stamped viola sound; brief samba aside on this track where bossa nova hints clearly ooze; always a frank dynamic and the cottony voice of Pye which completes to melt the listener not knowing any more if he is in the 70's or just now, superb. "Spare A Thought" and the acoustic, divine, simplistic ballad; guitar, violin, flute to imprint a bucolic, melancholy memory of life that passes and some that pass away, a title that flows naturally.a title that makes you say that making music sounds easy, ending with the return to the tune of the enchanted and dancing departure and a last rhythmic solo by Pye and Jan. "Ready Or Not" violin forward peeping over the JETHRO TULL but not CARAVAN also has a stamped viola sound; brief samba aside on this track where bossa nova hints clearly ooze; always a frank dynamic and the cottony voice of Pye which completes to melt the listener not knowing any more if he is in the 70's or just now, superb. "Spare A Thought" and the acoustic, divine, simplistic ballad; guitar, violin, flute to imprint a bucolic, melancholy memory of life that passes and some that pass away, a title that flows naturally.end with the return to the tune of the enchanted and dancing departure and a last rhythmic solo by Pye and Jan. "Ready Or Not" violin forward peeping over the JETHRO TULL but not CARAVAN also has a stamped viola sound; brief samba aside on this track where bossa nova hints clearly ooze; always a frank dynamic and the cottony voice of Pye which completes to melt the listener not knowing any more if he is in the 70's or just now, superb. "Spare A Thought" and the acoustic, divine, simplistic ballad; guitar, violin, flute to imprint a bucolic, melancholy memory of life that passes and some that pass away, a title that flows naturally.end with the return to the tune of the enchanted and dancing departure and a last rhythmic solo by Pye and Jan. "Ready Or Not" violin forward peeping over the JETHRO TULL but not CARAVAN also has a stamped viola sound; brief samba aside on this track where bossa nova hints clearly ooze; always a frank dynamic and the cottony voice of Pye which completes to melt the listener not knowing any more if he is in the 70's or just now, superb. "Spare A Thought" and the acoustic, divine, simplistic ballad; guitar, violin, flute to imprint a bucolic, melancholy memory of life that passes and some that pass away, a title that flows naturally.brief samba aside on this track where bossa nova hints clearly ooze; always a frank dynamic and the cottony voice of Pye which completes to melt the listener not knowing any more if he is in the 70's or just now, superb. "Spare A Thought" and the acoustic, divine, simplistic ballad; guitar, violin, flute to imprint a bucolic, melancholy memory of life that passes and some that pass away, a title that flows naturally.brief samba aside on this track where bossa nova hints clearly ooze; always a frank dynamic and the cottony voice of Pye which completes to melt the listener not knowing any more if he is in the 70's or just now, superb. "Spare A Thought" and the acoustic, divine, simplistic ballad; guitar, violin, flute to imprint a bucolic, melancholy memory of life that passes and some that pass away, a title that flows naturally.self-evident title.self-evident title.

"Every Precious Little Thing" and another title which reminds me from afar the soaring DIRE STRAITS for rhythm guitar and especially the organ that seems to come from a church in Mississippi; it's more folk, rhythmic, dancing atmosphere, encouraging to enjoy the little moments of life, the aerial flute bringing back to Canterbury. "If I Was To Fly" and this American tune, punctuated between the banjo and the guitar, fresh, playful, giving in the festive title, a musical interlude in my opinion to remain cheerful and positive in this special year. "I'll Reach Out For You" for the 2nd long track; pop-rock intro agreed without progressive catch, basic tune at first, the song Canterbury according to me, goes everywhere, simple rock to DYLAN without particularity?. then drifts with an instrumentation, guitar and piano fine, notes which are scattered ,progressive drawers that open, this notion of progression that sets in, this flute, we remain stuck; bucolic freshness imparting an air of relaxation which is still remarkable for our time; the slap of the album in my opinion. "There Is You" begins jazzy with the piano, the spleen violin, the muffled voice; wink on DYLAN again; the piano seems to stop time and puts a beat of the positive melancholy color. We are far from rock however, we are perhaps in CARAVAN! "Luna's Tuna" and the last instrumental title, still spleen with this violin, these piano keys; the viola makes it possible to reflect on the notion of current music, of what it can print as a sensation at the level of our psyche; emotion which reminds me a little of the luxuriant research of David DARLING and which brings back to the present time.Ideal for meditating.

CARAVAN is releasing the consensual album at the end of the year 2021, offering here and there simple and effective notes. I read somewhere that 'the pigs will fly over grandma's lawn over and over again'. The legacy of the CANTERBURY is still present and shows how the progressive current can creep in everywhere. The more this feeling of listening to a young group; at least that of entering the world of CARAVAN and listening to everything again.

It's been eight years since the last studio album of new material from legendary Sixties rockers Caravan, and 2021's `It's None of Your Business' has just enough to offer more forgiving fans of the iconic Canterbury-related group. Admittedly side-long keyboard dominated epics may be mostly out, replaced instead with pleasant AOR, gentle rock and cheerful pop, but band leader Pye Hastings' charming persona is still front and centre, and there's thankfully a welcome increase in little `Caravan elements' this time around that were largely absent from their rather anonymous 2013 effort `Paradise Filter'.

An instant plus for the album is long-serving member Geoffrey Richardson's viola and the returning Jimmy Hastings on flute (in particular, his contributions immensely lift much of the disc and call to mind fleeting memories of the Caravan of old). Richardson's instrument of choice drifts stirringly through sedately strolling opener `Down from London', and swoons dramatically throughout `Ready or Not'. The encouraging `I'll Reach Out for You' is enlivened by warmly quivering Hammond organ, Mark Walker's peppy drumming and Geoff's ringing mandolin, its eight minutes allowing for a little longer of an instrumental reach-out.

`Wishing You Were Here' benefits from a couple of heavier up-tempo bursts (cool little Hammond run from Jan Schelhaas too, though it should have been triple the length!), `Spare a Thought' is a sweetly chiming acoustic ballad with breezy flute, and `Every Precious Little Thing' a strident acoustic rocker with trilling organ percolating in the background.

`If I Was to Fly' is one of the best foot-tapping clap-along ballads with a lovely melody, dreamy lyrics and a positive vocal, and the delicately melancholic `There Is You' holds a thoughtful longing. Both of these tracks could have slotted in sweetly on many of the classic earlier albums.

Special mention needs to go to the near ten-minute, two-part title-track `It's None of Your Business'. It may not quite reach the much-cherished heights of `Memory Lain, Hugh/Headloss' or `I Wish I Were Stoned/Don't Worry' of past Caravan eras, but there;s so much good still contained within this one! A brisk tempo, spirited acoustic strums, confident piano runs, Lee Pomeroy's busily murmuring bass and a sprightly Pye vocal weave together, before a brief ambient middle then joyfully romantic finale. The longer length means the band takes the opportunity to work in a number of extended instrumental flourishes, and it's likely to be the standout favourite among listeners here.

The album closes on a haunting and mysterious instrumental `Luna's Tuna', with crystalline synth shivers, aching viola and sparkling piano ringings evoking memories of the more sedate parts of `Better by Far's `The Last Unicorn;. It's a shame that it's just over three minutes, but it does close the LP in a very evocative and elegant fashion.

Yes, there's a bit of blandness that creeps in, the band is pretty much operating on nostalgic goodwill these days, and they certainly sound their age, but...real fans of the group know that whimsical moods, cheery ditties and thoughtful tunes were just as much `trademark' touches of the classic Caravan era as the dynamic keyboard workouts were (and the increase again of flute and viola helps bridge that gap a little more here). The album also proves to be a charming grower after plenty of listens.

Expect a constant prog-blowout and you'll be sorely disappointed, but go in with a soft heart and listen closer for those `other' Caravan trademarks, and an undemanding and pleasing listen with hints of the old magic can still be found here.

Three stars.

For a good while now, Caravan have been putting out only one studio album every decade or so; if they stick with that model, their 2020s offering is It's None of Your Business. As has been the case since at least as far back as Better By Far, the band are very much not trying to produce any prog epics here - this is, once again, an album indulging their less complex side.

Not, however, their lighter side - there's an extra shot of energy here. It's not Caravan going heavy metal (or even hard rock) by any stretch of the imagination, but there's just a bit more oomph to proceedings, making this a striking contrast from the fairly laid-back approach they have taken in their recent history.