Caravan
In the Land of Grey and Pink

THE REVIEW

IMPORTANT NOTICE: I KNOW, THIS IS THE FIFTH REVIEW OF THIS ALBUM. I TRIED TO BE MORE PERSONALIZED, LET’S SEE. I HOPE NOT TO CREATE DISORDERS LIKE WHAT HAPPENED WITH "PINK MOON". I apologize to Flo and Carlos for publicly insulting them. I'm sorry for my weak character. Anyway, happy reading. :) mine is a deliberately simple review

Ahhh the Caravan... it's been a month since I discovered them, and I fell in love immediately. They are a sensational band, "underrated" (so to speak) by critics, considering that the critical acclaim for the Canterbury scene is primarily focused on Soft Machine, Henry Cow, and Gong (in the sense, they are appreciated, albeit less than these illustrious names). Their great ability to create a unique rock, blending the most carefree spirit of melodic jazz, often decorated with some folk nuances, with light psychedelic touches that made their albums perfect for psychedelic trips, guarantees them a place of honor among the giants of progressive rock. If I were asked, during a medical check-up, if I take drugs, I would answer yes, but it's not the typical drug taken through pills or syringes. It’s a more pleasant drug to take, it lasts for only 43 minutes, but in those few minutes, anyone who allows themselves to be carried away by such sounds can glimpse the magnificence of the world, both in the simple and in the seemingly ugly things. Already the cover, pink and grey, is one of the most beautiful ever designed in music history. Joyful and at the same time refined. A must for anyone who listens to progressive and rock in general.

Already with "Golf Girl", you get the sensation of being in a magical and romantic world, with that trombone intro advancing alongside a magnetic guitar, breaking the rhythm. The intensity builds until a sweet and decisive flute closes the curtain on the first movement of this masterpiece. Only 5 minutes were enough for Caravan to drive me crazy. And the best is yet to come...

We move on to seven minutes of "Winter Wine", the psychedelic trips in this track are endless, and at the moment of the magnetic guitar solo, with that "ripping" sound, you get the sensation of flying high and admiring the world from great altitudes. A sonic fresco capable of delighting you in the fateful world of dreams, but there's no time to lose, after all, "dreams are always ending far too soon". Dreams are destined to end soon, what's important is to enjoy them. In itself, Winter Wine has no flaw, except that it ends!

"Love to love you (And tonight pigs will fly)" instead presents a playful structure, already detectable in "Golf Girl", with the difference that instead of Sinclair's voice, there is Hastings' graceful voice, somewhat similar (not identical) to that of the divine Robert Wyatt.

With the eponymous title-track, there is that typically folk rural vein in the intro that disappears when the atmosphere heats up, with a majestic keyboard solo that manages to showcase the romanticism and refinement of the Caravan, to then be replaced by the interceding of that majestic electric guitar, which tears apart the space and time that surround us and are part of our daily actions.

And we reach the highest tower erected by Caravan, the tallest, the most imposing, the most graceful, the further you go during its 22 minutes, the more you can grasp the magnificence of the progressive genre at its best potential. It feels like being shot high into space, with no possibility of stopping, but you have the joy of seeing the stars as you rise, but there is also fear. The unpredictability is great, the intensity builds, with accelerations, changes in theme, rhythm, continuous organ and guitar solos, keyboards that mark time better than a metronome. The heart jumps, the adrenaline skyrockets. In 22 minutes Caravan shows the best of their art. All of this is "Nine Feet Underground", 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. The end of the suite... shall we talk about it? With that almost hard rock rhythm of guitar and piano? A unique 22-minute orgasm. Thank you, Caravan, for everything!