The first thing that inevitably comes to mind when you listen to The Vintage Caravan’s “Voyage” is that this album cannot be the work of three extremely young guys. It’s hard to believe, yet here we are tripping in awe with a bunch of songs that constantly show mature musicianship and bright ideas. In terms of genre, The Vintage Caravan relies on a psychedelic retro rock sound that delivers a romantic and exceptionally nostalgic taste for a long gone golden era of rock. But aren’t them too young to drown full speed inside the realm of nostalgia?
“Craving” is full of spontaneous energy with an addictive guitar riff. This opening track shows right away that The Vintage Caravan has perfectly developed a personal take on 70’s classic rock and an absolutely professional sound.
Listening to “Expand Your Mind” you fully comprehend that this trio can jam in style. The guitar solo here is absolutely stunning with groovy classical rock licks flying right through a psychedelic trip that will make you space out wherever you are. The rhythm here comes straight from the 70’s with a vengeance and the vocals reincarnate the true rocker’s delivery.
“M.A.R.S.W.A.T.T.” is another catchy tune that just brings you another blast of groovy guitar riffs and the bass line on the breakdown is just a wonderful treat.
“Cocaine Sally” could have been written and performed by a group of rockers pondering the meaning of life while recalling all those wasted years. The ensemble of bluesy rock riffs over a super fun rhythm is certainly a winning choice.
“Winterland” offers another side of the band’s musical pathway. This is an extremely melancholic song with an icy cold atmosphere attenuated by soothing smooth vocals and a sudden blast of amazing psychedelic distorted guitars.
If you fancy a true mind warping trip, then the final track “The Kings Voyage” is your cup of tea. Through what appears to be an endless array of style and tempo changes, this is a creative and challenging interpretation of the band’s musical inspiration.
In the end, besides the absolute realization that this Icelandic band’s name in more than appropriate as every stylistic detail on this album is purely vintage, we can’t deny that “Voyage” hits the spot if you’re hungry for whatever got lost while the hourglass was running out of sand.