Formed in 1968 from the ashes of the same Wilde Flowers which gave the world Soft Machine’s Kevin Ayers and Robert Wyatt, Caravan were a quintessential psych-into-proto-prog mainstay of the thriving UK club and college circuit. Their debut single, Place Of My Own, forged a sublime template for songs combining English whimsy and often-complex arrangements bathed with innate melodic feel which flowered on their self-titled debut album, released on US Verve. The group then joined Decca-Deram’s fertile late 60s/early 70s offensive on subsequent albums If I Could Do It All Over Again, I’d Do It All Over You and In The Land Of Grey & Pink, the latter considered something of a peak.
Further albums followed, including 1974’s live recording with the New Symphonia Orchestra at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, before the group dissolved in 1976 (though they’ve since reformed in recent years, singer-guitarist Pye Hastings and drummer Richard Coughlin the only original members). In terms of musical scope and convoluted, classically-tinged romps, Caravan could be regarded as prog pioneers standing just as tall as louder outfits who reaped major success. Hastings’ stoner lyrical surrealism also, however, laced them to a grand tradition going back to those Canterbury origins. Universal’s four CDs gather album highlights up until 1976’s Blind Dog At St Dunstan’s, along with BBC sessions and two previously-unreleased tracks, astutely encapsulating a sometimes overlooked part of England’s musical heritage.
