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THE REVIEW
Published in 1971, "In The Land Of Grey And Pink" is the album that establishes Caravan as a very significant force in the progressive scene and one of the main bands of the so-called "Canterbury school". My modest knowledge regarding Canterbury bands doesn't allow me to make precise comparisons between the related scene and the remaining prog landscape, but I dare to state that the Canterbury school offers a very melodic variant of progressive rock.
Indeed, Caravan's music is not as intricate and complex as that of King Crimson and Genesis, although their toolkit consists of the same elements: brass, keyboards, mellotron, jazz references, and classical atmospheres. Compared to the progressive standards, their scores are simpler and more straightforward, their melodies less solemn, more serene. This can be immediately heard in the first two tracks, "Golf Girl", whose moderately cheerful pace brings to mind the more carefree Syd Barrett, and "Winter Wine", a sampler of gentle and lively psychedelia. Next come "Love To Love You (And Tonight Pigs Will Fly)", a sunny love song in seven-eighths, and the evocative "In The Land Of Grey And Pink", also a product of a vaguely Barrett-inspired influence (the lyrics even contain a not-too-vague reference to the (ab)use of marijuana: "And when it's dark our boat will park on a land of warm and green/ Pick our fill of punk weed and smoke it till we bleed, that's all we'll need"). The work concludes with the long suite "Nine Feet Underground" (almost 23 minutes), divided into eight acts, the summa of their balanced and romantic art which alternates between serene and vaguely nostalgic tones, ending with a surprising almost hard-rock finale.
The CD edition also includes five bonus tracks: two unreleased, "I Don't Know Its Name (Alias The Word)" and "Aristocracy", an instrumental version of "Winter Wine" called "It's Like To Have A Name Next Week", the original version with different lyrics of "Golf Girl", titled "Group Girl", and lastly "Dissociation/100% Proof", a remix of the last two acts of "Nine Feet Underground". All in the name of beautiful, simple, melodious, and delicate prog. Different times.
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Summary by Bot
Released in 1971, Caravan's 'In The Land Of Grey And Pink' is a cornerstone of the Canterbury progressive rock style. The album features melodic, straightforward compositions with jazz and classical influences, setting it apart from more complex prog bands. Highlights include the lyrics inspired by Syd Barrett and the epic suite 'Nine Feet Underground'. The CD edition offers valuable bonus tracks enriching the listening experience. A timeless classic of beautiful and delicate prog rock.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
05 Nine Feet Underground: Nigel Blows a Tune / Love's a Friend / Make It 76 / Dance of the Seven Paper / Hankies / Hold Grandad by the Nose / Honest I Did! / Disassociation / 100% Proof (22:39)
Caravan
Caravan are an English progressive rock band associated with the Canterbury Scene, known for a melodic, pastoral take on prog that blends rock, jazz elements and psychedelia.12 Reviews
Other reviews
By uboldri
This is an album that captivates the listener and brings them back to reality only at the end of the last note.
If we were indeed in that place, this would undoubtedly be the music we would hear, a muffled sound to which the flute-like voice of the singer perfectly harmonizes.
By DaveJonGilmour
It captivates you on a full listen and enters you immediately without asking permission.
'Nine Feet Underground' is 22.44 minutes of pure musical ecstasy, a shocking flight with closed eyes in the vast and boundless skies of prog, jazz-rock, and melody.
By belerofonte
"Twenty-four minutes of dazzling melody have cradled and bewitched me."
"Caravan’s work is so pure that it rightly places them in the Olympus of progressive and rock music as a whole."
By tonysoprano
If I were asked, during a medical check-up, if I take drugs, I would answer yes, but it’s a more pleasant drug to take, it lasts for only 43 minutes.
'Nine Feet Underground' is one of the greatest suites in the history of progressive, my eternal love for this genre that has long since conquered me with its greatness and expressive complexity.
