Much-hyped Michigan siblings diversify successfully on their second album.
GVF's mixture of exhilarating energy and exquisite silliness was my antidote to the litany of misery on the news.
They've cleaned up the mistakes of their first album, fleshed out their atmospheres into some truly lush and breathtaking territories, doubled down on their heavy rock edge, and crafted something that is far better than it has any right to be. Bask in it without feeling any shame.
There’s no denying it — Greta Van Fleet have taken a lot of flack. Whichever side of the fence you sit on, The Battle At Garden’s Gate, might just change your mind.
GVF strut and swagger througha sweeping hard-rock extravaganza that propels them from emulators to inheritors of a rich legacy.
Hand yourself over to a psychedelic song of praise like Trip The Light Fantastic ... or fall into The Weight Of Dreams’ fathomless nine minutes, and this legitimately might be the next best thing.
Presented as the next great hope for the genre, Greta Van Fleet were bound to be mocked .... if you can pull yourself away from yet another band that sounds like Public Image Ltd. for a second, you just might realize how great they can be.
Though the swaggering riffage of Built By Nations and John Bonham-like pocket of Stardust Chords will draw more Zeppelin compari- sons, GVF are evolving here.
While Greta Van Fleet excel at erecting houses of the retro-rock holy, they struggle a bit at the basics — like memorable songwriting, and especially lyrics .... With these guys, a little self-awareness would go a long way toward making them easier to take seriously.
More Geddy Lee than Robert Plant, Josh Kiszka commands attention then alienates; his wail is the weak link in a group who is getting better at their period-accurate cosplay.
Even though Battle draws from the same playbook that made Anthem such a by-the-numbers paean, the band is in an unlikely position where they have the skills and stature, but not always the wherewithal, to mature.
There is entirely nothing new about the proceedings on The Battle at Garden’s Gate. And, at over an hour’s running time, what’s contained here is much too long, particularly given the slog of the final third of the album.
Greta Van Fleet seem to lack even a passing familiarity with the last four decades of recorded music on The Battle At Garden's Gate.
TL/DR: Bombastic, innocent, unidimensional and unbalanced at times, but a massive step up from their boring debut. On their sophomore album, the Michigan band is exploring new territories and their identity, giving glimpses of their potential in the process.
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This is it guys. The time has come.
Not only is this my 1000th rating but I get to review an album that I was thrilled to hear.
Greta Van Fleet, the polarising hard rock band of brothers from Michigan have released ... read more
Greta Van Fleet has not only become synonymous with artists being unoriginal but being derivative of a specific corner of 70’s boomer rock that leaves a taste of a “I was born in the wrong generation” sentiment. It’s come to a point that the band’s defining characteristic is how much they sound exactly like Led Zeppelin. To be fair to them, “The Battle at Garden’s Gate” isn’t just ripping off Led Zeppelin the entire time like their last ... read more
Look, I can’t tell you it’s great, because it’s not really. But I can tell you it’s a step forward. I never thought this band’s issues ever had anything to do with them sounding like Led Zeppelin or Rush or whatever other band they’re “ripping off” because...is Led Zeppelin making new music? or Rush? No, so let them make their music. Who cares, nobody acts like this shit is groundbreaking...But man this fucking band.
They take themselves WAY too ... read more
While maybe a hot take amongst many on this website, this is one of my favorite albums of all time that completely changed my life. It made me an avid lifelong music fan. The Dreams in Gold Tour for this album had the first concert I ever went to. It delivers an electrifying fusion of classic rock influences with a contemporary edge. Each track is a masterclass in sonic storytelling, weaving intricate narratives that explore the depths of human emotion and existential musings. With its soaring ... read more
the boys are really awesome talented asf
but the album itself felt more like a bunch of singles than an actual album
also 1 hour it’s just way to long for keep listening the same vibe every song (i just can’t picture myself listening to this all over again
the songs are great tbh
1 | Heat Above 5:41 | 76 |
2 | My Way, Soon 4:15 | 58 |
3 | Broken Bells 5:50 | 75 |
4 | Built By Nations 3:58 | 64 |
5 | Age of Machine 6:53 | 65 |
6 | Tears of Rain 3:50 | 61 |
7 | Stardust Chords 4:57 | 61 |
8 | Light My Love 4:30 | 61 |
9 | Caravel 4:55 | 59 |
10 | The Barbarians 5:20 | 59 |
11 | Trip the Light Fantastic 4:33 | 60 |
12 | The Weight of Dreams 8:51 | 70 |
#35 | / | Kerrang! |
#53 | / | God Is In The TV |
/ | American Songwriter |