Uh, what a nice surprise this new album by The vintage caravan.
Not because the band's other albums aren't up to par, but just because I didn't know them. Okay, I know perfectly well that it's not so professional to approach a review this way but put it this way, I can't know everything and... At least appreciate the honesty.
But now let's talk about the three Icelandic guys and this new album called Monuments, just released: a concentrate of old school rock with different sounds, which although not exactly mine, do not leave me indifferent. The guitar riffs, above all, are extraordinarily beautiful, in my opinion, halfway between Black Sabbath and Queens of the stone age.
Coming to the tracks of this album, after the good opener Whispers (first single of the album), the other most recent single Crystallized (I leave you the video clip at the bottom of the page), the most catchy Can't Get You Off My Mind (which is not that tune from Lenny Kravitz) and the beautiful ballad This one's for you, which to my ears sounds halfway between the soundtrack of Twin Peaks and I will always be right there by Bryan Adams. It's a compliment since I like the two tracks a lot.
The riffs (again!) of Torn in two are beautiful but also the solos of Forgotten and the incredible drumming that comes with it, as well as that of the following Sharp teeth. The tracks always have roughly those characteristics but they are really a pleasure to listen to and even if the record lasts exactly one hour, I find everything very, very inspired all along. A track that stands out from the others is certainly the last, Clarity, with its 8 minutes of duration, which starts quietly but explodes with solos - needless to say - wonderful, at the end.
With vocal lines a little more effective (for my taste) in some places, it would certainly have been the record of the year and perhaps even among the top of the decade. But I'm definitely satisfied with Monuments and I'm going to listen to the other albums now.
Rating 73/100
Top tracks: Crystallized, This One's For You, Forgotten.
Tracklist:
01. Whispers
02. Crystallized03. Can't Get You Off My Mind
04. Dark Times
05. This One's For You
06. Forgotten
07. Sharp Teeth
08. Hell
09. Torn in Two
10. Said & Done
11. Clarity