CARAVAN

Ride - Coughlan's drumming sets the pace as lyrics are more narrated than sung with the distorted guitar and other instruments breaking around the minute and a half mark only to decend back down and repeat the process. Not a spectacular track but well paced and enjoyable.

Policeman - a very good track that gives us a bit of a glimpse at what to expect from this band in the years ahead. Policeman reminds me a bit of Golf Girl but with much more well written lyrics, frankly.

Love Song With Flute - the straight forward title sells this song short. Fourty years later this is still a very fresh sounding love song with some fine flute playing provided by Mr. Jimmy Hastings.

Cecil Runs - compairs favorably to most any Syd Barrett song

Magic Man - a very mellow, very pleasant listen that bids you come along and join them, and Soft Machines, and Lonely Hearts Clubs for a lazy afternoon float around the clouds.

Grandma's Lawn - now, I ask you, could you make cutting Grandma's lawn into such an intriguing song?

Where But For Caravan Would I Be - after a soft build this song hits the keys and percussion pretty hard, which is not that interesting, but at the five and a half minute mark this comes around and forms an excellent piece. The lyrics remain light and airy while the instruments build and eventually take over the track which does end rather abruptly. Would have liked a clearer close to this song.

Syd Barrett's rise to legend status in the music world may make it hard for many to accept that he was not the only one, at this time, who could write a string of great psych/prog songs, the lawfirm of Sinclair, Hastings, Coughlan & Sinclair were mighty capable themselves. The lyrical quality of Caravan, I would argue, is just as good as that of Piper but the production value falls woefully short. By all rights this album should be held in the similar esteem to Pink Floyd's Piper but again, the production holds it back. Actually, I think fans of the more mellow sound for which Pink Floyd would later come to be known might actually enjoy this album a little more than Piper, given a remastered copy and a good system to play it on. Interesting no nonsense song writing with sweet singing and an overall mellow feeling only lacking in recording quality. The music is more than worthy of 4 whole stars.

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