Matt LuceyGreta Van Fleet are an American based rock group who gained significant popularity upon the release of their first album “Black Smoke Rising”. Overnight, this group of young musicians became billboard topping rock stars with a global appeal. While clearly talented, the group gained both fans and detractors. While most would find it a boon to be compared to their heroes, some considered their similarities to the Led Zeppelin sound a bit too on the nose. The band consists of a classic composure, a lead singer, guitarist, bassist and drummer. All but the drummer are brothers who grew up playing music together. The instigation of the band was all but inevitable.
The Years That Followed
Following their initial success, the band continues, dropping another album in 2017, went on to gain further acclaim. In 2019, the band won their first Grammy, further cementing their position in the industry. At the time, they were viewed as a massive component in the re-emergence of the genre. They would continue their work, releasing The Battle at Garden’s Gate in 2021 and Starcatcher in 2023. While these albums are still strong and filled with great work, they seemed to get slightly caught up in their niche and the music began to feel slightly “one note”.
While their individual accomplishments are certainly overshadowed by the band itself, they have all been involved in other projects. From Langhorn Slim to Chris Turpin, the bandmembers have been in short supply. While they all have a unique and changing take on music, blues and rock tends to draw them together more than anything. Aside from the obvious similarities to Zeppelin, they have also acknowledged influences from Aerosmith, The Who and many more.
Leadup to album, production, label
The group is very active on social media. While not always outright stating their plans, they often hint at upcoming projects and releases. They released out of the blue that this new single would be dropping on Instagram, much to the delight of fans. Just a week prior, they had left a cryptic post that hinted at a possible end to the band, so this news was a relief. The song itself was, naturally, recorded and written by the band. They were also heavily involved in the production, alongside a team of producers and sound engineers. It was released under the label Lava / Republic Records.
“Play Your Games”
The song itself isn’t bad at all. Its jumps in with a tidy acoustic riff that sets the baseline for the song. The drums jump in to bridge to the full sound. We jump back in after the drum fill to find a full, rounded electric version of that same riff. The guitar tone in GVF songs is always a treat. The signature meaty tone with great clarity is instantly distinguishable. Its a very classic 70s rock sound. Josh, the lead singer, joins the mix with his signature sound too. Somehow, he can go from soft melodic singing to a guttural vocalisation at a moments notice.
This trope has almost become the bands signature at this point. Not complaining though, its a great sound. The drums are another stand out on this track. While percussion can often fade into the background, Danny has been improving album by album, and his contributions tie the sound together. I also enjoyed the addition of the organ, which gave a portion of the song and uplifting quality and meshed well with Josh’s vocals.
All that being said, sadly, we got no guitar solo on this track. Tragic.
Conclusion
I can’t fault them. The band found a sound that works for them and they stuck with it. They would benefit from branching out and experimenting more musically, as their heroes did. It won’t always guarantee success, but it would be amazing to see. I hope this single is a taste of an upcoming album, as I always want more.
