The boys from Greta Van Fleet paid no heed to the critique. A young band that became extremely massive relatively quickly had a lot of hurdles to vault over. After their first two albums had them seen as Led Zeppelin cosplayers, most were just glad there was a young band out to rock and roll. After finally finding their mystique, shape and evolved form for now with The Battle at Garden’s Gate, they brought Starcatcher. Now we finally get to experience change as they see it with Palace for the People.
The journey till now
Josh, Jake and Sam Kistzka might have started this out with some jams as family, but I think talent of this scale is hard to contain. From Jake being a one-man riff and rhythm wizard to Josh’s vocals being likened to that of Robert Plant in Zeppelin I, there was already fuel prepped for propulsion. When From the Fires released, you could already hear what Josh’s vocals were like, how Jake had religiously studied the rock of the 80s and how Daniel Wagner channelled Bonham and Peart in the parts he could.
Their penchant for merging unique vocal lines with something predictable for the chorus still remains core. It allows them to experiment in the verse sections the way they would, with Josh allowing the crowd to chime in when the feeling is communal. They understand and truly believe that music is with the people, and it becomes a narrative through this album as well.
Where inspiration strikes
So after you hear the chant of the opening track, it’s obvious you would get chills. There are more harmonies; the band is bubbling with chemistry after countless jams and has been headlining for close to 6 years now. Tear it Down charges with an energy that isn’t as much of a swell as you’d expect. However, the Immigrant Song like chugging has a contrast with acoustic parts in the verse section that might sound more hollow given the mix.
Greta Van Fleet depend on the miracle that Josh and Jake can produce as a whirlwind in every song. However, you might misread some intentions of certain tracks as they transition between ambiences to stadium anthems. The bluesy crush of the song Heart and the Beat is extremely Page-like, especially on songs like The Ocean, where there is a muted rhythm section dominating the chorus.
The theme of rock brilliance
There is a flamboyance they have embraced, definitely after Elton John’s advice for the same. They have the flair for it in their music; now the stage had to match the score. There are riffs which have been cycled through bands like Blackstone Cherry who have channelled the best of blues and hard rock to make something fresh. However, it’s Josh’s vocals and Wagner thrashing the drums giving it that slight edge. Solo on Heart and the Beat is a tasty snack, before we change colours on the melody.
Here comes a song that will be crushed live. Boughten Bliss comes in as we move towards the middle of the album. It’s a beautiful track, really, for in its simplicity it still brands itself as the essence of Greta Van Fleet. Rather than forcing itself to be embodied as a stadium song, this would fill a pub’s skeletal sound better. It’s nuances in songs like this that show their evolution over albums like Anthem of the Peaceful Army. Incorporating stringed elements with harmonies really ties the dramatic sections.
From soaring vocals and melodies
We’ll continue this acoustic route till Field of Stars, where you can completely get engulfed in the style they have formed. It’s safe to say without Jake and Josh, there is something about the gut of the band that disappears. The two have found their own very unique sound that gels into becoming Greta Van Fleet. At Play Your Games as well, there is a fun swing in the dynamic between the brothers.
It’s also great to see Sam and Daniel bring in their own very specific taste to the band. Fills and triplet rolls are abundant in the band’s tracks, which have a rise exactly at the right time, tailored to the second. Evolution in guitar sound and choice in notes has been a beautiful journey from Jake Kistzka – where he brings pedals, distortion, channels and flourishes to add a lot of character to the songs.
Charging towards a new style
It’s inspiring to see such maturity from a band that has been catapulted into it for various reasons. It might have started with ‘cosplayer’ hate, but this quality would be stupid to write off. No apparent switch from an analogue sound, character and style while having nods to who their inspirations were. There will come a time very soon where this won’t be the state of bands who come and go.
It’s in complicated compositions like Lost in the Golden; you’ll see Greta Van Fleet really spread their wings. They’re out of their cocoon twice in 8 years or so. It might be a relatively quick success, but what they’ve made in this time will inspire a younger generation to pick up live instruments and find their sound with it. This will become more than the foundation, the land and the treasure you want to see in the palace of the people:
Check out our playlists here!
Check out our YouTube channel for music reviews, playlists, podcasts, and more!
Self professed metalhead, moderately well read. If the music has soul, it's whole to me. The fact that my bio could have ended on a rhyme and doesn't should tell you a lot about my personality.
