Album Of The Week: Anthem of the Peaceful Army — Greta Van Fleet
Greta Van Fleet have been on the receiving end of mixed reviews with their latest release. Many have lauded their sound, and the youthful glow they have injected into one of the most important genres of music in recent history. Others, meanwhile, have expressed dismissive contempt for what they believe is nothing more than derivative fetishism. URY Music’s Liam Daly gives his considered take below.
Greta Van Fleet’s release of their second studio album, Anthem of the Peaceful Army, marks, for many fans, the first true representation of the band’s sonic focus. It bears many of the hallmarks of their first album, From the Fires, including bluesy rock riffs that grab the ear from the very first few seconds — such as on ‘The Cold Wind’ — and more acoustic ballads that drift along at a very welcoming pace — just listen to ‘You’re The One’. Crucially, with this second album, it certainly feels as if the band are becoming much more confident, presumably off the back of their extensive From the Fires album tour, which saw the group traveling all over the world to show off their blues rock skills.
The first song on the album, ‘The Age of Man’, sees the band explore the possibilities of vocal range, alongside what sounds like an organ, an intrument that overlays many of the tracks on this record. This opener provides the listener with a flavour of what is to come, utilising and playing to the band’s strengths: Kiszka’s solid wails as well as the heavy bass allow the song to drift and rise in excitement. However, the second song, ‘The Cold Wind’, hits hard with an instantly catchy blues riff, the kind that is difficult to resist getting up and rocking to, while the drumming on this track is exceptionally well voiced, with each cymbal and sweep matching the song’s tempo and aesthetic perfectly. It is a paradigmatic example of where Greta Van Fleet should continue to aspire to be with regard to their sound.
The band has revealed in an interview, when questioned as to the general aim and meaning of the album, that it represents, to them, music for all generations to come together and experience. This album certainly seems to reflect this. Bearing the classic tropes of song writing from the 60s and 70s — lyrically, instrumentally, and in their live performances — this album presents a chance for today’s generation to discover blues rock for the first time. In this sense, one must believe that bands like Greta Van Fleet have the potential to be, historically, very significant.
Within the album’s central section of songs, there are many noteworthy additions that truly stand out on a first listen. For those who appreciate slower-paced blues rock, ‘Watching Over’ fully fits the bill. Danny Wagner brings the bands talents to the fore with his masterful manipulation of the drum kit, which fully complements both the vocals and the bluesy notes that emit from Jake Kiszka’s beloved and abused 1961 Gibson Les Paul. Much like the band’s first album, there’s a healthy split between electric and acoustic-based songs, a plethora of acoustic ballads which would lend themselves well to being adapted for live performances with a lightly gained electric guitar.
Rock greats such as Elton John have, on many occasions, shown enthusiastic support for the band’s endeavors, too: “They’re amazing, and they blew me away,” John said when introducing the band at this year’s Oscars party. “So, you’re going to see them here and they’re going to be one of the biggest new bands of the year. They have an amazing future ahead of them, and I’m so thrilled.” Further to this, Robert Plant, in an online interview, marveled at the vocal ability of Josh Kiszka, while interviewer Ryan Fitzgerald went on to note Kiszka’s “huge voice.” “Yeah, and he borrowed it from somebody I know very well!” Plant responded, “But what are you going to do? That’s OK.”
In the end, Anthem of the Peaceful Army is an example of the musical skill that Greta Van Fleet possess, and it establishes them in an excellent position to improve even further for their next studio album, by which point they will no doubt be brimming with even greater musical prowess to showcase on stage. Overall, this album should certainly be given a listen, and many of its tracks deserve a prominent place in your playlists.
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