Review: Greta Van Fleet Release Latest, ‘Palace For The People’ – Are They Finding Their Identity?

The Brothers Kiszka – Josh (vocals), Jake (guitar), Sam (bass) – and drummer Danny Wagner, also known as Greta Van Fleet have returned with their fourth album Palace For The People. I’ve been on these guys bandwagon since the Rock Chick wandered into the B&V labs in 2017 and said the famous words, “I don’t know who this Greta Van Fleet chick is, but she rocks.”

At the time she was referring to their blistering, rocking first EP Black Smoke Rising with songs like “Safari Song” and “Highway Song” that made us think they were the reincarnation of Led Zeppelin. They followed that up with a “double-EP” From The Fires that had 4 new songs along with the 4 tracks from the first EP. Yeah, I found that slightly confusing too.

Since that Zeppelin’y start the band has released four albums (now) with mixed results. Over the course of the last almost decade I kept saying, these guys may have started out cosplaying Zeppelin but they will eventually find their voice, their sound.

That hasn’t always been a smooth journey. I really liked Anthem Of A Peaceful Army (2018) their debut album, but The Battle At The Garden’s Gate (2021) left me a little cold. Although going back and listening to it, I may have been a little hard on that record. At the time I felt it was too much mid tempo stuff.

I felt they were headed in the right direction and was back on the bandwagon after Starcatcher (2023). But again, that mid tempo thing was the flavor of the day. After that tour the band went on a bit of a hiatus. Jake Kiszka formed Mirador with Ida Mae lead singer/guitarist Chris Turpin and released an album. Sam and Danny Wagner both did some production work.

Overall I think they’re coming back to Palace For The People refreshed and ready to rock. Mike Elizondo (Eminem, Fiona Apple) is on hand as producer. From Eminem to Fiona Apple is quite the range, I might add.

I have to tell you, this album does rock but not with that enamel peeling volume of the first EPs. There’s an intensity to these guys that I just like. There may not be a giant hit lurking on this album but it’s solid from front to back. Not everybody is going to like this (see, for example The Rock Chick) but it’s still four guys with guitar/bass/drums/vocals and that’s always welcome to my ear.

There’s a lot of acoustic guitar on these songs – enough that I was thinking, “Is this their Led Zeppelin III?” The acoustic is usually melded with an electric guitar as if these guys are permanently in an “Over The Hills And Far Away” zone. While I criticized them for being too mid tempo on Garden’s Gate, I’m digging what they’re laying down here. It won’t change your life, but it’s a very solid record.

Josh’s vocals remain operatic (early Plant or Geddy Lee) in their intensity. His vocals carry and in many ways elevate a lot of the tracks here. The rhythm section is capable if not exceptional. I like that Elizondo is pulling some new, interesting guitar textures from Jake as well.

I’ve already posted about the first two singles, “Play Your Games” and “Saw You Stand” already so I won’t say much about those songs other than they have grown in stature for me with repeated listens. Josh’s voice is a bit histrionic on “Play Your Games,” but when is it not?

The album starts with a 1:42 intro “Into The Beginning” with Josh’s wordless vocal creating anticipation…and was very Motley Crue of them. They then launch into “Tear It Down,” which I was expecting to hit me with the full force of their early rock songs. It doesn’t do that, it rocks but there’s a lot of acoustic there too. I like the song, it’s just not what I expected. I love the pace of the song, it gallops.

There are a lot of highlights on this record for me. “Heart And The Beat” starts off as a nasty little riff rocker and then settles into a nice groove. “Dreams You Hold” is a good rock song with a tasty solo, as we used to say.

“Boughten Bliss” is an acoustic ballad that left me a little cold, but they bounce back quickly with “Field Of Stars” that starts acoustic but soon turns up the volume. I liked “Lost In The Golden” and the guitar playing there. I could say the same for Jake’s guitar on “Touch Again,” which I believe is a plea for morning sex.

“Heya” is another acoustic, mystical track. It’s a standout song near the end of the record. Danny even gives us some heavy drum beats along the way. All roads lead to the guitar solo on that song. “Call My Own” is in a similar vein with the acoustic/electric meld.

“Born Into This” is the longest track at over 6 minutes and it’s a trippy end to a pleasant rock journey. It all left me thinking, these guys have finally found their sound. After the exuberant early music they’ve settled into a laid back rocking groove. It may not be the scorching rock we all wanted but it’s damn good and kudos to them for giving themselves the space to figure out who they were.

Turn this one up loud and give it a few spins, it’ll grow on you. If I’m thinking about it, most of GVF’s albums tend to grow on me the more I listen to them. There are so few new rock bands, I’m gonna hang in there with these guys. And thank god there are no synths on this record.

Cheers!