it would be incorrect of me to refer to ‘Starcatcher’ as a bad album. Flawed? Deeply. But bad? Definitely not. For the first time, it is possible to hear the appeal of Greta Van Fleet, and hear a sound that is indisputably theirs
Finally, I see the light. It’s dim and the batteries are going out, but I see it nonetheless.
Greta Van Fleet. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, the Michigan four-piece are here to stay; their status as one of the most in demand rock acts of the modern generation has been well and truly cemented by their many, many sold-out shows, whilst their Spotify stats clocks their monthly listens at being just shy of a mammoth 5,400,000. There’s no arguing that GVF possess something that the people want, and with their third album, ‘Starcatcher’, the band are back to give us some more of it.
Before I get stuck into this album, allow me to rewind us to 2021. The band dropped their sophomore effort, ‘The Battle at Garden’s Gate’, to polarising reviews. Some saw it as the revival of proper, real rock’n’roll. Others saw it as just another example of the band ripping off sounds of the 60’s and 70’s with zero personal embellishment. Personally, as someone whom has never listened to Led Zeppelin and therefore cannot comment on the comparisons, I found the album unenjoyable simply for the fact that, well, it sounded terrible.
From vocalist Josh Kiszka’s ear-piercing, strangled vocals, to the bland instrumentation that felt dated and uninspired, it was an album I struggled to finish, and struggled to find any redeeming qualities in. I found it impossible to reconcile the fact that the band were both as big as they were, yet as painful to listen to as they were. There was something in the GVT formula that I was evidently missing.
Returning to 2023… I think I finally understand it. Kind of.
‘Starcatcher’ is, indisputably, the band’s best work to date. Certainly, the band’s penchant for big 70’s riffing still comes through clearly, but the sheer scale and progressive ambition of this album is impossible to deny. From the galloping ‘The Archer’, to the bluesy grit of ‘The Falling Sky’, the musicality of this album feels fresh and inspired, as if the band are finally making music that feels more ‘Greta Van Fleet’ than anything else. Inspired by the 70’s, sure, but musically just as relevant as any of their contemporaries.
On top of that, Kiszka’s vocals show vastly improved restraint and control. ‘Sacred The Thread’ is genuinely enjoyable, with Kiszka utilising his strength to weave between powerful belts and gentle, weaving croons, layered over the top of spicy guitar riffs and rolling bass lines that give the track some real groove. ‘Meeting the Master’ is another fantastic example of Kiszka finally showing off some real compelling talent as a vocalist, at least in the first half, with some genuinely gorgeous falsettos that add to the beautiful, tender nature of the acoustic led front-half.
So it’s all good right? ‘Starcatcher’ is a showcase of Greta Van Fleet finally flourishing, shrugging off accusations of plagiarism and poor musicianship to become the modern legends many view them as… right? Not quite.
To be fair, the main issue here isn’t exactly the fault of any individual band member. Throughout this album, the sound quality is simply dreadful; everything feels like it has been recorded on cheap equipment in an echoey warehouse, with instruments sounded washed out and coated in overwhelming reverb, whilst Kiszka, for better or worse, sounds utterly buried in the soundscape. Nothing here has any real meaningful sonic weight or depth, meaning that there is little ‘oomph’ to the attempts of kickass guitar solos or soaring melodies. It kills the energy of each and every track in a major, and leaves them feeling suspended in a sonic limbo, landing the most feathery musical punches.
On top of that, whilst the songs are definitely far more inspired, Greta Van Fleet still manage to feel like they’re playing musical by-the-numbers. A gritty guitar solo here, a stadium-sized chorus there, there are no real surprises across the entire span of this album, leaving it feeling shockingly bland despite the progressive tendencies that are threaded throughout. If you’ve heard one of the singles from ‘Starcatcher’, then frankly, you’ve heard the entire album.
Finally… it’s not all sunshine and roses for Kiszka. Granted, the vocals are far superior than they have been on anything the band have released so far, but still too often does Kiszka decide to deliver these ear-piercing , Muppet-esque screeches that are painful to listen to, and add absolutely nothing to the rest of the track. ‘The Falling Sky’ in particular is crippled by Kiszka’s squealing vocals that feel utterly obnoxious and unnecessary; it feels as though there is zero understanding of what the instrumentation of the track is calling for, instead choosing to yelp as loudly as possibly simply because it’s ‘proper rock’n’roll innit’. Another track that suffers in the same way is the back end of ‘Meet the Master’, which is a real, real shame, as the front-half of the track is some truly stunning musicianship.
However, despite these issues, it would be incorrect of me to refer to ‘Starcatcher’ as a bad album. Flawed? Deeply. But bad? Definitely not. For the first time, it is possible to hear the appeal of Greta Van Fleet, and hear a sound that is indisputably theirs. Moments of ambition glimmer like diamonds among the often otherwise beige soundscape, whilst Kiszka finally, at times, sounds like rockstar, rather than a parody of himself.
‘Starcatcher’ may not be an impressive album, but the aspects in which this band have improved certainly are impressive, and sometimes, that’s what counts the most.
RATING: 46/100 – Below Average
For Fans Of: AC/DC, Royal Blood, Foo Fighters, Rush, Led Zeppelin (apparently)
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