THE UNAUTHORISED BREAKFAST ITEM

For a while now, Caravan have eased off on their production of studio albums - indeed, since the 1990s they've only averaged about one album of original material per decade. (Remember, the Cool Water release was mostly recorded in the late 1970s, and the All Over You and All Over You Too projects were re-imaginings of Caravan classics, leaving The Battle of Hastings as the only album of all-original studio tracks recorded entirely in the 1990s.)

Their noughties release was The Unauthorised Breakfast Item, which makes an interesting change of pace. From as far back as Better By Far, Caravan's albums had really been about indulging the poppier side of the band's sound more than their progressive side; in contrast, The Unauthorised Breakfast Item finds them shifting their sound for the good time in a while. It's not a full-blooded return to the style of their 1970s peak, but it's an interesting sort of laid-back dreamy style which has a somewhat rockier feel to it, in part because of the further integration of Doug Boyle's guitar into the band's repertoire.

Although it is in no way as essential as their run of albums from If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You through to For Girls Who Grow Plump In the Night, it's still a very strong release, and probably their most prog-leaning for a good long while.