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Out Now: Greta Van Fleet ‘The Battle at Garden’s Gate’ a Musical Statement of Rock & Roll Uplift (Stream)
Ever since emerging a handful of years ago with a string of eyebrow-raising singles, young rockers Greta Van Fleet have enjoyed a precipitous rise in the music scene.
Those shrieking about how “rock is dead!” have either willfully ignored the raucous sounds of this ensemble, which has a musical spirit rich with reverence for what came before, as well as a theatricality perfectly suited for the rambunctious heights the band’s music normally reaches.
Vocalist Josh Kiszka wails with the best of ’em, his pitch encouraging obvious Robert Plant comparisons, the rest of Greta Van Fleet’s members more or less embodying the spirit of bands decades older than they are.
Click here to pre-order The Battle at Garden’s Gate on CD from our Rock Cellar Store
Click here to pre-order The Battle at Garden’s Gate on 2-LP from our Rock Cellar Store
And that’s all great, even if these comparisons are usually brought up derisively. The energy and spirit that drive Greta Van Fleet is captivating, and that drive has now led to The Battle at Garden’s Gate, the group’s new studio album released on Friday. Produced by mega-producer Greg Kurstin (Paul McCartney, Adele, Foo Fighters, to name a few), this record finds the group fully realizing its potential at this point in its existence.
Take “Heat Above,” the opening track that sets the tone:
Or “My Way, Soon,” one of the earliest singles released from the album:
The Battle at Garden’s Gate, much like everything else the band does, is steeped in themes of uplift:
“The Battle at Garden’s Gate is about hope and overcoming the challenges that humanity faces,” says bassist/backing vocalist Sam Kiszka. “We live in a world powered by superficial institutions and this album is a reminder that it’s up to us to sing out of the silence.”
Quotes like that hint at the grandiosity that is at work with Greta Van Fleet, a stylization that further adds to the group’s “throwback” appeal that is on full display throughout the new album.
Listen below, and it’s OK if you feel something. That’s what music is all about, right?
Comments
Curt says: The singer is a pale imitation of Roger paltry, so I shouldn’t have been shocked to see artwork knocked off classic Blue Öyster Cult.
Mark Hudson says: I don’t hear Plant / Zep at all, to me that’s lazy journalism. Much more “Fly by night” era Rush with early Geddy Lee / David Surkamp vocals. Admire their chutzpah but there’s nothing original going on here.
Steve M says: I like the new album! So David, Curt and Mark why say anything if you don’t like their music.
Kristi Enigl says: Love the new album! Whereas I was a casual fan before, this lp is a huge sign of maturity and growth. Remember.. they weren’t alive for the orignals so let them do their own thing. It’s a little Zep-Yes-Rush.. but who isn’t?? The arrangements, piano, drums, production, vocals. You may not like his vocal range, but he uses it masterfuly. There is a synergy that only comes from brothers in a band. They know each other so well… I think this might be my aoty.
Krunoslav Funtak says: Album is just great, if something spectacular would be released, this must be rock album of 2021.
Please ignore critics which says this is just imitation of Led Zeppelin. Sorry, but this is not rip off, it is just on path of Led Zeppelin and much more than that. I hear sound of Aerosmith there too, sound of Freddie Mercury, but all that at different level leading to new era of rock.
And absolutely amazed how brave it is from such young guys, they will be rock legends.
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I’ve tried to like this band, and have listened to them several times. They just don’t stand out which is a shame, because I like the genre of Rock they inhabit. There is also a visual disconnect between the movement of the singer and the music even in live videos. There’s never been a greater argument in a semi-popular rock band for upping the self-realization in order to find real inspiration.