It’s – give or take – nine years since MV first saw The Vintage Caravan, and as well as announcing that “a rainy night in November shouldn’t be this fun,” we also said, “Slabs of classic 1970s rock wrapped up in psychedelics and blues are what they mostly trade in.”
Fast forward to their sixth album and all of that still rings true — only this time, the Icelandic trio are edging towards veteran status themselves.
“Philosopher” starts things off in fine style, all prog and whimsy until it isn’t — and then it hits hard. The guest appearance from Opeth’s Mikael Åkerfeldt is inspired, lending both weight and mystique to what’s already quite the statement of intent.
But perhaps it’s the “Portals” of the title that matter most. Scattered throughout the record, they create a sense of movement and space — moments that connect the heavy to the hypnotic. “Days Go By” travels on a deep, heady groove, and it’s that groove that defines so much of Portals. “Here You Come Again” has a real rumble to it, a swaggering confidence that makes it impossible to ignore.
“Current” is something else entirely: brooding, slow-building class. To call it “prog-tinged” would be to sell it short — this is prog, right down to its gallop. “Give And Take” meanwhile, is the work of a band utterly sure of themselves. Rival Sons would kill for a song like this.
Whether it’s heads-down rock or a slower burn, the record is full of highlights. “Crossroads” seeps into the consciousness almost by osmosis, and “Alone” digs into a blues tone of the more primal variety. “Freedom” feels like it was made for The Old Grey Whistle Test, while “Riot” is as heavy and fast as the band get — its solo is an absolute beauty.
Yet Portals also shows a lighter touch. “Electrified” carries a tonne of melody, “My Aurora” brings fragility with its acoustic heart, and closer “This Road” feels like it could have come out at any point in rock history and sounded just right. When Óskar Logi Águstsson sings, “This road has led me to you, I wouldn’t change a thing,” you believe him.
If little has changed in those nine years, that’s hardly a complaint. Portals feels like a natural evolution — the sound of a band who have grown into themselves completely. It might just be The Vintage Caravan’s career high.
Rating: 9/10
