Album Review: The Vintage Caravan – Monuments (Napalm Records)

Icelandic 70’s rock/classic psychedelic and progressive frontrunners The Vintage Caravan return with their fifth studio album, Monuments, out April 16th, 2021 via Napalm Records.

You can chill out to The Vintage Caravan but, and this is super important, you can also dance and groove your way across any dance floor in the world. Such is the eclectic power of their impressive blend of classic rock, prog and psych. Monuments is the epitome of their supremacy, at times divinely catchy and at others, exasperating in how strange it can be. They’re a band that it are super-easy to fall in love with and Monuments is the love medicine that does the job.

From the optimistic and punchy liveliness of Whispers to the blend of laidback melodies and erratic vigour of Crystalized. The Vintage Caravan kick off their new album in remarkable style.

It’s then something a bit more anthemic with Can’t Get You Off My Mind, where a sharp guitar solo stands out. Before one of the grooviest efforts comes racing out in the form of Dark Times. This is The Vintage Caravan at their most crowd-pleasing and This One’s for You doesn’t change that. Even though it is a mellow ballad shrouded in emotion. A track that is going to be beloved by the fanbase and sung very loudly in a live environment.

It’s time for The Vintage Caravan to show off their progressive chops fully though. It’s time to experience the 8+ minutes of Forgotten. Filled with guitar flamboyance, the systematic shifts are delicate but prominent.

Which does continue into Sharp Teeth, a track saturated in old-school rock vibes but most noteworthy for the uneven flurry of instrumentation that makes up the latter part of it.

Keeping the good-time groove and catchy melody at the forefront, there can be no complaints as the album reaches the latter end of things. There’s still plenty more strong rock to experience and Hell, Torn in Two and Said & Done continue to make everything feel so damn cool.

Which leaves it up to Clarity to draw the curtains on Monuments and what a track it is for The Vintage Caravan to go out on. A lengthy climax, it’s beautifully soft and liable to lull many to sleep at first. It’s time to wake up though as the second half has a touch more pep to the instruments and a roaring guitar solo demands your consideration. It’s an immense and commanding closer.

The Vintage Caravan – Monuments Full Track Listing:

1. Whispers
2. Crystallized
3. Can’t Get You Off My Mind
4. Dark Times
5. This One’s for You
6. Forgotten
7. Sharp Teeth
8. Hell
9. Torn in Two
10. Said & Done
11. Clarity

Links

Website | Facebook | Instagram