Greta Van Fleet, “Anthem of the Peaceful Army” (Lava/Republic)
There’s a whole lotta Led Zeppelin in Greta Van Fleet, but they haven’t yet found their Stairway.
On its debut album, “Anthem of the Peaceful Army,” the Michigan quartet channels Led Zeppelin and ’70s-style old-school classic rock with scary precision, on tracks like “When the Curtain Falls,” ”Watching Over” and “Lover Leaver (Taker Believer).”
They have Zep’s sound down so perfectly that it’s not hard to imagine you’re listening to Jimmy Page playing slide guitar or a jangly acoustic piece.
The big difference here is in the songwriting: While Greta Van Fleet have rightly generated a huge buzz as an up-and-coming young band that convincingly plays old-school hard rock, they have yet to take that crucial next step and write a rock anthem that burns its way into your brain with just one listen.
There’s no “Whole Lotta Love” or “Heartbreaker” riff here — yet — to cement Greta Van Fleet’s place in rock history. But they’ve got the foundation and the talent to support the next great classic rocker, whenever it might arrive.
WAYNE PARRY, Associated Press
