CANTERBURY TALES: THE BEST OF CARAVAN 1968-1975

Let me start by saying that while I was an avid prog collector for most of the seventies, I somehow missed this band back then, and this is still the only recording of this band that I own. And secondly, Canterbury has never been a favorite of mine when choosing progressive music.

But here goes:

This collection covers the first six of Caravan's studio albums, released between 1968 and 1975, plus their first live album. The early recordings sound like sixties proto-prog, and are all somewhat light and airy. You can actually hear the band's sound mature through the albums to a more polished style. There are some nice songs here, but to me, the whole affair is just a bit too laid back for my tastes.

The thing I appreciate most about this band is their sense of humor (or is it humour for Brits?) when coming up with song and album titles. I especially like "The Dog, The Dog, He's At It Again".

3 stars for me, probably more for true Canterbury fans.