Caravan - In the Land of Grey & Pink
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Free Music Notes for In the Land of Grey & Pink
Free Music Review: 4 1/2 Stars to be exact...
Hit: 4 Stars
This was my first Caravan experience, and for the most part, an excellent album. Most people would rate it as their best, but I would have to give that title to their second album, "If I could Do it....".I guess the reason that it falls short of the top spot for me is that, for starters it doesn't have "If I Could..."'s track _For Richard_ on it, and secondly the mammoth final track, _Nine Feet Underground_, doesn't do much for me overall. However I'm definately the minority on that, as most would list it as one of the top 3 Caravan songs. I think about half of it's great, the other half doesn't interest me much...
I owned the release prior to the new Decca re-release, and I must say they did a great job with it. The bonus tracks are excellent, and the sound quality top notch.
You owe it to yourself to pick this album up, as it contains some fantastic music, but in my opinion the ultimate Caravan album was the one prior to Land Of Grey & Pink.
Free Music Review: Great mix of quality pop and progressive rock
Hit: 4 Stars
In the Land of Grey and Pink seems to have a bit of an identity crisis. Don't get me wrong, its an excellent album, but its not what you would expect from a progressive rock group. Nine Feet Underground and Winter Wine definitely fall within the latter category and Golf Girl and Love to Love You is definetly catchy pop tunes. The title track falls somewhere inbetween. While I normally prefer progressive music, on this album the pop tunes really shine. Winter Wine is also an excellent song, but, as with many progressive tunes, you find that you like some parts of it more than others. In this case, the first half is far superior to the second. I normally like extended tracks, but Nine Feet Underground doesn't impress me that much. The title track grows on you but I think the surreal lyrics are much more interesting that the tune. Overall, its a good, if flawed album. It has some moments of brilliance and other moments of mediocrity.Free Music Review: Excellent
Hit: 4 Stars
Caravan was part of the Cantaberry prog school, which included bands like Soft Machine and Gong. Caravan was by far the most melodic of these groups.
In fact, In The Land Of Grey and Pink has all the melody of Fragle, by Yes. Caravan did not really use a lot of free jazz or dissonence like many of their peers. Yet their tracks are long and don't always follow traditional stuctures.
So it make take a few listens, even when you are initially grabbed by Land Of Grey and Pink's melodies and the generally happy mood of this music. But this work is not hard, and does not take long, to penatrate. Once you do, it is well worth the exploration.
Caravan had a varried career, and if you want to get to know this band, do not collect their work in sequence. Land Of Grey and Pink is probably the most representative of their work, and so its the best starting point for this fine band.
Free Music Review: Caravan - 'In The Land Of Grey&Pink' (Decca)
Hit: 4 Stars
Originally released in 1971,this was the band's third album.'In The Land...' is only the second release by Caravan I've ever had.Didn't exactly thrill my gorilla,but I was somewhat impressed with the band's style,charm and conviction.Caravan DOES indeed have their own 'style'...cannot think of another word to describe it;of playing and writing top quality progressive/Canterbury pieces.Tunes I enjoyed the most were "Winter Wine",the twenty-two minute epic "Nine Feet" and the whimsical "Golf Girl".Decca had tagged on five(5)bonus tracks to make this title even more so desirable.Might appeal to fans of Hatfield&The North,Gentle Giant,Camel,Barclay James Harvest and Renaissance.Free Music Review: Very good, but.........
Hit: 4 Stars
.....not as consistently good as "If I could do it all over again.....". I cannot add much to the other reviews except to say that the reason I couldn't give it 5 stars is bc. the lengthy version of Nine Feet Underground is not nearly as good as the live version on the CD and DVD release "Live in Nottingham" which, although recorded decades later in a reunion concert, has more exceptional jamming, by both David Sinclair - on electric organ and James Hastings on flute and sax - than on the original. Still one of the top ten best prog rock albums.