A closer look at the American rock group Greta Van Fleet. Photo from npr.org.
Greta Van Fleet. Three words that either spark feelings of happiness and appreciation or intense hatred. For those who don’t know, Greta Van Fleet is an American rock band from Frankenmuth, Michigan. Formed in 2012 by twin brothers Josh and Jake Kiszka, their younger brother Sam and friend Danny Wagner, Greta Van Fleet became one of the most popular, yet controversial, rock bands of the decade.
Their 2017 album “From the Fires” produced songs such as “Highway Tune,” “Safari Song,” “Flower Power” and “Black Smoke Rising” and was accompanied by sharp criticism and an immediate connection between the band and rock legends Led Zeppelin. This criticism is fair; Greta Van Fleet’s frontman Josh admits that their early work was heavily inspired by Zeppelin’s sound.
Their second release, “Anthem of The Peaceful Army,” was arguably a misstep for the band. It was again heavily criticized and the Zeppelin comparisons continued in full force. Pitchfork critic Jeremy D. Larson said that “Anthem of The Peaceful Army” was an example of “overly precious retro-fetishism,” adding that, “the poor kids from Frankenmuth, Michigan don’t even realize they’re more of an algorithmic fever dream than an actual rock band.” After its 2018 release, the band went quiet, until they released the single “My Way, Soon” last October.
“My Way, Soon” provided a fresh new sound for the group. The guitar riff hooks you immediately, while shrieking vocals and sharp drums round out the rest of the track. This, paired with the announcement of their upcoming album, “The Battle at Garden’s Gate,” generated a new level of energy and hype surrounding the band. In the time since, Greta Van Fleet has released two more singles, “Age of Machine” and “Heat Above.”
“Age of Machine”’ is a dark rock track with heavy drums and easily the best guitar solo from the band yet. Jake effortlessly shreds for nearly two minutes towards the end of the song. It is unlike any other release from the band – its incredibly dark tone doesn’t sound like Zeppelin – it sounds like Greta Van Fleet.
“Heat Above” is such a fun song to listen to. It’s warm and uplifting and features hauntingly beautiful organs, incredible vocal range and a really intricate and catchy guitar riff. The organ especially gives this track a full sound to it. So much is crammed into its runtime of nearly six minutes. I am personally very excited to see where the band goes from here, especially with their new album coming out inApril.
Greta Van Fleet is one of my favorite young bands; each member is incredibly talented, and their sound is refreshing to hear in the 21st century. I believe that the incredible criticism and hate that Greta Van Fleet faces is unfair. Yes, their sound is similar to classic rock bands of the 1970s, but why not celebrate the rejuvenation of that sound? I believe that the sound of classic rock and roll should be reborn, and Greta Van Fleet is taking the initiative to create a sound that feels both old and new.