Icelandic modern prog/psych trio THE VINTAGE CARAVAN have unveiled their second single, “Crystallized”, cut from their upcoming album, “Monuments,” out April 16, 2021 via Napalm Records. Those who have not hopped THE VINTAGE CARAVAN train yet will be convinced with “Crystallized”: the nearly six-minute joyride is injected with blues, prog rock and even funk-inspired elements, showcasing the band’s palpable, dynamic talent and mastery of varying inspired influences of the past while maintaining a fresh approach.
Talent for crafting swirling, grooving sonic journeys aside, the peculiar “Crystallized” music video truly showcases that these youngbloods are anything but one note. Displaying their noteworthy knack for slow-build humor, the video depicts the band waking up under very bizarre circumstances, eventually trying to find their way back home. On the flipside, the video provides a bold commentary on technology gone wrong. Watch this one ‘til the end!
THE VINTAGE CARAVAN vocalist/guitarist Óskar on the new single “Crystallized”: “‘Crystallized’’ is the second single and second track on ‘Monuments’ Lyrically, the song is about a man travelling alone in a car through a blizzard in Iceland during a red weather warning. Eventually he loses his way and leaves the car and walks out into the unknown and disappears. Unfortunately, these lyrics were inspired by the many people who travelled our dangerous and unpredictable island and did not make it, so this is a warning song of sorts.”
Óskar adds: “We don’t take ourselves too seriously when it comes to videos. We take the music very seriously, but we like funny music videos. Our friends from the rock band Volcanova make a special appearance at the end of the video, they are great! We buried ourselves in the black desert sand for a few hours for your pleasure. Enjoy!”
Step into the rabbit hole and watch/listen to the new single “Crystallized” below.
On 11 diverse tracks, these fast-rising musicians from Reykjavik truly cast a spell on fans of bewitching, guitar-driven classic and blues rock influences. The album opener, “Whispers”, clearly showcases the band’s musical progression without sacrificing their tried-and-true, retro-inspired sonic trademark. “Crystalized ” convinces with light blues influences, encircling the listener in enchanting guitar lines and quickly rising to the full extent of its power while evoking anecdotes of retro nostalgia. “Can’t Get You Out Of My Mind” takes its listener on a blistering ride through pounding drums, intense guitar solos and an undeniably catchy chorus, while tracks like “This One’s For You” represent a stunning blueprint in THE VINTAGE CARAVAN’s musical universe with unconventional, surprisingly calm melodies and Óskar’s gripping, tranquil vocal power. In contrast, bold drumming merges with fast-paced riffs, enveloping an impressive galloping vortex and pronouncing tracks like “Dark Times” and “Said and Done” as top notch rock pieces. The softly plugging, atmospheric sound of album closer “Clarity” symbolizes the crowning culmination of a 60-minute journey through the eternal landscapes of Iceland and the poetic lyricism of the trio.
With their new studio-album, “Monuments,” and its captivating, stellar arrangements, these rising stars definitely know how to put their very own stamp on the retro rock wave!
Pre-Order the New Album “Monuments” here.
THE VINTAGE CARAVAN on the new album: “We are proud to present to you our new album ‘Monuments!!’ This one has been long in the making and we truly believe this is our best work so far. We went into a legendary Icelandic studio, Hljóðriti, during the stormiest season of last winter and tracked non stop for 22 days, working around the clock to get as much done as possible. Luckily enough we finished tracking just before the pandemic hit.
Having worked with producer Ian Davenport on our previous album ‘Gateways’ we were comfortable and inspired to take the album to new heights in terms of sound, feel and songwriting. We ended up with quite a diverse set of songs through an interesting and in many ways different process than our usual recording sessions. It was a great feeling to get to experiment more with our sound in so many different ways. We hope you’ll enjoy the journey through Monuments!”
“Monuments” will be available in North America in the following formats:
- 1 CD Digipak
- 2 LP Gatefold Vinyl Black
- 2 LP Gatefold Vinyl Marbled Yellow/Red – limited to 300 copies
- Limited Diehard Edition – 2 LP Gatefold Vinyl Multicolor Splatter + Patch, Slipmat – limited to 200 copies
- Digital Album
“Monuments” Tracklisting:
- Whispers
- Crystallized
- Can’t Get You Off My Mind
- Dark Times
- This One’s For You
- Forgotten
- Sharp Teeth
- Hell
- Torn in Two
- Said & Done
- Clarity