WATERLOO LILY

Like King Crimson's Lizard, this was a drastic jazzy transition to the usual band. And like King Crimson, it's a welcome change. Caravan didn't want to copy the groundbreaking formula of In The Land Of Grey And Pink, but bring something innovative and new.

The album starts off with Waterloo Lily. Classic proggy Caravan. Constantly entertaining, complex timing, soloing, what's not to love? If you like For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night, there's some similarity there.

Next up is Nothing At All-It's Coming Soon. Here Caravan shows their funky/jazzy roots. Almost free-form jazz with a funky bass in the background. Piano in the background accompanying the surrounding instruments. The transition comes about halfway through the song. This is what you were waiting for. A brilliant, classic, catchy piano slowly leading you to the blowout with drums and guitar. A slow song, but the beat's insanely addictive.

The first of the short songs, Songs & Signs is a sweet, vocal-based song reminiscent of the latter FGWGPitN. Solo towards the middle. Poppy-prog, but nothing bad about it. The vocals are great and instruments solid.

The shortest song on the record is also one of the best. The fast-paced Aristocracy will instantly hook any lover of Caravan. Fantastic drumming by Richard Coughlan. Super catchy.

The Love In Your Eye, the 12 and a 1/2 minute epic. With violins throughout, it gives a calm, lovely feel overall. Here the instruments are all let out of the cage. THEE Caravan epic (besides Nine Feet Underground at this point) ever-changing, innovative, and, as always, creative. The piano is one of the aspects of this album that makes it so great. Complex, classic. Exciting, but always retains this calmness about the album.

Like the two other short songs, one was placed at the end. The World Is Yours. A strange choice if you ask me. The weakest of the two other shorts. A bit cheesy, a weird ending to a great album. Should've been a bonus song.

The album'll grow on you, just like KC's Lizard. Of course it doesn't compare to the opus that is In The Land Of Grey And Pink, and because of that, I have to limit my stars to 4 as it isn't essential, but a fantastic addition. Not a 'Classic Prog Album' in any sense, but a great Caravan album.