These Icelandic youngsters, founder/singer/guitarist Oskar Logi Agustsson is just 19, were easily the best live band I saw last year. Everyone who sees/hears this wunderkind play start spouting comparisons like Pat Travers, Frank Marino… you get the picture. While their debut for Nuclear Blast, in truth this album (minus ‘Psychedelic Mushroom Man’ bonus closer) was issued independently in their homeland and the good folks at the label are now bringing the rollicking 70s blues rock to larger audiences. Already winners at the Roadburn festival, slowly more people are being turned onto The Vintage Caravan, as the live arena (solos, improvising, distortion/feedback, etc.) is their strong suit.

No frills, heartfelt constructs are the name of the game here, leaving some room to jam. ‘Let Me Be’ is a guitar workout, while the acoustic tinged ‘Do You Remember’ ballad could be a country & western number, but that’s not why you should check out Voyage. Listen to the drum roll introduced, blown speakers fuzz-tone freakout called ‘Expand Your Mind’, infectious simplicity of ‘M.A.R.S.W.A.T.T.’ and the cowbell augmented ‘Midnight Meditation’ or the massive (11:58) ‘The King’s Voyage’. Groovy!