GRETA VAN FLEET RESURRECTS ROCK MUSIC WITH DOUBLE EP “FROM THE FIRES” – Check Out Our Review Here! “From The Fires” is out 11/10/17

If “rock is dead” (which I don’t believe but it seems to be a common theme in the world today) then three brothers and a buddy from Frankenmuth, Michigan collectively known as Greta Van Fleet are here to resurrect it.

A recent story in the Wall Street Journal decoded the band’s secret to total domination of the music world as appealing to “classic-rock dads who tune into rock radio shows and attend classic-rock concerts” as well as “younger male fans curious about 1960s and 1970s rock, soul and funk; and young women who, in the past, have helped mainstream rock bands become pop stars.”

How did a band named after a woman who used to be a drummer in a polka band and whose combined age is a mere 78 years old become such an incredible, world-wide success? Because they are supremely talented and that talent can be heard on their double EP From the Fires which will be released Friday November 10th, 2017!!.

Greta Van Fleet formed in 2012 and includes twin brothers Josh (vocals) and Jake (guitar) Kiszka, younger brother Sam Kiszka (bass and keyboards), and friend Danny Wagner (drums). The band released their debut studio EP, Black Smoke Rising, in April 2017 and the first single, “Highway Tune”, topped the Billboard US Mainstream Rock and Active Rock charts. From the Fires combines the four tunes from Black Smoke Rising with four new tracks recorded this fall.

According to vocalist Josh Kiszka, compiling the four Black Smoke Rising tracks with the four new recordings made for an ideal grouping. “All eight of these songs share a theme of basic humanity,” said Josh.

Greta Van Fleet deftly straddles the line between timeless and future, sounding at once like many things you’ve heard before (most notably Led Zeppelin) and also something you’ve never heard before. These guys have turned their rich and varied musical background into an arresting mélange of rock ‘n’ roll with flavors of metal, pop, blues and grunge, the result of years of practice, study and familial good times.

From the Fires kicks off with a tune from the first EP “Safari Song” which packs a sinewy punch and a sassy, swampy sound. The second track is our first introduction to the new material – “Edge of Darkness” – and it is just pure classic, cool rock with impressive vocal moments from beginning to end. The remaining songs run the gamut from the dusty grind of “Highway Tune” to the muscular crunch of “Black Smoke Rising” and the soulful cover of Sam Cooke’s 1964 classic “A Change is Gonna Come.” The band also covers the Richard Thompson/Fairport Convention song “Meet on the Ledge” which showcases the chemistry of the band as a whole as they put their own spin on the song and make it one of my favorites on the CD.

The bad news is there are only eight tracks and then it is over.

The good news is there’s more where these songs came from. The group has been in the studio for about two years now, with nearly 20 tracks down and more coming every day. “We’ve been writing since Josh and I were 16 and Sam and Danny were 13,” Jake says. “We have so many songs we’re working on it’s ridiculous. We’re just trying to develop and get better. That’s very important to us.”

If you have a chance to see Greta Van Fleet live – consider yourself lucky. Their shows sell out at breakneck speeds and tickets can be difficult (and costly) to come by. But trust me – it is worth the effort and cost. These guys put on an incredible live show with masterful musicality far beyond their years. It’s quite an experience.

Greta Van Fleet review 2017

By Cathy Moore of Moore Rock Shots & Reviews

From The Fires will be available both digitally and as a physical disc. For those fans that have already purchased the Black Smoke Rising tracks via iTunes, they are invited to complete their From The Fires double EP at a special price. Log onto iTunes for those details.