Greta Van Fleet – The Battle At Garden’s Gate
Greta Van Fleet was formed in 2012 and consists of the Kiszka brothers, Josh (vocals), Jake (guitar) and Sam (bass guitar), and drummer Danny Wagner. Their debut album “Anthem Of The Peaceful Army” was released in 2018, and received a fairly varied reception. Some of the reviewers raved about it, while others denounced them as Led Zeppelin clones. And the latter is not entirely unjustified. The audience had less trouble with it because the foursome drew full houses and stadiums everywhere and the record sold very well. He who laughs last laughs best…
And now the follow-up, “The Battle At Garden’s Gate” has been released, in which the band still heavily relies on their great examples from the 70s, especially Led Zeppelin. The guitar riffs could have originated from Jimmy Page’s brain and Josh’s voice hangs somewhere between Robert Plant and Steve Marriott in his Humble Pie days. Still, there seems to be a step forward. There is a bit more colour, the production is fuller, partly due to the use of strings.
Furthermore, there is simply good music playing and there is plenty to enjoy for lovers of 70s rock and blues-rock. My personal favourite song is the closing track ‘The Weight Of Dreams’, in which the guitarist shows his qualities as a guitarist in a sublime way. The album is a step in the right direction and shows positive development. If this growth continues, we might hear an independent Greta Van Fleet on the next album instead of a Led Zep clone. (8/10) (Universal)
