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Caravan - If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You CD (album) cover

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

Caravan

 

Canterbury Scene

4.25 | 1184 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

Flucktrot
Prog Reviewer
3 stars One top-notch song to go with a collection of other solid tunes, If... certainly delivers the classic Caravan playfulness, but only partly provides the quality jazz-infused, hippie-tinged rock that I respect most from them.

The highlight: For Richard (or at least that's how most people on ProgArchives refer to it). This is certainly one of my top Canterbury (and jazz fusion, for that matter) songs out there. It begins with a somber, light tone that gradually builds until the fuzz organ sets the new tempo, and off we go! Then we are treated to a tremendous groove: interesting and lively bass and drums, with tons of room for enjoyable sax, organ, and flute solos. The best is saved for last, with a killer groove over which Hastings on guitar and Sinclair on bass really cut loose. Just excellent, tight jazzy-rock, with a unique Caravan touch.

The rest of the album cannot compare in my mind, and some even sound downright childish (though certainly nothing bad). And I Wish I Were Stoned is a great hippie tune that both has some nice crescendos as well as very catchy melodies--another high point for the album. Caravan also have some shorter tracks that are playful yet experiment a bit with different time signatures (title track, Hello Hello, As I Feel I Die). The rest of the album does little to interest me, though there's nothing especially bad or irritating.

Overall, a solid album from Caravan, but only one song that is truly remarkable. Except for For Richard (and possibly ...Stoned), If... just sounds a bit too dated for me to personally appreciate, but that says little about its overall quality. As other reviewers have noted, this will take some time to grow, and for those who are loyal to their next album, this one will always pale in comparison.

Flucktrot | 3/5 |

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