The Vintage Caravan - Voyage

*****
Awesome debut from Psychedelic trio!

Regular readers will probably be aware of my disdain for a current trend of bands who regurgitate 70's Rock. Their past off as "Retro" they spend a fortune on looking poor and just come off as a parody and offer nothing original and record labels seem to be snapping them up like they are some sort of rare Metal. The Vintage Caravan will probably get lumped in with this current wave of bands but theses young men from Iceland are a very different breed altogether.

On seeing the awesome artwork I was expecting something along the line of Clutch, Spiritual Beggars etc and granted it wasn't far off but 'Voyage' has so much going on. Opening with a double whammy 'Craving' and 'Let me Be' these two track are both driven by catchy riffs and funky rhythms they simply open the album and give you a little clue for what's coming.

We are then brought to one of the albums many highlights, the beautiful "Do you remember?" this is a lovely mellow song with amazing lead work, brilliant vocals which find the perfect balance between roughness and smoothness which brings to mind Paul Rodgers or even a young Mark Lanegan. The track comes of as one of Bad Company's more mellow moments it even brings to mind Bill Withers.

Next up we have 'Expand your Mind' which is a kind of a slightly less heavy Kyuss. It has a great chorus and a fantastic solo! things stay upbeat and rocking with 'M.A.R.S.W.A.T.T' one of the most badass songs I've heard in a long time you can just picture a packed room bouncing along to this being played live, 'Cocaine Sally' keeps the heat up, we then get 'Winterland' another lovely mellow song that builds up to a heavy mid section before coming back down with a mellow finish. The Psychedelic influences are showcased on this track. The albums climax is 'The Kings Voyage' which is a twelve minute epic which sees the band go off on a jam and  then into a weird spacey moment reminiscent of Led Zeppelin's 'Whole lotta' Love' before bringing the album to an awesome finish.

I would give this album a four but the fact that it's a debut, but the band members are so young so I think it actually warrants a five, because they put their heart and soul into the record. Also there isn't a dull moment on the album. It's not heavy but boy does it rock and it's such a melting pot of sounds, I hear Credence clearwater Revival, The Doors, Black Sabbath, Jimi Hendrix, MC5 to name a few and even then it doesn't come close to describe them. There is a 70's influence but it sounds so fresh and relevant.

The sounds are dripping attitude and style. It's simply brilliant and I can't stop listening to it. It's simply a sound track to a great party, outside, in the sun!. Remember when Queens of the stone Age were actually good? yeah, that's how good this is. I think 'Voyage' is the first great album of 2014!.

Review by Joe Denby

​Check Out! the Video for 'Expand your Mind' Below...