“Greta Van Fleet can’t get the Led out of its sound,” declares the headline of a Chicago Tribune review. V.e.r.y. c.l.e.v.e.r.! “They come bearing shamelessly recycled Zeppelin-isms with a frontman who seems to have heard Rush’s “2112” a few times,” opines Rolling Stone. Did they just identify a second band Greta Van Fleet “rips off?” Asks Consequence of Sound: “The throwback rockers can resurrect the sounds of the past, but what about the future?” Gee, how about giving this young band some time beyond their first full-length album Anthem Of The Peaceful Army, which was released on Friday.
As I’m looking at the reviews of the widely anticipated record, I feel like telling certain critics to take a chill pill. Yes, there’s no denying the Michigan rockers have tunes with a Led Zeppelin I vibe. But, frankly, what’s so terrible to sound similar to one of the greatest rock bands of all time? Especially in an era where mediocrity gets most of the limelight? Plus, at least to my ears, Anthem Of The Peaceful Army proves there’s actually more to Greta Van Fleet than Zep-style rockers. Caveat: As a former bassist and someone who has listened to loud music many times, I can’t deny a certain degree of hearing loss!😆
All tracks on the album are credited to all four members of the band. They include Josh Kiszka (lead vocals) and his brothers Jake Kiszka (guitar, backing vocals), who is Josh’s twin, and Sam Kiszka (bass, keyboards, backing vocals), as well as Danny Wagner (drums, backing vocals). Let’s kick things off with the opener Age Of Man. Except perhaps for the lead vocals, right out of the gate there’s a tune I don’t feel sounds particularly like Led Zeppelin.
Next up: The Cold Wind. Okay, this kick-ass rocker has an undeniable Zeppelin vibe. I can already see some critics getting their knickers twisted over it. But guess what? I don’t care – on the contrary, I love the fact that here we have a young band that embraces full throttle classic rock, a genre that generally isn’t doing particularly well these days. Wouldn’t it be cool if the tune would top the Billboard Hot 100?
You’re The One introduces acoustic-oriented rock. But wait, didn’t Zep also do plenty of acoustic stuff? So is it yet another rip off? I don’t worry much about it. All I can say is I like this tune. It’s got a catchy melody. I also dig the organ part.
Anthem is another acoustic track. Here’s the first verse of the reflective song: Read the news/There’s something every day/So many people/Thinkin’ different ways/You say “Where is the music/A tune to free the soul/A simple lyric/To unite us all?”
Let’s throw in one more tune: Lover, Leaver (Taker, Believer), another nice rocker and the album’s closer.
According to a story in the Detroit Free Press, Anthem of the Peaceful Army was produced by the Rust Brothers, three “veteran Detroit music guys” who are connected to Kid Rock: Al Sutton, the owner of Rustbelt Studios and Rock’s longtime recording engineer; Marlon Young, lead guitarist of Twisted Brown Tucker, Rock’s longtime backing band; and Herschel Boone, a songwriter and producer, who also worked with Rock as a backing vocalist. The album, which appears on Lava Records, was produced at Rustbelt and at Blackbird Studio in Nashville.
I guess some of what is happening to Greta Van Fleet is perhaps unavoidable for a band that has received a lot of attention in a relative short amount of time. Add to this the fact that none other than Robert Plant during an interview with Australia’s Network 10 said of the band, “They are ‘Led Zeppelin I'” and called lead vocalist Josh Kiszka “a beautiful little singer,” as reported by the Detroit Free Press in a separate article, and you can see why there’s so much buzz around Greta Van Fleet. And buzz oftentimes also brings less than flattering commentary to the forefront.
I think Greta Van Fleet is on a promising trajectory. Keep in mind they are very young guys. Josh and Jake are 22, while Sam and Denny are 19. Their talent is undeniable. With Anthem Of The Peaceful Army they have taken a step forward. Let’s just give them time to find their own unique style and sound. And if in the meantime, they continue to throw in some Zeppelin-like rockers I have no problem with that whatsoever!
Sources: Wikipedia, Chicago Tribune, Rolling Stone, Consequence Of Sound, Detroit Free Press, YouTube
Christian's Music Musings 
I’ve found the whole hype a tad overwhelming… I was expecting something remarkable, but I didn’t get it. Young guys who weren’t doing anything particularly special (if I want to listen to Led Zep, I’ll listen to Led Zep). So I can understand the criticism. However, I’ve got this album added to my ‘listen to’ pile on the streaming service. I’m not expecting great things, but I’m happy to hear where they’re going since the EPs.
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Boy, I really like ‘Age of Man.’ That is one memorable chorus. Haven’t listened to the rest yet. But really, even if these guys start doing Carpenters songs the Zep comparisons will continue. It’s the singer – he sounds so much like Plant it’s inescapable.
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Agree it’s a great tune. The entire album is fun to listen to. As for the continuing Zep comparisons, while I hope for for Greta Van Fleet they can eventually move beyond that for the sake of longevity, you may very well be right.
I think musically speaking, the album shows some signs this band can find a more unique style.
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Yeah I dig them. I find myself torn, wanting the music of my youth while at the same time wondering if that ship hasn’t already sailed.
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