Surviving the slings and arrows of Led Zeppelin comparisons, a world tour, and Grammy win, Greta Van Fleet’s second LP delivers some of the most-beloved tropes from ’70s rock. Bassist Sam Kiszka, guitarist Jake Kiszka, vocalist Josh Kiszka, and drummer Danny Wagner (along with producer Greg Kurstin) shine a light on just how much popular rock has changed and regressed.

Melding psychedelia, orchestra, and Zep-style musical flourishes, GVF cannot escape its source material. Jubilant chord voicings jangle and crash sweetly against Josh’s stratospheric wailing and Kurstin’s warm production. It’s a banquet of dreamy epic rock, pretentious touchy-feely lyrics, and ’70s-era Rush – all a good thing. Jake offers bombastic perfection as his multi-tracked guitars blend with piano, cello, organ, and vocal layers. “Age of Machine” and “Stardust Chords” echo the sounds of late-night, marijuana-drenched deep cuts. Jake is a student of the epic blues-rock guitar solo and handles his business like a boss.

The Battle at Garden’s Gate is a philosophical think piece on love, materialism, and modernity that finds the young ensemble evolving with confidence.

This article originally appeared in VG’s May 2021 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.