Caravan - For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night (1973)

[Guybrush]

This is a discussion thread for the Caravan album For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night from 1973. It was homework in the Prog & Fusion Album Club in March 2011.

Here's a rough description :

Originally Posted by tore

Caravan - For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night



The origin of the Canterbury scene hails back to the band The Wilde Flowers who played concerts in the 60s. When the Wilde Flowers broke up, some members went on to form Soft Machine while some went on to form Caravan. While Soft Machine went more experimental and jazzy, Caravan generally started out as a psychedelic rock band that became a progressive rock band before they became more or less completely pop. Somewhere in that development of their sound they achieved what I think is the perfect marriage of pop-rock and progressive rock. That record is For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night and I figure the only reason people always hail In the Land of Grey and Pink as the finest Caravan record is because they haven't heard this one.

Plump Girls is a seductive prog-rock album containing gorgeous pop hooks and a feelgood atmosphere from start to finish. For those who like guitar rock, it may just be the perfect entry point into Canterbury or prog rock in general. The amount of earwigs means you may not be able to get it off your mind after a couple of listens, so check it out.

PS! Imo, the tracklist gets better over the course of the record, but remember it only has 7 tracks! Later releases tend to have a lot of bonus material.

So, what do you think?

[Guybrush]

This is the album which started my personal interest in Canterbury. This one turned me onto In the Land of Grey and Pink which, after a bit of research, made me pick up Soft Machine's Third and then the ball was rolling.

There was something about this album and the place I was at both physically and mentally at the time of listening that, despite all it's feelgood and somewhat subtle nature, hit me like a brick. For a prog album from the 70s, I find it super accessible with some gorgeous pop hooks, but I guess it was the good naturedness of it which really made it stand out for me. It's like Caravan really want you to have a good time while listening to it, whether it's the first time you do it or the hundredth. Considering how avantgarde most of the scene is, that makes it a very good Canterbury entry album I think, particularly for those who like pop and rock from the 70s.

Which song is my favourite changes, but generally I like tracks 1, 3, 5, 6 and 7 the most. At the moment, I think I like the last clutter of songs (track) the most perhaps. They are :

• Track 7
  • L'Auberge Du Sanglier
  • A Hunting We Shall Go
  • Pengola
  • Backwards
  • A Hunting Shall We Go (Reprise)

Something which is interesting if you look at that list of titles is Backwards which is a song also played by Soft Machine but not released by them at the time this album came out. Soft Machine's version was released later on the live album Noisette which was recorded in 1970.

So, these kind of things interest me and perhaps they interest you too so here's Soft Machine's version if you want a comparison.

[Ska Lagos Jew Sun Ra]

As any good prog album, very impressive instrumentally. Nice lengthy songs, Albeit I found it to be very good, I can't call it excellent. Feel it's a tad too poppy sometimes. I mean the whole dual harmonized happy British vocal tone was a tad too kitschy for my tastes.

Regardless, the album has some very brilliant instrumental sections. Even if it lacks that unique quality that I would expect from a top shelf prog album, it's definitely a very solid showcase of true talent.

[crukster]

Man I've never heard this album. Good results on the poll, I'll have to check it out.

Self titled was pretty awesome - better or worse than their self titled album, whats people's opinions?

[snagglepuss]

While its not my favorite Caravan album it has some great songs on it Headloss, Memory Lain, Hugh and The Dog The Dog He's At it Again