IF I COULD DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN, I'D DO IT ALL OVER YOU

As I Feel I Die if I don't re-listen to this album every week or so for the last 20 Years. Everybody mentions For Richard but the suite on the first side has nothing to envy it and As I Feel is also a real masterpiece - those are the works of the Sinclair cousins as Pye Hastings wrote the poppier stuff. But the real treat is on the remastered version as The gift: A Day In The Life of Maurice Haylett is a gem that should have made this album flawless but this last one was already one of the longest around for the times. This number shows over five and a half minutes what Caravan can do and this is definitely the works of masters in their own rights.

Richard is born

Considering this album was originally released in 1970, it still sounds astonishingly fresh.

The title track was a surprise hit single at the time, but it is not really representative of the band, or indeed the album. The distinctive vocals and Canterbury keyboards are already present, especially on tracks like "And I wish I were stoned/Don't worry". Caravan found their direction on this album, and subsequent releases explored a similar vein.

The track "For Richard (etc.)" first appeared on this album and has of course gone on to become arguably the band's best known and most popular song. It has since appeared on a plethora of live albums, and has been performed (I believe) at every gig they have done since. There is a strong jazz influence on parts of the track, but that never overpowers the prevailing prog structure.

It was only because there were so many other innovative and exciting bands around at the same time, that Caravan never went on to achieve the success they deserved, and that this album undoubtedly warranted. They did enjoy a level of success with subsequent albums such as "In the Land of Grey and Pink", but this album remains something of a hidden diamond.

The remastered version issued in 2001 sounds as if it was recorded yesterday such is the quality of the sound, and includes 4 rewarding bonus tracks.

For those who love the Cantebury style of Prog will simply love this album to death. This marks CARAVAN's second album and a masterpiece in progressive rock history. This album contains that drooling organ we have all come to love along with the excellent musicianship and songwriting of CARAVAN. Of course this album contains the classic 14 min epic track "For Richard" which explores some pretty trippy yet progressive ground.

Check out in particular, the series of Caravan remasters from Deram/Decca all with extra tracks, released about 18 months ago. This latest IICDIAOAIDIAOY release shows what very good quality remastering can do (technically ranking above the my previous high point, the remastered Deep Purple "In Rock"). The aural clean up has everything sounding fresh and crystal clear, and there are points through the album when I could swear this was a brand new recording rather than something 30 years old - that is but for the psychedelic-Canterbury whimsy of the lyrics.

Musically this album is one of the high points of Caravan's career: great tunes, arrangements and playing, equal or even better than "Grey & Pink". It is also the Caravan album which suggested they might have considered giving Soft Machine a run for their money playing more jazz (rock)-based music - just about abandoned by "Grey & Pink". The bonus tracks, including a couple of demos, add to whole and not useless baggage.

It was about 1978 when I first got this album. You know that fun part of buying back on the albums you happened to miss along the way, when money permitted! This is a stunning album and at times perhaps their most complicated because it runs more or less continuous throughout. Arguably their most popular track ' For Richard' on side two ( on er.. vinyl) The shortest track right at the end is probably my favourite, simply entitled ' Limits'

Caravan's second album signals the band's moment of plain maturity just achieved. Destined to become an undisputed classic of Canterbury prog, "If I Could." stands out as an album that comprises an excellent material craftily performed: the pristine melodic sense that made Caravan the most accessible Canterbury act is refurbished with inventively superlative arrangements all throughout the album's repertoire. Before I go on, let me state that this my all-time fave Caravan recording. The funny title track kicks off the album, as an exercise in jazz-pop in a 7/8 pattern: a proper sense of joy that does not anticipate the density of the following numbers - 'And I Wish I Were Stoned' and 'As I Feel I Die' are both constructed under the logic of an initial serene introspective section and a groovier, jazzier second section that releases some kind of emotional explosion that seemed to be kept off during the serene part. None of these explosive passages are metallic or incendiary: the explosion is more focused on enthusiasm, humor and jazz-rock textures than on anger. This same pattern is reiterated in 'With an Ear to the Ground You Can Make It', only in this particular case the density is developed into a more eerie level: definitely, one of the highlights of an album full of so very good songs. After all this display of structural complexity the poppy tune 'Hello Hello' is welcome as resource of relief and refreshing fun by the listener: its catchy melodic line is wisely portrayed on a 7/4 pattern. It won't be long before 'For Richard' - the prototypical Caravan song - hits the listener's heart and takes it by storm with its successive captivating motifs, fluidly linked together in a majestic amalgam. This is just as epic as Canterbury - a non-symphonic prog trend per se - could ever be!! 'For Richard' is preceded and followed by brief pieces: 'Asforteri' is a weird tribal sequence that actually might have been developed as an interesting longer track in a parallel prog universe, while the closure 'Limits' is a delicious bossanova oriented ballad that soon fades out as the sun in a springtime sunset. Well, enough for the album's official repertoire. Now, although a whole is more than a mere sum of its parts, I feel it would be unfair of me not to mention that each individual member's amazing musicianship is responsible for the amazing brightness that is comprised in "If I Could." - Richard Sinclair's bass playing is both intricate and immaculate, clearly featured without having to steal the limelight; Coughlan exhibits his percussive mastery with a touch of distinction; and David Sinclair is an exquisite maestro who makes his organ and piano parts shine strongly with a sense of delicateness. If only guitarist/vocalist Pye Hastings had been confident enough to play more solos..., but around there always was Pye's brother Jimmy, ready to guest with an extra horn or flute solo. The CD edition includes 4 bonus tracks: three of them are demo versions of some of the previous numbers, while the newcomer 'A Day in the Life of Maurice Haylett' is pretty reminiscent of 'And I Wish I Were Stoned' in structure. The way I see it, these bonus tracks serve mainly the purpose of emphasizing the most fundamental truth about this album: it's a masterpiece!!

David Sinclair's keyboards do it for me. Sure, Banks, Wakeman and Emerson are the ones you'll probably pick as the top three players in the field, but for me Sinclair is king. At times, his keyboard sounds like a fuzzed out guitar, (the title track, "And I Wish I Were Stoned/Don't Worry" Hello Hello", etc.) His keyboards are so unique I can't think of another player who sounds like him. But enough gushing on Sinclair. This album begins a run of four must have albums for the fan of canterbury and I'd say this one would be a good start for anyone who would like to explore the scene for the first time. Every song is unmistakably English, with phenomenal musicanship, wonderful singing, very, very clever lyrics that are at times funny and a sound that is wholly original, (I can't think of one band that even tries to sound like them and pull it off credibly). This album contains three out and out classics, "As I Feel I Die" with Pye Hasting's delicate vocals, Richard Sinclair's subtle bass line just under the surface that comes out three minutes in and just WOWS me and then that keyboard fuzzing out over the bass jamming, UTTERLY FANTASTIC!!!, "With An Ear To The Ground You Can Make It" starts out with a catchy refrain, but then gallops into a perfect little ditty with neat keyboards, tempo changes then segways into my favorite fuzzed out Sinclair keyboard solo, ahhh...absolute heaven, god almighty it is just perfect, then to make things even more incredible a beautiful flute playing just over Pye's precious singing, one of the greatest unsung songs ever!, then the classic "For Richard", which is probably the most known song by the band, 14 minutes of jamming Jazz/Canterbury that has to be heard. As you probably figured, I like this record. It's definately an album of it's time, which might turn some people off, but if you can look past that and just immerse yourself inside the music, I'm sure you'll come out thinking it's wonderful, whimsical, clever, but very challenging. A true classic and only their second album, more wonderment lay ahead!

4.69/5.00

I gave 4.7/5.0 for "In the land of grey and pink", and really both albums are awesome (even if "If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You" may be more difficult to reach).

"If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You" is not an easy album to listen to. If I was totally blown away by "Nine feet underground" on "In the land of grey and pink" it took AT LEAST 4-5 listening of this one before understanding how great it is. The first song - theme song - is funny, with some humour and crazy 60's rhythm. The second song - And I wish I were stoned - Don't worry - is probably one of the greatest Canterbury song ever, but it took some time for me to really understand its power. It is melodious, harmonius, somehow very soft;at some point the keyboards are there but this is really an emotional song I would say. "As I feel I die " is simply crazy... The guitar is huge, the rhythm also... But, clearly, my favorite song is " With an ear to the ground you can make it / Martinian / Only cox / Reprise". This song is AWESOME, with great Camel-like rhythm (good for you if you like early Camel!) and huge keyboards. This is Canterbury music at its best.

In a way, this is an even better effort than the band's most celebrated work, its follow-up "In the Land of Grey and Pink". However, unlike the latter, it's less immediate and more of a steady grower. Then, when it's truly and well grown on you, you'll be hopelessly addicted. The remastered version (featuring the stunning, unreleased "A Day in the Life of Maurice Haylett") sounds as fresh as it had been recorded last year and not almost 36 years ago. This is prog at its best, impeccably sung and played, complex and challenging, yet at the same time witty and light- hearted, without the pretentiousness typical of some of the better-known bands.

The best way to listen to this album is to put on your headphones and wallow in the beautiful vocal harmonies, intricate bass lines and magnificent keyboard work. The opening title-track is an infectious, '60s-style ditty sung by both vocalists, the deeper-voiced Richard Sinclair repeating the line "Who do you think you are?" while the higher, graceful voice of guitarist Pye Hastings sings the verse. Most of the following tracks, though varying in length, are structured as mini-suites, with at least two movements (and accordingly long titles, which I will never be able to remember in spite of my passably good memory). "And I Wish I Were Stoned" starts off as a wistful melody, then becomes increasingly brisk and jazzy. "As I Feel I Die", one of the highpoints of the album, has much the same structure, with a slow intro featuring great vocals from Hastings (who is not my favourite Caravan vocalist, though I have to give him his due), then culminating in a rousing instrumental duel between the two Sinclair cousins, Dave's incendiary keyboards and Richard's complex, fluid bass. "With an Ear to the Ground", the second longest track on the album, sees more spectacular work from David S. (a keyboard unsung hero if ever there was one), backed by one of the tightest rythm sections ever.

"Hello Hello" is a lesson in how to write a song that's both hummable and intelligent, with the added bonus of one of the strangest percussive accompaniments ever (eat your heart out, Jamie Muir!), a pair of hedge clippers wielded by none other than Richard Sinclair himself, who also sings lead vocals. In fact, if I were to name one flaw of this otherwise flawless album, is that Sinclair sings too little... There are two versions of this song on the remastered CD, and on the second (an unreleased demo version) Richard's vocals are so forceful and intense that I get even stronger shivers down my spine than usual. The short, delightful "Asforteri" leads the way for the album's pièce de resistance, the 14-minute-plus "For Richard" (which of the two, I wonder?), where David S. gives a stunning demonstration of his impressive skills as an organ player, while Richard S. (while unfortunately remaining silent) provides a solid yet intricate rythmic background. The track ends with a rare, short yet tasteful guitar solo by Pye Hastings - an unlikely guitar hero, perhaps, but an excellent player indeed.

What else can I say? An utterly magnificent album by one of the truly great bands, too often forgotten in "best of" polls. Go and get it - you won't regret it for a minute.

This is my favorite Caravan album. It has every: the whimsical atmosphere, driving jazz rock, great playing and wonderful singing. Much of this album is dominated by Pye Hastings, he does most of the singing and writing. He proves himself a great hook- writer, making the music somewhat poppy. But progressive and jazz rock tendencies are in full force here. And so is the recognizable Caravan sound. You can tell by the tongue-in-cheek album title (what crazy bunch of loonies these guys are) that this is pure Caravan and your in for a ride of British lunacy and tight jazz rock.

The atmosphere that Caravan create manages to be both mellow (and even trippy) yet have a powerful jazz-rock drive. Yet it is rarely heavy, which is very interesting to hear. Of course in typical Canterbury fashion, the organs are distorted and of course play almost all the solos and are very up front. These guys rock out-but in a very strange way. There is also still a very psychedelic element to the sound also, trippy sound effects and organs wahs are prominent here.

Richard Sinclair mostly plays an excellent funky bass, but doesnt open his mouth too much. But his bass playing is a very important part of the bands sound and never fails to entertain. Pye Hastings does most of the singing and his voice could be compared to Robert Wyatt. It's very innocent and pure, full of optimism. Sinclair's is lower and more humorous, and could be compared to Kevin Ayers. Richard Coughlan plays a mean drum kit with much power and precision. His cymbals at the beginning of 'As I feel I Die' are wonderful and his cool percussion effects on 'Hello, Hello' give John Muir a run for his money.

Jimmy's woodwind work is also an excellent addition to the bands sound. In the mellow parts he is essential for the atmosphere. In the jazzy suite 'For Richard' he is a vital and his solos are full of energy. Same with organ ace David Sinclair, who does about 70% of the records soloing but makes each one sound fresh. He produces lots of cool effects on his organ to, but instead of toying around he uses them well in the song. Pye Hasting's guitar mostly plays rhythm, only soloing in 'I wish I were stoned' and 'For Richard' his solos are tasteful, but he excels as a tight rhythm player playing jazzy chords.

This record also shows the band playing great melodies. Even in the fast jazz sections, melody is not abused. This and Pye Hasting's great hooks make this album a surprisingly easy listen. But experimentation and progression is rampant, while pretension is not. I'm confused as to why this band was not commercially successful. The title track and 'Hello, Hello' would have made great singes, and are still very experimental. 'If I could do it over again..' is somewhat similar to fellow Canterbury gods The Soft Machine's 'We did it again', with it's repeating figures. 'Hello, Hello' manages to be short and accessible while packing lots of great ideas.

The lyrics here are beautiful and heartfelt at times, and at others hilarious and British. 'And I wish I were stoned', a lovely song, has great lyrics like:

"Got down in the road Crossed my heart and cried When you told me how you'd love To live and not to die"

The delivery is also great. A positive and optimistic atmosphere runs amok here, and you can't help but to sing along to these great lyrics. I find that this record is almost guaranteed to make me feel happy and glad.

Many of the songs like an 'Ear to the Ground', 'As I Feel I die', and 'For Richard' Begin mellow and atmospheric which prominent organ and woodwind, then seamlessly transfer to exciting jazz rocks which cant help but to tap your toe to. There are changes of moods and melodies happening all the time, especially in 'Ear to the Ground' and 'I Wish I were stoned'.

In conclusion, this record is a pure Canterbury masterpiece. It has all of the Canterbury essentials and more and it's wonderfully listenable and free on pretension. You can tell these guys had fun making this record that is so complex yet well, fun! So get this, as soon as you can, it's the perfectly place to start exploring Canterbury.

The was CARAVAN's second album and it's one of the finest examples of Canterbury music that you will find. In fact this might be my favourite Canterbury album and it is my favourite CARAVAN record.

The album starts off with the title track an amusing double entendre that they would use more often in the future. "If I Could Do It All Over Again I'd Do It All Over You" is a light, upbeat, feel good song with a really good organ solo before 1 1/2 minutes. How catchy is this song ?! "And I Wish I Were Stoned / Don't Worry" features some good harmonies, more great organ and drum work, but it's the guitar solo that steals the show before 5 minutes.There is such an amazing jam on this song as well.This is just such a charming track. "As I Feel I Die" opens slowly with vocals until the tempo picks up around 2 minutes with an extended organ solo before 3 minutes and more fabulous drumming, great interplay ! "With An Ear To The Ground You Can Make It/Martinian / Only Cox / Reprise" has a lot of changes in tempo with organ, flute and drums leading the way. Gotta like the fuzz organ before 3 minutes. "Hello Hello" was released as a single and has a sixties feel at times and those whimsical vocals too. "Asforteri" builds slowly throughout. "Can't Be Long Now / Francoise / For Richard / Warlock" is the longest song and an instrumental that also builds to an energetic beat driven song with sax. The "For Richard" section is an instrumental jam that i'm pretty sure was inspired by God ! Amazing ! How nasty is the organ 10 1/2 minutes in. The final track "Limits" is a short vocal tune ending with flute.The first bonus song you would swear was part of the original release, it's an awesome song called "A Day In The Life Of Maurice Haylett". I love the cover of this album, the humour, and the way these guys can play. Without a doubt a masterpiece of Canterbury music.

This is an immensely likable album, which I recommend to anyone who's interested in the Canterbury scene or in the development of symphonic prog.

However, I do not consider it one of Caravan's true masterpieces - that's an honour I reserve for IN THE LAND OF GREY AND PINK and FOR GIRLS WHO GROW PLUMP IN THE NIGHT. Why?

Well, it seems to me this album suffers from a certain lack of punch, and also from a lack of colour. Mind you, there's nothing wrong with the drumming - just the opposite. Richard Coughlan was probably the most accomplished member of the band at this stage; he had already found his own style. But some of the organ-dominated tracks on this album sound amateurish; they seem little better than demos ('And I wish I were stoned' and 'As I feel I die', for example). Also, 'For Richard' (more than 14 minutes long, and one of the most beloved tunes in Caravan's repertoire) starts off beautifully and contains some lovely solos by prog's greatest flautist, Jimmy Hastings, but its final (and fairly heavy) guitar riff is repeated a few times too many, and with too little variation. Caravan would record more exciting versions of 'For Richard' later in their career; there's a far superior version on the excellent LIVE AT FAIRFIELD HALLS.

But let's not get too grumpy. In spite of any technical imperfections, both the title song and 'Hello hello' are marvellous examples of Caravan in a whimsical mood, while 'With an Ear to the Ground (etc.)' contains (among other things) a triumphant fuzz-box organ solo (in classic Canterbury style) by David Sinclair.

The 2001 remaster contains four bonus tracks, at least one of which ('A Day in the Life of Maurice Haylett') will be of essential interest to all true Caravan freaks. The illustrated booklet is well-written and full of nostalgia-inducing photographs.

Some albums have special memories for us. Some albums bring back memories and times, places, and people from our pasts, other albums bring back more immediate memories. Some memories are good, some are not so good. Music, like smell, can trigger rather intense memory recollection. This album by Caravan brings back memories not so long ago of a wide eyed American visiting the cradle of western civilization while enjoying the hospitality, not to mention the record collection of a certain beloved collaborator here. Caravan for me was a group that was essential enough to pick up an album from so I could be familiar with. Like most I got the most 'acclaimed' of them. The excellent 'In the Land of Grey and Pink'. Great album but nothing that really ..really grabbed me. However Raffaella is a big ...errr. a huge Caravan fan and while with her I got a chance to explore the albums. This album...of all them grabbed me hard.. and in these last 6 months... has just never let go. So much so that this album has moved into my mental top 10 prog albums list. This album became an inside joke for us for every time we listened to one of her Dream Theater albums (yes she nearly has them all and I listened to all of them) we both would cry .... next is Caravan.. the ANTI Dream Theater. Listening to Dream Theater then Caravan is a stark example of musicians playing instruments versus musicians making music.

The album begins with the title track with has a catchy vocal line repeated through out the length of the song by Richard Sinclair. I dare you to listen to this and not be driven to sing 'Who do you...think .. you are'.Simply catchy as all hell. Nice trademark Canterbury organ solo by David Sinclair. Next up we have 'And I wish I were Stoned-Don't Worry' with wonderful singing and vocal melodies by Hasting and Richard Sinclair. There is really is something about Richard Sinclair's voice that grabs me. Hell I think I mayeven have a man crush on him. "As I feel I die' follows which featured Pye Hastings on the vocals which has a an extended vocal begining before the group falls in with a mid paced skipping rhythm. Nice organ solo on this which really is the hghlight of the song. For me at least the real meat of the album has arrived and where the fun really starts. 'With an Ear to the ground' is an extend voyage into jazzy improv with David Sinclair getting a nice showcase... it has a real sense of atmosphere especially pronounced with the piano section over the last minute and a half of the track I love the way the song ends funny as that might sounds. Next up... is a song that ... I just love. 'Hello Hello'. Hear we get Richards voice in it's full glory. A short song in between the two instrumental monsters.. and his voice is just so relaxing and pleasant to the ears. Great song. Next up is THE definitive Caravan song.. forget 9 Feet Underground.'For Richard' still closes Caravan shows and simply blew me away the first time I heard it. After a long soft vocal intro band ...explodes behind an angry organ bouncy riff than Richard picks up on the bass while David goes off into an extended organ solo. Jimmy Hastings picks up when David finishes with a great sax solo. Pye gets a good solo in there as well. Anyhow..great riffs and great playiing galore with space for all the have a moment in the sun. A simply fabulous track and one I love to play along with on my bass. Simply a great piece of music. Limits closes the album but to be honest I am always in ecstasy from hearing For Richard and I so don't even remember much about it hahahahah.

Music that is tasteful, full of humour, great vocal melodies, fabulous organ and bass playing. For me 5 stars and for the site 5 stars. If you are a prog fan.. you should own this album. An essential album from an essential prog group. Highly recommended. The album has a special meaning for me....who knows... maybe it will for you as well

Green is good, but Pink is better...

The classic Canterbury sound is all over this baby. A decent mix of jazzy rock music with perfect chops, good arrangements and a sense of playfulness and humor. The closest reference I have to music like this is Supersister but I think Caravan is generally more respected and thought of as more serious. The tracks abound with vocal harmonies, tight rhythm sections, and guitars and keys that occasionally sound dated but possess the spirit of exploration. Keys and flutes provide additional ambiance throughout. Things start a bit slow but halfway through "As I Feel I Die" we are officially cookin with stern bass lines, hard hitting percussion, intense guitar and keys. "With an Ear to the Ground" has some amazing keyboard runs and spacious sections with flute and soft volume. The highlight and centerpiece is the 14-plus minute epic "Can't Be Long Now" where they finally begin to show some of the pizzazz that makes their next album so spectacular. Much more lively and progressive with 4 different sections. Excellent saxophone and flutes, amazing improvisations by everyone. But most importantly there is a real spirit of adventure on this long track with changing moods and directions. By far the best track on the album. "Limits" brings things back to earth with a soft piece ending in a fading flute solo. I am with those who favor "Grey and Pink" over this album on the whole but this is still a good album recommended to any Canterbury fan. The Decca remastered CD edition includes generous bonus tracks and a nice booklet with running biography.

One top-notch song to go with a collection of other solid tunes, If... certainly delivers the classic Caravan playfulness, but only partly provides the quality jazz-infused, hippie-tinged rock that I respect most from them.

The highlight: For Richard (or at least that's how most people on ProgArchives refer to it). This is certainly one of my top Canterbury (and jazz fusion, for that matter) songs out there. It begins with a somber, light tone that gradually builds until the fuzz organ sets the new tempo, and off we go! Then we are treated to a tremendous groove: interesting and lively bass and drums, with tons of room for enjoyable sax, organ, and flute solos. The best is saved for last, with a killer groove over which Hastings on guitar and Sinclair on bass really cut loose. Just excellent, tight jazzy-rock, with a unique Caravan touch.

The rest of the album cannot compare in my mind, and some even sound downright childish (though certainly nothing bad). And I Wish I Were Stoned is a great hippie tune that both has some nice crescendos as well as very catchy melodies--another high point for the album. Caravan also have some shorter tracks that are playful yet experiment a bit with different time signatures (title track, Hello Hello, As I Feel I Die). The rest of the album does little to interest me, though there's nothing especially bad or irritating.

Overall, a solid album from Caravan, but only one song that is truly remarkable. Except for For Richard (and possibly ...Stoned), If... just sounds a bit too dated for me to personally appreciate, but that says little about its overall quality. As other reviewers have noted, this will take some time to grow, and for those who are loyal to their next album, this one will always pale in comparison.

After their fully psychedelic debut album, Caravan is slowly reaching what's going to be their definite sound (or genre). Even if there will still be a psyche touch in here.

There are several good moments on this album of which And I Wish . is the first one. Great dual song : quiet vocal parts and a more rocking and sublime electric guitar solo. This works pretty well. This structure will also be repeated during As I Feel Die which doesn't sound very optimistic to say the least. A bit depressing, even.

One can appreciate the great organ play of David Sinclair during the first long suite on this album. The interplay with his cousin Richard on bass is a very fine moment. As the work of brother James on the flute. It ends up in a sweet mood which Genesis will re-use at the end of Dancing Out With The Moonlit Knight. A highlight. Which is not the case of the jazzy oriented Hello Hello.

The second long suite also offers some nice rhythm changes throughout its forteen minutes. It starts on a very, very quiet mood (but this is a Caravan TM) and will develop gently towards a stronger and jazzy instrumental break. Flute (very melodic) and keys deserve a special mention. The finale is a bit harder and repetitive.

The remastered edition features several bonus tracks of which A Day In The Life Of Maurice Haylett. Bizarrely it didn't make the album cut. IMO, it could replaced easily the short tracks as well as Hello Hello. But since it is available now, justice is done.

This album is not my favourite one. It is a good one and therefore I rate it with three stars.

This is such a good album, and I´ve really enjoyed listening to it repeatedly before writing this review. This is when Canterbury is best. I really think Caravan has their own style even within the Canterbury movement, but especially on the whole prog scene. No one sounds like this. Caravan are on top of that outstanding musicians and their compositions are really strong.

The music is prog rock with hints of jazz, but the jazz parts are never allowed to take over. There are two singers with very different voices which is really good for the diversity in the music. The keyboards on the album are outstanding courtesy of David Sinclair. That man just has a really great sense of melody and rythm. His playing is so cool and never too technical. I have to note his solo in With an ear to the ground you can make it / Martinian / Only cox / Reprise, which is so melodic and beautiful. There are some great soloing in Can't be long now / Françoise / For Richard / Warlock as well, both on keyboards and sax. Really nice.

The sound quality is really good considering this was 1970, everything about this band just smells of class. There are some sax and flute playing on the album, which adds also adds to the diversity of the album.

I must say that I had a hard time getting into the album after having heard the successor to this album. In the Land of Grey and Pink is a masterpiece and even though If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You is pretty much in the same vein, it´s not as perfect as In the Land of Grey and Pink and I find it a bit harder to get into. It still is an excellent album, that I would like to recommend to everyone reading this. Give it some time it will grow on you. I had a hard time chosing between 4 or 5 stars here, but in the end this is not as perfect as the successor which I gave 5 stars so a BIG 4 star album this is.

Highly recommendable.

NOTE: Well I´ve grown in love with this album even more since I wrote my review and I must say that I feel it deserves 5 stars now. So I have upgraded my rating from 4 stars to 5 stars. This is a Canterbury masterpiece.

Canterbury, as it's approached by Caravan, is a strange pleasure. Characteristic as the genre may sound, I still find it desperately lacking in identity. And that applies to this album as well. You can often label albums or song with emotional tags such as 'aggressive', 'pastoral' or 'joyful'. If I Could Do It All Over is all that, and none of the above. It's a safe ride between such 'dramatic' emotions as wistful melancholy and mild amusement. And underneath this polished surface: a bunch of musicians bubbling with sprightly energy and talent. What to make of this?

If I had the answer I'm sure I'd enjoy this album a lot more. There's no doubt that the album shows examples of great improvisations and that laid-back, mid-tempo and jazzy feeling that oozes Canterbury from start to finish. But being slightly impatient and restless in nature, the drawn out parts of the many long numbers here grow into one continuous blur after a while, in a hazy bar-like way that pleases some, but not me. On the other side, Caravan has a way of blending these floating free-form bits with something completely different. There are the solid, simple, almost angular riffs of organ, bass and guitar adding a poppier tone now and then, like in the title song. These have a way of annoying me as well, lumbering along in a sweet and sticky way. I want more of the middle-ground, like on the excellent Hello Hello. A relatively simple bass theme acts as the base of the song, lashing out in various discrete solos, strange percussion and effects in the style I want and expect from a Canterbury band. It's not the longest or the most varied tune, but it still it's one of those that reach out the most along with for example As I Feel I Die. It starts out mellow, with enchanting vocals, smooth keys and delicately applied, gradually building drums. The song kicks in with a surprisingly direct, almost sharp drum beat and a sprawling bass on which the obligatory 'Canterbury' organ delivers its trademark sounds. Another song that keeps me interested throughout its length.

One might say that the problem I have with the album is the battle between poppy, whimsical parts and the behemoths that are the very, very long improvisations. They are dense in a '70s way: fuzzy, far from crisp and delicate and almost overpowering as the solos kick in time after time. The solos are very good however, and especially the various flute parts can make me feel enormously pleased.

In comparison to In The Land Of Grey and Pink (which is the other Caravan album in my collection) this is a slightly darker, denser effort from the band. Where the whimsicality of songs like Golf Girl and Love To Love You feels very dominant on ITLOGAP, music is what matters here. It takes more time, as it's quite frankly a complex, multifaceted album. But I like it more than the supposed masterpiece. I find If I Could Do It All Over Again full of minor flaws and full of minor gems, and as such it's very hard to brake down. It's solid, but I can't say I find much more.

3 stars.

//LinusW

3.5 stars...

Legendary UK band,found in 1968 and being the other half of the disbanded ''The Wilde Flowers'',the other one being ''Soft Machine''.Original members were Pye Hastings,Richard Coughlan,Richard Sinclair and Dave Sinclair.They were the first band from UK to sign with MGM/Verve and released on this label their eponymous debut in 1969,a good album deep rooted in psychedelia as well as English folk music.Verve soon closed their rock department and CARAVAN,under new manager Terry Smith , moved to UK label Decca Records.

A year later CARAVAN published their sophomore work,presented here,which was undoubtfully a big step forward compared to their debut.The psychedelic and slight folk elements are again present and obvious,but this time they are supported by jazzy structures and a richer musicianship.Most of the compositions feature strong doses of Pye Hastings'/Richard Sinclair's sweet vocals surrounded by the psych passages of the dated-sounding Hammond organ and the trully strong rhythm section with intense drumming and difficult jazzy bass lines.Moving forward by listening to this work,the instrumental parts are increasing,delivering somewhat improvisational musicianship with excellent melodic guitars and really frenetic jazzy bass and drums in a very delicate way and even some light flutes and saxes pop out here and there,played by Hasting's brother Jimmy.CARAVAN seemed to have established their own sound with this release,which meant to be a historical one for the sound of Canterbury rock.Strongly recommended to anyone deep into both psychedelia and prog rock.

Sometimes, expectations can vary (in fact, results of those expectations may vary). After their masterpiece, "In the Land of Pink & Grey", I heard a lot about this album. And was surprised by first song (which serves as intro track here I suppose), but sadly, I was surprised badly. Absolutely nothing that I expected. This is bad side of expectations, you can feel cheated (which is entirely not true, because music itself is innocent). Weird intro yes, good one ? No. Don't fit me in entire composition (even this is playful album, it's still more 60s, than "In the...").

Fortunately, And I wish I were stoned - Don't worry saves the day. Combination of keyboard driven (sometimes driving force is in background), with so called "a shadow from the past, good memory on your days, spent playing in the sun". And even I never did this stone business , I can appreciate this. In the middle, keyboard changes and we can hear typical sound of "Land of...". I'm glad, that this is different, yet still good than their other one I know, previously mentioned successor. Of course, jamming outro is here too. but this album sounds kinda pastoral, with many quite parts, jamming parts, weird parts, parts that I didn't understand yet, parts that I'll never understand. Simply many parts. While "Grey & Pink" is quite the same, there is different approach to listeners ear.

4(+), something beyond my reach. Yet. Candidate on 5 star, later.

Very, very Cantebury.

While I've heard a couple of Gong albums before this one (both are great by the way), I feel that Caravan's IF I COULD DO IT... album represents what I think of first when I think of the Cantebury scene. All tracks are loaded with rich, pastoral organs, subtle guitar lines and a propulsive rhythm section. Add that with joyous, tasteful vocals, extended organ solos, witty lyrics and the occasional woodwind and you've got one of the most delightful musical experiences.

The structures here may teeter towards pop music a bit, but something about the music makes this album rise above the typical pop range. I'd say about 40-60% of the music is in some sort of weird time signature e.g. the entirety of the title track is in a seven. I tend to think that this factor is only one of the reasons why this is more than just pop, and maybe the soundscapes and textures have more to do with how deep the album sounds.

There's only a few boring spots, most of them coming from the ''For Richard'' suite, but the fuzzy organ thing at the end (I believe it's the ''Warlock'' section) makes up for any previous shortcomings. ''Hello, Hello'' and the title track are nice, delectable little tunes that are short enough for numerous repeated listenings. It is ''And I Wish I Were Stoned/Don't Worry'' that exemplifies what the album is all about and what heights Caravan are capable of achieving. Even a little sleeper track like ''Asforteri'' doesn't sound weak to my ears. Getting past the quiet beginnings of both ''As I Feel I Die'' and ''With An Ear to the Ground...'' is hard, but the ''eruptions'' (the band really doesn't get too loud) right after are just splendid and set the pace for the remainder of the song.

I'd say this a great place to start if you want to know what Caravan are all about. Psych, pop, rock, fusion and pastorals musics blended perfectly into a thing that is nice enough for traditional progsters but will have things that virtually anyone can get into.

One of the amazing phenomena of the early 70's is the endless variety in progressive rock aromas all over Europe: RPI, Kraut, UK Sympho and Space-Rock,... It's just a few examples of subgenres that all accommodated a broad diversity of bands, sometimes as far from each other as the subs themselves. The creative energy of those years must be unsurpassed in rock history!

One of the instantly recognizable sounds is the Canterbury style, with Caravan as a typical exponent of this soft-jazz tinged psychedelic rock, with its charming woolly sound, dreamy vocals and dirty grinding organs. Especially that last feature is the one that brings prog heaven on earth for me. It adds tension and edge to this dominantly pleasant, pastoral and harmonious music.

Compared to the symphonic Prog, the songwriting is fairly straightforward and poppy, and the instrumental parts are rather jammy in nature. Combined with the infectious grooves on this album, it creates a very loose and charming vibe, quite psychedelic at times, but always cool, relaxed and genuine. Only the vocals are a less satisfying element. There isn't anything wrong with the vocal melodies as such but the voices seem a bit subdued at times. The next album would bring a large improvement in that area.

I admit I'm fairly new to this whole Canterbury scene, with only the more spacey Gong and Soft Machine's Third as long-standing acquaintances. So far I haven't found my 5 star album yet, but given the vocals I doubt whether this one will be a contender for it. 3.5 stars

A fantastic Caravan album that is one of the best Canterbury albums of 1970. The music is inventive and there are enormous amounts of virtuosos musicianship throughout. The highlights are in abundance and have impacted the band for years, still remaining in recent concert set lists. This is vibrant music with an uplifting bright feel. The musicians are tight and the songs are infectious, and it all feel very progressive with creative time sig structures and some of the best lyrics the band have generated.

Of course with Caravan there is always a feeling of whimsy in the lyrics and themes and all is performed with a sense of fun. The band have so much fun that the listener is also able to enjoy the experience.

The title track is a classic, "If I could do it all over again, I'd do it all over you" and only has a running time of about 3 minutes. The more lengthy And I wish I were stoned - Don't worry, clocking 8 minutes 21, is definitely an ear opener with some innovative instrumentals from the talented guitarist extraordinare Pye Hastings and David Sinclair on keys. As with all classic Caravan albums this one has the obligatory medley of songs jammed onto one track such as With an ear to the ground you can make it / Martinian / Only cox / Reprise, almost 10 minutes o prog bliss. But the real piece de resistance is the treasure all caravan fans adore, Can't be long now / Françoise / For Richard / Warlock, a 14 minute maelstrom of catchy choruses and mind blowing keyboards.

That is enough to warrant a 4 star rating and I would suggest all Canterbury fans obtain this master work as soon as they can.

If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You is the first of two absolute masterpieces by Caravan (the other being In the Land of Grey and Pink. This, their second album, really sets their sound in full swing, with the best lineup the band ever had, with the wonderful Richard Sinclair on bass and vocals, David Sinclair on keys, Pye Hastings on guitar and vocals, Richard Coughlan on drums, and Brother James (Jimmy Hastings, if my guess is right) on sax and flute. This is probably my personal favorite Caravan album, just beating out their next. Everything falls into place so well, and the band gives us a good blend of music. We're given three longer tracks, including the fan favorite "For Richard" as well as several shorter tracks, displaying Caravan's ability to condense their sound down into a highly concentrated three or four minutes of excellence. One of my favorite examples of their shorter tunes is "Hello, Hello". The music is fun and well composed, and the lyrics are a lot of fun. Richard Sinclair is one of my favorite vocalists in prog, and in music in general for that matter. Dave Sinclair is right up there as one of my favorite keyboard players as well.

This album is one of the two Caravan albums which I find most absolutely essential. I highly recommend this one and their next to just about anyone. The music isn't overly complicated, nor is it "out there" at all. They're just a great bunch of musicians making great, accessible music for everyone to enjoy.

Edit: About the bonus tracks, the first (A Day In the Life of Maurice Haylett) is my favorite. The other three are alternate versions of tracks already on the album, this one's something else.

Second Caravan's album (released in 1970 already) is their step to early Canterbury sound,which for some years will become kind of genre's standard.

Melodic and dreamy pop/rock mixed with psychedelia and jazzy arrangements. Possibly, atmosphere there is as much important as sound itself. For me this album, being in all strong release, is kind of mixed bag. Half of compositions are great, and another are just average. Long improvs are ok when they have some sense, demonstrates some complex musicianship or interesting music ideas.

There o this album,where complexity is far not a main characteristics, sometimes psychedelic pop compositions with long improvs sound as kind of early psychedelic pop attributes, not Canterbury sound. To be honest. I always prefer second step of Canterbury historical evolution, the time of complex jazz fusion long compositions and high level of musicianship (read- Soft Machine from Third,etc).

Main this album's interactivity for me is its melancholic melodies in combination with jazzy arrangements. There is some kind of magic in best album's songs, they bring this release in forefront of early Canterbury scene. But I prefer "In the Land of Pink & Grey" to this release as better example of Caravan's music, and I really prefer later Soft Machine music (in part as Caravan's off-spring) for sure.

Still one of great early Canterbury release though.

These blokes could really lock into a groove, of that there's no doubt. But it's not as good as 'In the Land of Grey and Pink' by any stretch of the imagination.

The somewhat lifeless vocals of Pye Hastings rubs me up the wrong way. They're nice enough but they're so powder puff soft.

'As I Feel' cheers me up immensely - now this is more like it - Dave Sinclair's keyboards go 'tonto' reminding me very much of 'Egg' in their prime. A thoroughly uplifting tune which may remind some listeners of 'The Doors'

Damn! it's just all too NICE. Thats my big problem with this album. Stop being so friendly! 'Hello Hello' is my favourite song on this album - where everything comes together beautifully - the soft vocals, odd time signature, unusual tune and that superb keyboard that sounds like Rolf Harris's stylophone. If truth be told, this album's actually pretty good. I just wanted to kick lumps out of it but don't have the ammunition to do so. A good solid effort with special 'hats off' to Dave Sinclair.

I still prefer the follow up though.

In general I'm used to relisten to an album when I write a review. This is one of the few cases in which I can review basing on my memory only. This is one of the two Caravan's masterpieces, the other IMO is In The Land Of Grey And Pink. What makes those two albums special in the Caravan's discography is the mixture of pastoral and psychedelic moments. The picture on this album's sleeve is a clear example: the four guys in a green wood are not too psych and not too hippy. It gives a hint about the kind of music that the album contains.

The title track, as well as Golf Girl on the following album is a nice opener which doesn't pretend anything. It has an unusual tempo, quite jazzy, and a link with the British Glam until the keyboard solo that's an excellent example of Caravan's music. The Caravan sounds in this period are acid, specially keyboards and guitar but are frequently mitigated by Jimmy Hasting's flute.

I remember a thread about music very "English" on which Genesis were elected as the most "English" band ever. "Don't Worry" is a very English song. The vocals and choirs are one of the distinctive tracts of this Caravan period. They and the keyboard are the pastoral element and the acid role is taken by the guitar. This song has different parts. My favourite is the second half.

"As I Feel I Die" is one of the most psychedelic and pastoral at the same moment songs. It starts very quiet with keyboards and vocals, but after few minutes bass and drums start a riff in I think 5/4 if I'm not wrong. It goes acid but jazzy at the same time. Another great number of this album. Also the sudden end is very appropriate. I can't imagine this track fading out.

"With An Ear To The Ground" is another very "English" moment. It's an anticipation of songs like Winter Wine or the epic Nine Feet Underground as it contains all the elements that will make those two songs great. So it's a great song as well. Only the last two minutes of piano are a bit boring respect to the rest of the song.

"Hello Hello" is a classic, instead. Released with several titles and recorded several times in this version it reaches its completeness.

After a short and nice pastoral filler as "Asforteri" the epic in four movements arrives. Each part has its title but I've always perceived it as a single song. I remember a reviewer on a magazine about 30 years ago. He was reviewing "Caravan and the Big Symphonia" and he thought that For Richard was a new song dedicated to the actual "betrayer" Richard Sinclair"... Well, in this track we have a great flute performance of Jimmy Hastings. The thing which impressed me first is the high volume keyboard intro just after the flute has finished its part. The uptime quasi-latin tempo on which the acid guitar plays a melody without adding non-needed notes followed by the sax solo....what a track!

"Limits" is a short closer. Very nice and jazzy with some psych noises and gimmicks in the end.

I can't rate this less than 5 stars. Unfortunately, Caravan will be able to repeat themselves only with In The Land...then their quality will slightly decrease till to the poor The Album and Back to Front.

"Psssst!.... the green one is better than the pink one"........

Caravan's second album is full of psych-pop, organ-rock and fancy jamming in 7/8. It's not samey though; the band are capable of delivering a wide variety of moods and styles, and perhaps more successfully than that, a wide variety of heavily syncopated rhythms. The nature of their music just invites the listener to groove to it, yet it carries a sense of intelligent, structured song-writing that is sometimes missing on psychedelic records.

The short numbers are not filler tracks for once (this is probably what makes 'If I Could Do It Again...' more fulfilling than 'In The Land of Grey and Pink'). They are beautiful, cool songs with a great grasp of those 5/8, 7/8 and 11/8 time signatures (goes without saying for Caravan) and even catchier melodies than the longer pieces. What those extended songs do however, is create moods for us to jam along to, and sometimes it's fantastic that these romps last for a long time. These guys seem to always have a talent for changing the feel of the music just before the moment where it starts to get boring.

Highlights for me include 'As I Feel I Die', probably the most rocking song on the album, with a very hot organ solo reminiscent of Jimmy Smith; 'With An Ear To The Ground You Can Make It', which has lots of cool interludes that carry you somewhere afar; and of course the 'For Richard...' suite. This piece starts atmospherically before blasting you with the best riff on the album (which is actually in 4/4!) and then going through various jazz-noodles before closing with some Uriah Heep style hard rock. But do not misinterpret my praising of these amazing tracks, the entire album is of a very high quality.

I like the structure of this album; not using the bigger pieces to open or close but rather, wedging them right in the depths of the record for the listener to rummage through and find. It makes you sit through the little pop songs, which, as I said, are brilliant. In this way, the album feels longer and more varied than it's follow-up. Although nothing on here is perhaps as good as 'Nine Feet Underground', none of it is mediocre either, like side one of 'In The Land of Grey and Pink' is. People are divided on which album is better, which is why they have similar ratings. Only a fool would not get both, but be sure to get this, the underdog, first.

"If I Could Do It All Over Again" is a good album by Caravan with some very powerful jazz influences present throughout the general progressive poppy attitude.

I always found most of the vocals on this album to be quite annoying because of their high-pitched nasal sound. The music here is fantastic though; very progressive yet poppy British sounding music with a very heavy jazz influence that is obvious upon even the first listen, which makes this album along with Caravan's other albums an interesting listen. The biggest stand out track on this album for me would be "Can't be long now / Françoise / For Richard / Warlock" because it progresses wonderfully throughout the various parts. There is plenty of fantastic soloing, which is to be expected, but the track also is quite gloomy sounding for what I'm used to with Caravan. The whole track is very smooth in its jazziness, and any fans of jazz-rock or fusion would most likely enjoy this piece. Another stand out track would be "With an ear to the ground you can make it / Martinian / Only cox / Reprise" which roughly follows the same format, but executes it just as well, but I'm sure I only feel this way because I lean more towards the jazz-fusion fan base.

This is definitely a recommended album for fans of jazz influenced progressive rock, even though I feel like Caravan's "In The Land of Grey and Pink" is much better.

An astonishing improvement from their first album!

After releasing their eponymous debut album in 1968, their label Verve decided to close down their rock and pop division. As such, the band had to wait two years before finally becoming signed to Decca, and releasing their second album. Their first album was fun listening, and certainly quite underrated, but now Caravan were poised to write some of the best and most iconic albums to come out of the Canterbury scene. In fact, the next four albums in this series are worthy of 5 stars in my opinion. With one of the best titles for an album, 'If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You' is not as hippy-esque as the cover photograph would make you believe.

We start with the title track If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You, which is the first in Caravan's list of songs with double entendres as titles. This is also the first in a series of short, fun tracks written entirely in 7/8, from Caravan, this list containing Love To Love You, Hello Hello and Hoedown. Needless to say, Caravan get off to a fun start in this great track. The 7/8 time signature is subtle and you wouldn't notice it unless your looking for it, which is a difficult achievement for any band to accomplish (yet Caravan would do this over and over). A short song that is very progressive.

The next track is in fact two joined together. And I Wish I Were Stoned starts off this medley with bizarre lyrics and a good melody. By itself, this song could have easily belonged on the first album, but at around the 4 minute mark, the track launches into a different melody and even a guitar solo! This very much draws our attention to the beginning of Don't Worry. In my opinion, this is the better song of the two. As the song progresses, the song gets louder and louder, and the dynamics are just right. The song itself is also very catchy. After the song finishes, a seemingly impromptu drum solo enters our left channel, stays for a while then leaves through the right channel. Something about having a 40 second ending that has no relevence to the rest of the song reminds me very much of Genesis' In The Cage even though these two songs are worlds apart.

As I Feel I Die is Caravan showing that they are not one-trick ponies, and they can stop being fun and carefree at points. This song is quite dark, with haunting lyrics and a very serious melody played at breakneck speed at later points. The second half of the song is entirely devoted to a signature David Sinclair keyboard solo, which ends very abrubtly at the 5 minute mark.

In my opinion, the next track is the most progressive on the album. This is the first in a list of Caravan tracks with multiple parts that have silly names. I generally refer to this as the With An Ear To The Ground You Can Make It medley. This song is progressive because it indeed has many different sounding parts all with verses that are unsimilar to each other. Beginning at the 3 minute mark, there is a sensational keyboard solo, followed by guest Jimmy Hastings on the flute. This piece goes through an astonishing number of moods in 10 minutes, but when you analyse it, it seems simpler than it appears to be. To this day, I'm always surprised at how good this song is, and parts I never payed attention to before suddenly come to life. A blissfully progressive number indeed.

Hello Hello is a short ballad with a 7/8 rhythm and lyrics to mirror Winter Wine from the next album. Compared to other tracks on the album, this is a relatively simple piece, but it is nonetheless enjoyable, with a catchy melody and good keyboard solo. The snare heavy coda is quite good too.

Asforteri is the weirdest thing on the record. At just 1:22, this track sounds nothing like the others on the record. With a simple thumping beat, this track employs a cappella singing over a bizarre melody. This isn't an awful track, but it is very very strange.

Next up is arguably the best-known Caravan track, For Richard, which has apparently been played at each Caravan gig since it's inception. This is an epic, sprawling track lasting an astonishing 14 minutes. However, this track in all its awesomeness is not as progressive as you might hope. From the outset, you should know that this track is basically a sombre 3:30 song followed by a 10 minute jazz-rock instrumental, and might not instantly be to the taste of people who haven't heard the Canterbury scene before. It's quite easy to say that this is nothing like Yes, Genesis or ELP. With that now said, the music itself here is quite spectacular. The opening is very moody, with the cryptic lyrics sounding very quiet. It's a slow start, but at 3:39, the real music begins. After this, we have a long instrumental that flows beautifully for it's duration. Upon the first listen or two, this instrumental may sound repetitive, but the more you listen to it, the more you'll find tightly written parts that the otherwise extremely loose instrumental together. I have managed to dissect this piece so that you too may understand its intricacies. At 3:39 the first theme is played like a siren, but is then shifted to the bassline until 5:51 where it is discarded in favour of a new theme. The music here is very lively and exciting. After 5:51 the music becomes more subdued, and more melancholy. The keyboards are now replaced by Jimmy Hastings playing the flute with astounding results. The most notable point in this section is 7:57 when the music cuts out for a short bass guitar solo. Afterwards, the music returns but now Hastings is playing the sax with equally amazing skill. At 9:47, we are suddenly greeted with the riff we heard at 5:51 which leads us into an entirely new section. This new section sounds more upbeat and lasts until 10:58, where we enter the final act of the song. The final section is a repeating riff in 15/8 with other instruments soloing on top, until the dramatic close to the song. I hope that by reviewing this track piece by piece, I have perhaps helped you understand it a bit more.

The final track Limits is a short encore, with a beautiful melody and wonderful flute work from brother Jimmy.

To those of you arriving from Yesworld or Van Der Graaf Generatorland, your going to be very shocked at what you hear on this record, and there's a chance you won't like it at first, but the whole idea of progressive rock is to be open minded, and you should give this record a few more listens before you write it off completely. To be honest, if you are from these camps, you should try 'For Girls That Grow Plump In The Night' instead because that has a wonderful symphonic instrumental on there. This record shows Caravan getting into their stride, and without a duff track on the record, this easily deserves 5 stars. The best was still to come though!

Caravan's second album shows a startling amount of growth since their debut. In the two years since they issued that psych-pop charmer they'd honed their craft, improved their songwriting, developed a taste for epics, started flirting with a little jazz-rock (perhaps inspired by the success of their pals in the Soft Machine), and become the tight unit seen on this album. The band had gone from the psychedelic followers of their debut to innovators in their own right, presenting a Canterburified vision of psychedelic jazz-influenced prog with a more mellow and sunnier attitude than the Softs, with the occasional outbreak of more energetic playing. The end result was good enough that a few months before recording the album Frank Zappa (who was acting as compere at a festival Caravan were performing at, due to a snafu with the Mothers' work visas) spontaneously joined them onstage for a jam - and when your band is good enough that Zappa is that keen to play with you, you know you've arrived.

The highlight of the album is usually said to be "For Richard", and I can't disagree with that, but then I can't find any songs on here that fall particularly short of its standards. One for when you need to relax a bit, maybe, but still a masterpiece of the early Canterbury sound.

Still trapped in 1970, I figure it's time to review one of the biggies as far as acclaim is concerned. Being a huge fan of the girl who went plump in the night (love the album too), I figured this would be a no-brainer as far as my next exploration of the mighty Caravan was concerned. I have to be honest in that the first time I put this on, I fell asleep at some point during the second track, although it could've been the third for all I know. Damn. My second listen was better, and yet halfway though I was screaming "I need a jumbo mug of coffee NOW or I'm gonna DIE!!", and practically reeling in frustration. You see, I HAD to love this album. I mean, it has the greatest title in the history of music, and the cover itself was groovy with that trippy font. I wanted to hang with those dudes 'cause they seemed like a cool bunch. Yet as I kept listening to it I yearned for Cthulhu, hoedowns and oral sex (not all three at once or I'd be an utterly awful mess). Around the fourth time or so, I began to see the Light, and it was good.

I still can't bring myself to proclaim it a masterpiece, but I at least understand the love it gets. It's certainly an innovative bugger with fantastic musicianship and a welcome unpretentious attitude, but for those first few listens I was clearly missing the 'fire' I got by the bucketload from "For Girls...". It just had this soothing mellow quality as a whole that lulled me into a lethargic state. At first, if I had this on in the car I could've parked in the neighbor's driveway and passed out on the wheel without even realizing it. But it's a grower. Now, this release actually peps me up and gives me that sense of "life is good" to wave at the people next door, who usually respond by muttering something about potholes in the street or crazy neighbors.

The album starts off in cute trippy fashion involving repetitive verses sung by gentle voiced chaps held together by a 7/8 time signature, or something akin to that. There's a bit of groovin' & soloing by this distorted keyboard that show up quite a lot throughout the album. It's cool, but being a guitar enthusiast I wish there were a few more guitar leads taking the place of some of these keyboards that seem to ape guitar solos at times. Not to say there's none, because they do pop from time to time to give me a jolt. I just had to get used to the style the band was going for here in 1970.

"And I Wish I Were Stoned" keeps the happy-on-shrooms flag waving and even throws in a good bit of guitar at the right time before the tune hits its second half. I certainly can't knock the lyrics, since I say that a few times a week even to this day. I suppose I say "don't worry" at times as well, being married & all.

"As I Feel I Die" starts off reeeeall mellow before launching into this jazz-tastic piece that moves like a jackrabbit on fire, and yet still feels somehow calm and soothing. The band sure is tight though, which does bring out an interesting point. Caravan has this ability to sound loose and free-wheeling, but technically it's got some serious structure and complexity. Few 'jam bands' could ever pull this sort of thing off without sounding like, for lack of a better word, crap.

"With An Ear To The Ground..." is probably my favorite tune off the album. That whole "Waiting for the band to come" line is catchy as hell and for some reason reminds me of John wailing "Waiting for the van to come!" during "I Am The Walrus". Don't ask why. I also dig the fuzzy keyboard solo here; it rocks out pretty cool. Then there are some sweet vocal harmonies that suit the singers quite well. Quite pretty. The atmospheric ending is a nice touch as well. In retrospect, I kinda 'love' this song.

"Hello Hello" is another one of those non-danceable pop-prog numbers, and that's ok by me. Playing that bass lick would drive me bonkers after awhile.

Bookended by a couple of vaguely interesting interludes, the famous "For Richard" starts off like a quiet little dreamy thing before it erupts with that WILD riff and taking off into the land of solos and more solos. Great ones too. Hat's off to Jimmy. The song is a gas for much of its running time, but does go on just a little bit too long for my taste, although it's nice to have the guitar make a loud entrance for a near the denouement.

So yeah, the Canterbury style is a much needed respite from some of the downer and heavy rock being churned out in 1970. This album still gives me images of those women in flower dresses you see frolicking across meadows in maxi pad ads I grew up seeing on TV. I'm guessing it's due to the wistful, airy yet 'always moving' vibe I get when listening to it, and I can imagine those dudes on the cover have to be looking at 'something' out there in the field.

After all the raves for In the Land of Grey and Pink I bought it and love it. Truly thought it couldn't get any better than that, but recent explorations within the Canterbury Scene keep turning up gem after gem--and here is another one! Though the album starts off with a couple lighter tunes (shades of things to come), I find this album much more pleasant, pleasurable, musical, and melodic, and definitely more breadth in the emotional spectrum than Pink and Grey or Plump in the Night. My only reservation is that because I do think Richard's voice is quite good--despite his hippy stream-of-consciousness style--on this album he hasn't quite developed his confidence or up-front 'leading man' presence yet. That begins with Pink and Grey. Love "Brother James"' contributions of flute and sax.

Why is it that so often the earlier into a band's career I explore the more I like them, the more I get them?

5 star songs: 7. "Can't Be Long Now/Francoise/For Richard/Warlock" (14:25) (30/30), 3. "As I Feel Die" (5:17) (9/10), 4. "With an ear to the ground you can make it/Martinian/Only cox/Reprise" (9:30) (17.5/20), and 8. "Limits" (1:33) (2.5/2.5).

1. "If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You" (3:08) a humorous, bluesy pop song intended as the album's welcomer. Not sure it fully succeeds. Wish the organ weren't so scratchy. (7.25/10)

2. "And I Wish I Were Stoned--Don't Worry" (8:18) opening with a little "Whiter Shade of Pale" organ before Richard Sinclair enters singing in a voice that sounds as if it wants to be taken seriously. Vocals are paired up with Pye Hastings more in the fore for the next verse and choruses. A solid song but nothing to write home about. Even the middle instrumental vamp is nothing so very special. The band has some distance to go before it is expressing its compositional and instrumental prowess.(15.5/20)

3. "As I Feel Die" (5:17) opens with two minutes of using a vocal melody line that sounds/feels like it came straight out of a classic Beatles song. Once the song kicks into full tempo and sound it takes on a sound all its own. The band is here beginning to show what tremendous potential it has. More polish necessary. (8.75/10)

4. "With an ear to the ground you can make it/Martinian/Only cox/Reprise" (9:30) the vocals here are awesome and the post-vocal instrumental section ("Martinian") is full, nuanced, cohesive, and beautifully soloed. The "Only cox" section is also beautiful with its subtleties. (17.5/20)

5. "Hello, Hello" (3:58) a cool rhythmic section of snare-rims and bubbling bass over which Richard sings his story narrative. (8.25/10)

6. "Asforteri" (1:22) (2/2.5)

7. "Can't Be Long Now/Francoise/For Richard/Warlock" (14:25) one of my all-time favorite Canterbury epics and probably my favorite Caravan song. A harbinger of great things to come for Caravan specifically and for the Canterbury Scene in general. (30/30)

8. "Limits" (1:33) cool Burt Bacharach-ish jazzy lounge piece. (2.5/2.5)

B+/4.5 stars; a near masterpiece of progressive rock music and one of my favorite Canterbury albums. Had the sound production been a little more polished and the band a little more skilled/proficient on their instruments this might have turned out even better.

8/10

"If I Could Do It..." is a wonderful hymn to youth and innocence, at the same time being highly progressive and ambitious.

One of the greatest Canterbury bands, Caravan, created with their second album, "If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You" one of the most symbolic and memorable works of the genre. It is highly melodic, easy to listen, but also very ambitious and highly progressive. Caravan have clearly abandoned the immature sounds of the debut and reached a whole new level of songwriting and musical philosophy.

Caravan's Psychedelic sound is all gone on this new 1970 album: the organ and the guitars are now always hand in hand, the musicianship is more elaborate, the overall sound is of a pretty noticeable change. The structure of these songs also are much more complex and studied, making this record one that leaves all innocence behind and goes towards the epic pathways of Progressive. This however is not exactly an album of the Canterbury Scene quite yet, even though it already has plenty typical elements of the genre: it has that sense of romanticism Caravan in particular are famous for, and as a consequence also the whole Canterbury scene is, but it doesn't have such elaborate songwriting, which is not a bad thing, because they are on this particular record much more accessible and memorable than almost anybody else from Canterbury. For example, it's miles away from the cold avant- garde of the Soft Machine, or the spacey themes of Gong. "In the Land Of Grey and Pink", the following Caravan album, will still be of this sort of nature -with a lot of melody-, but that time around it will have much more ambition and sophistications, being that their supreme masterpiece. But "If I Could Do It All?" still is a beautiful dedication to youth and innocence, inserted in a much more intricate, Progressive style. This is what Canterbury's magic lies in.

Some of the more memorable moments include the beautiful "I Wish I Were Stoned", which, from it's nine minutes, donates some space in the final minutes for it's other side, "Don't Worry". Together, these two parts create what is in my opinion the greatest song of the album, having great, catchy melodies, great song structure, and fantastic musicianship all together. There are the shorter, poppier songs like "Hello Hello", and the build-up of "As I Feel I Die", but also the highly ambitious ones, like the most Progressive song of the album, the final fourteen minute suite, "For Richard", an instrumental that has no specific form but constantly shifts, builds, explodes, and tones down. No wonder it is considered one of the best Caravan tracks. The other suite is the middle one, "With an Ear To The Ground You Can Make It", the least memorable of them but still very powerful from every point of view.

"If I Could Do It?" is a wonderful example of a Canterbury album of a band that still has to fully blossom, but still looks quite exemplar and is already faithful to a few canons, without on the other hand bending some rules.

I personally find myself liking this work of Caravan a lot more than "In The Land Of Grey And Pink". It is to me a much more consistent and interesting record, making better use of incredible talents of Caravan's musicians. Although still lacking in places (I generally feel like the band didn't use their virtuosic abilities to their advantage), this album is very good. Great bass lines, odd time signatures, strong jazz influences, psychedelic work-outs, lush organ - all of the ingredients are there. The first album that really had that real taste of Caravan. The band was definitely in its creative peak. The overall feel of "If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You" leaves the impression of a smooth and fresh work from a highly accomplished band that is not afraid to experiment. Highly recommended, an essential Canterbury scene album!

As the 60s abruptly became the 70s, the psychedelia of the former era was transmogrifying into something more sophisticated. With the prog rock explosive nature of 1969 occurring with bands like East Of Eden and King Crimson forever changing the rock history books, bands who came before who were more focused on the psychedelic pop aspects of the scene rather than the sophisticated compositions of what would develop suddenly found themselves upping their game manyfold and the creative expressions were sudden and highly effective. CARAVAN was one such band that was one half of The Wilde Flowers, with the other half, of course, being The Soft Machine. While Soft Machine started out on a similar trajectory as their counterparts, they seemed determined to race full speed ahead into the world of jazz and upon every subsequent release jettisoned the rock aspects of their music. CARAVAN had the complete opposite approach. They simply took the psychedelic pop rock features on their debut album and upped the sophistication several times over and focused MORE on the rock instead of less. The results equated in being one of the most exciting releases to exist in the progressive rock work in the early year of 1970.

IF I COULD DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN, I'D DO IT ALL OVER YOU is only the second album by the mighty Canterbury Scene innovators CARAVAN, but it is in my opinion their absolute best album that took all the best features of the 60s and adopted the new developments that were quickly becoming the 70s. There is a perfect balance between old and new on this one and this album is the perfect marriage of the two eras in equal proportionality. The title track starts things out innocently enough with a catchy repetition of the words that make up the whimsical title track. This album captures the perfect period sound with catchy melodies that incorporates lots of organ runs and a plethora of rock and jazz instrumentation including not only the usual rock instruments but also sax, flute, claves, bongos, congas and other such oddities like hedge clippers and assorted ashtrays :O While the catchy passages and rich palette of musical timbres create a delightful listening experience, what really puts this album into the realms of true masterpieces is the intricate and well-designed compositions that keep the listener enthralled and ecstatic throughout the album's playing time.

While the title track reels the listener in with its catchy and psychedelic tribute to the 60s, the second track "And I Wish I Were Stoned / Don't Worry" creates a multi-part 8:12 track that takes the nihilism of the shattered utopian dreams of the 60s and seeks a route through escapism. The pinnacle of this leap into the progasphere comes full force on the penultimate 14:17 track "Can't Be Long Now / Françoise / For Richard / Warlock" that pulls out all the prog punches. While the sections and components of these tracks encompass the same types of psychedelic pop tendencies, it's how they are all sewn together and how well each passage flows from one segment to the other.

Far from being random, the different sections recur in logical formations where themes develop and appropriately move on and then are revisited. The general gist is that one track is a normal song length and then the next one that is progressive and lengthy serving with mini-suites that build up into a larger whole. IF I COULD DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN, I'D DO IT ALL OVER YOU simply covers all grounds of the era. It includes a healthy dose of the psychedelic scene of the era, smooths things over with pop sensibilities and dresses it all up with progressive rock workouts and jam band excursions that include jazzy improvisational techniques. Nothing outlasts its welcome and even 45 years after its release still evokes a sense of excitement when listening to it. This truly is not only one of the best CARAVAN albums but a cornerstone of the early progressive rock scene as well. This is simply a major mandatory edition to any prog lover's world. Perfect in every way.

Review Nº 388

Caravan is an English progressive rock band from the Canterbury scene. For many aficionados of the creative progressive rock music that surfaced in the heady days of the 70's, the bands that surfaced from the English provincial city of Canterbury produced some of the best and most consistently interesting progressive rock music of that period. Of the all bands that emerged from the Canterbury scene, none was quite so original and as enduring as Caravan was.

Caravan was founded by the former Wilde Flowers' members David Sinclair, Richard Sinclair, Pye Hastings and Richard Coughlan in 1968. Caravan grew out of the breakup of the Wilde Flowers, a also Canterbury based group formed in 1964 as an R&B based outfit with a jazzy edge. The band was originally based in Whitstable, Kent, a place near Canterbury, but soon they relocated to London due to their musical career. They were a leading exponent of the Canterbury sound.

"If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You" is the second studio album of Caravan and was released in 1970. The line up on the album is Pye Hastings (vocals, 6 and 12 string electric guitars, 6 string acoustic guitar, claves, worn leather strap, impersonation of a friendly gorilla and assorted ashtrays), David Sinclair (organ, piano and harpsichord), Richard Sinclair (vocals, bass guitar, tambourine and hedge clippers) and Richard Coughlan (drums, congas, bongos, maracas, figer and cymbals). The album had also the collaboration of Jimmy Hastings (saxophone and flute).

Caravan's self-titled debut album had held some promise but it was only "If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You" that brought a much more assured and distinctive sound. Indeed, this album perfectly bridges that awkward gap between psych and prog. This is really the album where the band had found their ultimate style. Jazz, pop, rock and classical music melted together in the usual prog way but far less pretentious than many other progressive rock bands. The classic Caravan sound was characterised by the vocals of Pye Hastings and Richard Sinclair, twisted and fuzzed organ, very typical for many Canterbury bands, and there was usually some wind instruments too, mostly flute and sax.

"If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You" has eight tracks. The first track is the title track. It's a short, fast, humorous piece, which draws its charm mainly by the vocal contrast of the two singers. Nice is also the organ solo in the middle. This is a fine opener to the album, but it isn't representative of the band, or even the album. The second track "And I Wish I Were Stoned ? Don't Worry" starts off something in the slightly 60's pop influenced style, which also influenced Caravan's debut album. The first half of the song is kept at a slow pace, then it gets faster, and Hastings even lays down a short solo. The guitar doesn't play a big role in the early sound of Caravan, really. The third track "As I Feel Die" is stylistically still in the tradition of the previous album. First, it begins very slowly and melancholy, then it goes abruptly into a brisk part with a beautiful organ. The fourth track is the suite "With An Ear To The Ground You Can Make It/Martinian/Only Cox/Reprise". It shows for the first time the slightly jazzy style sometimes interspersed with folky accents, which should also characterize the two great successors "In The Land Of Grey And Pink" and "Waterloo Lily". The long flowing instrumental parts, where sometimes the organ, sometimes saxophone or flute steps into the foreground, without pronounced solos. The singing is used sparingly but effectively. The fifth track "Hello Hello" is a very simple song but it's pretty good. It's a perfect example of how Caravan was able to beat many of their progressive contemporaries, creating shorter and more accessible songs. The sixth track "Asforteri 25" is another short and sweet song with great vocals from Hastings and Sinclair. It leads the way for the next track. The seventh track is the suite "Can't Be Long Now/Françoise/For Richard/Warlock". It's not just the highlight of the album, but one of the best pieces in Caravan's entire repertoire. After a gentle lyrical upbeat with a beautiful flute and nice vocals by Hastings, follows a long instrumental part. Organ, saxophone and flute entwine, again and again, one of these instruments comes to the fore for a short time to be replaced by another, to which bass, guitar and drums provide a solid rhythmic foundation. The eighth track "Limits" is a lighter piece, in which Hastings once again shines on flute. It's a nice close to the album.

Conclusion: This is a great album, a true masterpiece. It shows the intricacy with which Caravan's compositions are sculpted around some of the finest instrumental improvisation in British rock at the time, or arguably since. Caravan's uncanny ability to create a montage that effortlessly maneuvers through acoustic folk and electric progressive rock is really impressive, indeed. It's epic but never pretentious, psychedelic but never adrift, jazzy but never impenetrable. It has a lightness of touch and a complex magic the band never repeated. This is the first great highlight in the creation of Caravan and for those who are interested in the Canterbury sound is absolutely indispensable and for everyone else who love great music is strongly recommended, especially for the lovers of the classic prog scene of the early 70's.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)