Caravan –
”In The Land Of Grey
2011 was
the 40th anniversary of the release of the excellent album In The Land
Of Grey And Pink, Caravan's third album. To really celebrate this they released a limited edition of 500 copies of the vinyl. Not only the
limited number of albums, each disc had a unique pattern in pink and gray! Can you resist such a thing? Some might call me a victim of vanity or an easy-to-fool consumer,
but obviously this was a record I immediately had to own.
I've owned the CD for a long time, but to own this limited edition vinyl made me feel very special. Jehovah's Witnesses claim that 144,000 people will end up in heaven. 500 selected people on the planet own this vinyl. I belong to an extremely rare group.
Caravan belongs to the so-called Canterbury scene that gave us bands like Gong, Camel, Hatfield and the North, Soft Machine, Egg and many more during the years around 1970. What all these bands have in common is that they are from the city of
Caravan is regarded as a progressive band which might scare some people. Fear not, the music they created was really groovy and not at all difficult. In The Land Of Grey And Pink is considered by many to be their best album, which yours truly is prepared to agree on. Who can not love a song like Love To Love You (And Tonight Pigs Will Fly)? Pop prog which makes even the most stiff-legged stamp their feet and take a spin on the dance floor in the living room.
The limited edition vinyl is a double album. The first disc is the original music while the second disc has some of the songs in alternative recordings / mixes / demos and some previously unreleased tracks.
The A-side consists of four tracks, all really great. When you mention progressive music some people frown and think it's difficult music primarily created for other musicians. Caravan's version of progressive music is not so. Many of the songs on this album have a clear pop touch and is fairly gentle music. But be sure, it's not a safe, sun-soaked, clearly mapped path to walk on. The listener is offered interesting challenges, in just the right dose. The songs on side A are all strong cards, with both half silly pop prog and more melancholic moods.
The B-side consists of the almost 23 minute long song Nine Feet Underground. Now again someone may frown and think that 23 minute songs aren't anything that should be on an album. But think again. As usual with songs like these, it's divided into a number of shorter pieces woven together into a whole. The B-side is also a great creation and ends with the really heavy part 100% Proof of that same song.
The second disc contains the already mentioned alternative recordings of some of the songs, as well as some previously unreleased tracks. These songs are also of high quality and don't feel like just some sort of time fillers. It's none other than Porcupine Tree's singer Steven Wilson, who has made these new mixes, which is possibly a guarantee of quality. Although the other disc is also really good and interesting, it is problably the original version I will listen to mostly.
Obviously, I recommend this beautiful album. Now I understand that you are all dying to get this limited edition vinyl, and that feelings of extreme jealousy fill your insides. But if you realise that the feelings that fill my body is extreme pride, joy and superiority, you might feel better.
By the way, it is said that the lower number you have on a numbered vinyl, the better. I've got number 491.
Tracklist
Side A
1. Golf
Girl 5:01
2. Winter
Time 7:36
3. Love To
Love You (And Tonight Pigs Will Fly) 3:04
4. In The Land
Of Grey
Side B
1. Nine
Feet Underground 22:44
1.
Aristocracy 3:15
2. It’s
Likely To Have A Name Nxt Week (’Winter Wine’ Instrumental Demo) 7:48
3. Love To
Love You (And Tonight Pigs Will Fly) (First Version) 3:26
4. Frozen
Rose (I Don’t Know Its Name Alias The World) 6:08
Side D
1. Nine Feet
Underground (Alternate Mix) 22:40
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