Re-examining Greta Van Fleet with The Battle At Garden’s Gate (2021)
I've had struggles with Greta Van Fleet. The first time I heard them, I exclaimed, "Wow, these guys sound a lot like Led Zeppelin!" Then, after several listens, I said the same thing in a less-positive tone:
"Wow. These guys sound a lot like Led Zeppelin."
This whole site is about taking from the past, modifying, transforming, and updating to make something that works for the present day. Greta Van Fleet should fit that philosophy perfectly. They have all the right ingredients to create a band that I would love. And yet, there's always been something about them that just didn't sit well with me.
The Roxy Blue Situation
When I think of a derivative band, the one that first comes to mind is a group called Roxy Blue. I know virtually nothing about Roxy Blue, except that for a brief time in 1992 they had low-level success with a song proclaiming the virtues of statutory rape called "Rob the Cradle". Worse than that, it was also a blatant and poorly constructed rip-off of about seven David Lee Roth-era Van Halen songs.
That's the clouded lens with which I've viewed Greta Van Fleet since their first EP was released. I'm sorry about that. It was a mistake. I don't love their first EPs and first album, but I'll be clear: Greta Van Fleet is not Roxy Blue.
Finding Their Voice
As a fan of standup comedy, I often hear comedians talk about how they "sounded like Bill Hicks" or "Sarah Silverman" in their first few years of comedy. After getting more comfortable with audiences, developing their point of view, and just getting better, their influences were still there, but they had finally developed their own voice.
That's who Greta Van Fleet is, and the 2021 album The Battle at Garden's Gate is a solid step forward towards the band finding their voice. You'll hear echoes of Zeppelin throughout this album, but also a lot more. The band ventures out a little, creating epic songs with powerful riffs, chord progressions, and a mixture of different sounds, timbres, and dynamics that make it a fun listen. With each new listen I find something new to latch onto. There are many moments here that I would describe as epic.
Josh Kiszka gets most of the accolades from listeners because of his incredible vocal range and sound. Brother Jake Kiszka's guitar, in my mind, is where this album shines. They know how to construct a great rock song and Jake Kiszka can deliver truly great, heavy riffs offset by beautiful melodic leads. Bass and drums are great too. There's something to be said about a band, 3 members of which are brothers, that has played together and know each other, as well as these four, do.
I like this album. The Battle at Garden's Gate should be huge. It probably won't be based on our current musical climate, but this is, in my opinion, the best yet from Greta Van Fleet and I'm looking forward to seeing where they go next.
5 Highlights
Heat Above: An organ intro is a great way to introduce any new album. The chords and the layers of guitar, keyboards, and backing vocals on this song are truly beautiful. The ethereal backing "ohhhhs" are a really fun addition in the production that makes this song so fun and pleasant to listen to.
Broken Bells: I suppose it's no accident that the guitars on this track sound like bells ringing. Josh's soaring vocals on this are nice. The melody is great. The drums on this are cool.
Age of Machine: This song is heavy and begging to be played at maximum volume.
Light My Love: You want some new Joe Cocker? I’ve got your new Joe Cocker right here.
The Weight of Dreams: An epic tune to close out an epic album complete with a Free Bird-esque outro.
Listen to this album. Buy this album at a local record store. You can also get it on Amazon. Stream this album. I’ve provided the Spotify and Apple links below. Let me know what you think in the comments.