The Flying Caravan – I Just Wanna Break Even Review

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Take a little bit of Pink Floyd, Renaissance, another of Yes, some 1980’s Art Rock as Marillion, and voilà, here we have The Flying Caravan with “I Just Wanna Break Even” – by the way I liked this name. “I Just Wanna Break” is a living example of how 1970’s Art Rock was made with seven tracks which two are pretty long as “The Bumpy Road To Knowledge,” – man, I love the names Flying Caravan give to their songs – and “A Fairy Tale For Grown-Ups” –  anyone say anything?. The here achives to emulate perfectly and flawlessly all the mood and instrumental of the genre of that time. There’s no note that is out of place.

The albums kicks off with the instrumental “Get Real” which has some touches of Jazz Rock with the electric piano and the cadence. The track really gave a wrong idea of what the album would be as I tought it would instrumental and Jazz Rock oriented. So, following track “Flying Caravan” took to the real place where the band stands: the 1970 Art Rock. As I said before, the band does a real mix of all the influences they had o Prog Rock and the list is a few bands that I mentioned before. “Flying Caravan” shows vocalist Izaga Plata and her sweet and Renaissanceish voice. I say that because it’s impossible not to remind the band when you hear to the song. The keyboards follow the same path giving this idea. Ideal track for those who desire something more happy or joyfull. I only say that sometimes in our lives this kind of feeling is needed. The vibe in the album may be too positive to some metallers. As I care only for the music I take it very kindly. Musicwise the album is neat and very well performed, if you ask me. “Upstream To Manonash” has a certain vibe of Pink Floyd especially in the beginning before the vocals when the keyboards and the strumming give an etheral vibe to it. Vocals, in the beginning, give it a pop approach. Not bad, just to the fan understand what happen here. However, the song, and vocals, change to something more Progressive. A highlight to “A Fairy Tale For Grown-Ups” the longest track of all the one with the most plot twists that make the track the most interesting of the album.

Ok, this is an ablum for the ones who really like Prog Rock in its purest state. Or for the ones who love retro music. There is nothing modern here. By the way, the jazzy oriented passages come back here. Oldie, but goldie.

The Flying Caravan “I Just Wanna Break Even” was released on January 11th via Paella Records.

Track Listing:

CD1

  1. Get Real
  2. Flying Caravan
  3. Upstream to Manonash
  4. Love´s Labour Mislaid
  5. The Bumpy Road to Knowledge

    CD2
    1- A Fairy Tale For Grown-ups
    I) Northern Lights
    II) Change Of Revue
    III) S.A.D. (Solitude Affective Disorder)
    IV) The World Had Turned Over (And I Couldn´t Hold On)
    V) Moonlight Labyrinth
    VI) Second Thoughts
    VII) The Sum Of Your Fears
    2- The Bumpy Road To Knowledge (Alt. Version)

Watch “Get Real” official video here: