Greta Van Fleet – Starcatcher

When I heard Greta Van Fleet’s (GVF) first single, “Highway Tune” in 2017, I was blown away by how much they sounded like Led Zeppelin. They were a Zeppelin tribute band with original material. Many were dismissive of the band given how imitative they were, but I liked it. Zeppelin has been gone a long time and I was hungry for new music in that style.

One of my hot takes on contemporary music is that there have not been any significant innovations since the mid-70s:

• Hip hop? Invented in the 70s
• Punk? Invented in the 70s
• Electronic/EDM – predates the 70s and was popularized by 70s groups like Kraftwerk
• Disco/dance music – popularized in the 70s
• Metal – invented in the 60s in the form of hard rock
• Etcetera, etcetera…

That is not to say there has not been good music created since the mid-70s. There has been plenty of great music, just not the creation of new genres in the last 50 years. I say all this not to be a cranky old man, but to point out that imitation is not a bad thing. Music’s tradition is to first imitate and then find your own voice. Dylan stole from the Folkies and Beats, the Beatles were inspired by 50s rockers, the Stones appropriated the blues, and on and on.

GVF is a successful rock band (they are playing arenas, have topped the charts, and won a Grammy) in a pop/hip-hop era, making them rare. They are maligned for imitating classic rock, specifically Led Zeppelin, but also Black Sabbath, Yes, and Rush. I have no problem with them carrying the Zeppelin torch. They are sincere in their creative homage to 70s hard rock/heavy metal. To restate my point above, music has been derivative over the last 50 years. The trick is to copy and then make it your own. GVF has been on an authentic journey to find its own voice. Starcatcher is a positive step forward.

Dave Cobb, most famously of Chris Stapleton, Brandi Carlile fame, produced Starcatcher. I was intrigued to see what one of the most talented producers of our time would do with them. Cobb is primarily known as an Americana and country guy, but he clearly can handle rock. My sense is on Starcatcher he encouraged the band to get back to their basic sound (their last album, The Battle at Garden’s Gate, was elaborately arranged and was a bit prog). He helped GVF be the best version of themselves sonically. He didn’t shine them up, if anything he dumbed them down – which is the perfect thing to do. The band feels comfortable with their sound on Starcatcher. They don’t sound like they are trying too hard – which is something I sensed in some of their prior recordings.

Starcatcher is their third proper album (they also have two EPs in the catalog). It is more of the same (hey AC/DC made a five-decade career out of more of the same). At first, I didn’t feel like they made any significant progress on Starcatcher to find their voice. It seemed as if Cobb and the band doubled down on the Zeppelin impression. But after several listens, especially the vinyl, I sense they have evolved and are gaining their own voice. But, I also feel like they still have more potential. Starcatcher is an excellent step forward and I am stoked that I see more opportunities for GVF to grow as a band.

Lyrically, I don’t have a clue what these songs are about, I just love to hear lead vocalist Josh Kiszka wailing. Joshua’s vocals are amazing. He is a cross between Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin) and Geddy Lee (Rush) with an occasional falsetto that evokes Jon Anderson (Yes). Despite the similarities to these classic rock vocalists, he has his own nuances. The band has excellent background vocals too – all four members contribute. The rest of the band is good too, but the lead vocals are the primary attraction.

After a couple of weeks of listening to Starcatcher on the Tidal streaming service, I picked up the clear vinyl (concerned the glitter vinyl might not sound as good). The vinyl sounds better than digital – the mix is warmer. It buffs the sharp corners off the digital – which in this case is a good thing.

Starcatcher is not for heavy thinking, it is merely fun and entertaining music. To quote the Stones: “I know it’s only rock ‘n’ roll but I like it, like it, yes, I do.” I am just going to sit back and enjoy Starcatcher and I recommend you do too.

I am hoping GVF is being ironic in their visual presentation/branding of the band. There is an insert photo booklet in the vinyl version that looks like a Spinal Tap photo shoot (see photo below). They look ridiculous – like a parody of Led Zeppelin. I choose to smile at their look vs. wince.