Psychedelic Rock can be a strange genre to dabble into these days. Much of the time, it starts sounding similar to all the others or it just doesn't change up enough to keep a sober listener's attention. These issues certainly do not occur with Icelandic Psychedelic Prog Rockers THE VINTAGE CARAVAN. The band initially formed in 2006 and eventually released their self-titled 5 years later. They have since released 4 more albums. The band is Their most recent "Monuments" is a fuzzy, fun ride through a hazy rainbow sky. Read on for some highlights.

The album opens with a solid track "Whispers". "Crystallized" begins with a stacking, looming feeling melody, like towering stalagmites in a cave. The distortion whirls like an ice storm around the gloomy yet catchy melodies. Not to mention, the lyrics really send you on a trip, without needing anything but sound to take you away. "Can't Get You Off My Mind" definitely has a Classic Rock feel with some early 2000s Rock flair. I kept imagining spinning guitars to the groovy flair of this track. "Dark Times" has a mesmerizing flowing main riff that immediately had me bobbing my head. The middle section was great with that synth-laced solo that gave me some major 'Prog Rock era' OPETH vibes.

"This One's For You" slows it all down with a heart-felt Bluesy ballad. "Forgotten" is a pure Psych Rock soundscape. It's groovy, it's super fuzzy like a 70s Volkswagen van interior, yet the Prog Rock style key changes make this smooth ride more like a stellar flight in the cosmos. "Sharp Teeth" goes for the LED ZEPPELIN vein of Rock. The guitar solo paints a lush meadow that draws you upward to a midnight sky to the end of the track. "Torn in Two" is a smoky edgier tune, fueled by conflicted lyrics that flow into a slow drag at the heart of the song. Later, the album closes with the vibrant "Clarity". It's a dreamy track that feels like floating in a lake beneath a starry sky. The colors shift and whirl as the guitars and haunting 'ahhs' create soft waves and ripples all around.

Overall THE VINTAGE CARAVAN lives up to their name nicely. There is a chill old-school Rock flair to every song, something that feels familiar without feeling like a replica. Yet, there's also such a lovely fresh feel that comes in. An aura that waves and flows over the smoky, muted colors of the older sound that makes it all so much brighter. Not to mention, the Progressive Rock elements are undeniable and it fits in with Psychedelic Rock melodies and instruments perfectly. Their style is hard to describe but it's oh so easy to sit back and just enjoy the ride through their technicolor cosmic soundscape for a while.