“CARAVAN” self-titled prog psych LP VERVE FORECAST wlp PROMO dj ORIG NICE

$

53

Artist:   CARAVAN

Title:   “Caravan”

Label:   VERVE FORECAST.   Stereo pressing on medium weight vinyl.  Labels are white with black text, DJ promo.  Catalog number is FTS 3066.

Personnel:

Pye Hastings – vocals

Richard Coughlan – drums

David Sinclair – organ

Richard Sinclair - bass.

Year:

Review:  For their first album, Caravan was surprisingly strong.  While steeped in the same British psychedelia that informed bands such as Love Children, Pink Floyd, and Tomorrow, Caravan relates a freedom of spirit and mischief along the lines of Giles, Giles & Fripp or Gong.  The band's roots can be traced to a British blue-eyed soul combo called the Wilde Flowers.  Among the luminaries to have passed through this Caravan precursor were Robert Wyatt, Kevin Ayers, and Hugh Hopper and Brian Hopper (pre-Soft Machine, naturally).  By the spring of 1968, Caravan had settled nicely into a quartet consisting of Pye-Hastings (guitar/bass/vocals), Richard Coughlan (drums), David Sinclair (organ/vocals), and Richard Sinclair (bass/guitar/vocals). Inspired by the notoriety and acclaim that Soft Machine encountered during the burgeoning days of London's underground scene, Caravan began a residency at the Middle Earth club. Additionally, the band was shopping a homemade demo tape around to local record companies. Before long, entrepreneur Tony Cox worked out a deal for them to record on the newly founded U.K. division of the Verve label.  Caravan’s self-titled debut is equally as inventive and infinitely more subtle than the Soft Machine’s “Volume One” or Pink Floyd’s “Piper at the Gates of Dawn.”  Two of the album's best tunes -- the ethereal "Place of My Own" was backed with the dreamlike "Magic Man" -- were issued as the band's first single. Those tracks accurately exemplify the subtle complexities that Caravan would hone to great effect on later recordings.  The same can also be said for album cuts such as "Love Song With Flute" and the extended nine-minute "Where but for Caravan Would I?" The latter title aptly exemplifies Caravan’s decidedly less than turgid attitude toward themselves -- a refreshing contrast from the temperamental and serious Art School approach adopted by Pink Floyd and the Moody Blues. The mono and stereo mixes of the long-player are striking in their disparities. The stereo mix is at times opaque and virtually swallows the vocals most specifically on the tracks "Policeman" and "Grandma's Lawn." Otherwise, there are numerous additional nuances that discern the two. The single version of "Hello Hello" is also included as a bonus.  This track was the follow-up 45 to "Place of My Own" and would appear in a slightly different form on their next LP, “If I Could Do It All Over Again, I’d Do It All For You.” (Courtesy allmusic.com review by Lindsay Planer.)

Condition: 

DISC:  EXCELLENT/ VG++ with 100% of original gloss, appears to have been played a very small number of times and handled with care.  There are a few slight paper scuffs, not audible, no serious marks or problems.  Fidelity is excellent.  Labels are clean.  You will be hard pressed to find a nicer sounding copy.

JACKET:  Jacket displays minor shelf wear and signs of handling, but is still quite presentable.   Front panel has DJ sticker and writing (name of original owner).  Reverse panel has some ring wear.  Seams, spine and corners have some wear and chipping.  No splits or other issues. 

Track Listing:

Side One:

• Place of My Own
• Ride
• Policeman
• Love Song with Flute
• Cecil Runs

Side Two:

• Magic Man
• Grandma’s Lawn
• Where But for Caravan Would I

Guaranteed to be original and authentic.  I do not sell bootlegs or modern reissues.

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