Greta Van Fleet – From The Fires

Where's the line between being influenced by classic bands and being a copycat of these very bands?

Greta Van Fleet's quick breakthrough was their debut E.P. "Black Smoke Rising" in 2017 and one of its songs, "Highway Tune", became a fair success (for the contemporary classic rock standards, anyway).
The E.P. stirred both enthusiasm and criticism, as for some GVF were sounding a little too much alike Led Zeppelin.

Even listening to Josh Kiszka's voice was almost like listening to a young, exultant Robert Plant.

But there's something else here than a discussion on whether GVF are original enough or not.

At the end of the day, most contemporary bands are widely influenced by classic rock luminaries (my favourite contemporary classic rock band, Rival Sons, are never far away from Page & Co.) and, oh well, weren't Led Zeppelin themselves involved in some copyright claims?

The true question is: does it make you bleed?

As far as I'm concerned, I'm not worried with GVF sounding a little bit too much like Led Zepp.
My main issue here is that they don't stir me a tenth of what Led Zeppelin do.

Don't get me wrong, the guys have the chops and sure know how to write a good rock song.
They just lack the... venom Page & co. had.

Released in the same year, "From The Fires" would be a "Black Smoke Rising" expanded edition, as it actually presents the same songs plus four more tracks that follow it's younger sibling stylistic path inch by inch, and songs like "Edge Of Darkness" or "A Change Is Gonna Come" while trying new elements such as choirs, are still heavily influenced by the usual suspects.

Is this a bad thing? That's up to everyone but, to me, and despite the above mentioned lack of fire, it's always good news that there are young guys out there willing to grab a guitar, hit the drums or sing their lungs out for the love of rock so, even if GVF are not among my most frequent listens, I wish them a long a prosperous career so they will find their own voice and, who knows, become as influential as those who inspired them.

Aug20. Okay, yes, I am a very latecomer to this band. I didn't ignore them b/c they sound too much like Led Zeppelin. I have no problem with bands wearing their references on their sleeves and am just rapt to hear young rock bands even aware of such sounds. I had heard a few songs here and there, but found the vocals a little annoying and did not really tune in (other than one song that is not on this album). Then a few songs from this one made their way into my Checking Out playlist and from there into my head.
'Black Smoke Rising' is now a regular song rattling around in my head. I love everything about it. It is left to finish off the album here, and what an end.
'Safari Song' kicks off the album and it is another that has wound its way into my H100. It is basically a modern Led Zeppelin song. If you like such bands, I am not sure how you could hate bands in the 2000s playing this stuff. People often complain about 'music today' and then bands sound just like they did in 'their day' and still are not good enough. Weird.
'Edge of Darkness' is a cracking slower tune and 'Flower Power' gets the acoustic guitars out and tones things down even further. As a punk-lover, I am probably not meant to love such hippy sounds, but the guitars (and mandolin?) in this song are bliss. 'Change Is Gonna Come' is a pretty good organ-driven song with some gospel backing vocals, but not sure I would have sequenced a 3rd slower song in a row.
Things pick up with another that made its way into my #2017Hotterest100: 'Highway Tune' - the riffing in this song is irresitible. 'Meet on the Ledge' is another slower song, but starts to build towards the end then followed by the swagger of 'Talk on the Street' into cracking closer (already discussed). Yeah, this has won me over. 4/5