Every so often, a band or an artist comes a long that sounds like they traveled to modern times through a musical time machine to remind everyone what music used to sound like.
Sure, some artists' sounds can be heavily rooted in the synths of the '80s or guitar riffs from the '70s, but think about what Amy Winehouse did with her 2008 album "Back to Black." Winehouse completely transported listeners back to the sounds of '60s girl groups and retro vibes.
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The same can be said about one of the best new bands touring the country today, Greta Van Fleet. With just a pair of EP's under their belt and a lead singer who channels the ferociousness of Robert Plant circa 1973, Greta Van Fleet is primed to become rock legends.
Here are five things you need to know about this buzzy band.
1. The band is made up of three brothers and a friend: Josh Kiszka (vocals), Jake Kiszka (guitar) and Sam Kiszka (bass) formed the group after their parents raised them on old school rock 'n' roll. The brothers recruited their friend Danny Wagner for drums and the rest is history.
2. They are from postcard town Frankenmuth, Michigan: It's pretty bizarre to think that a band that has so many influences and has done their homework in rockology (that's the made-up study of rock 'n' roll for you nerds) hails from a small town in Michigan that is home to the "World's largest CHRISTmas store" and Bavarian-style fried chicken. It seems that the band does enjoy their hometown roots. They even named the band after a resident of Frankenmuth. Gretna Van Fleet gave the band her blessing. The boys dropped the "n," however, because it sounded nicer.
3. They have the stamp of approval from rock royalty: It's one thing to sound like Led Zeppelin, but it's another for Robert Plant himself to say in an interview that Greta Van Fleet is "Led Zeppelin 1." Other fans include Elton John, who they played with recently, Guns N Roses, who they are opening for in Europe this summer, and Bob Seger, who they opened for at a metro Detroit show last summer. If Plant, John and Seger all dig your sound, you gotta be doing something right.
4. They know how to cover a song: Covering a song can take some bands into karaoke territory, but Greta Van Fleet is smart with the songs they choose to cover. Instead of picking the obvious "Stairway To Heaven," the boys chose to cover Fairport Convention's "Meet on the Ledge" and Sam Cooke's masterful "A Change is Gonna Come," giving both songs a new spin. They even covered Adele's "Rolling In The Deep," for a Spotify session and Josh Kiszka gives Adele a run for her money in the chorus. Come for the incredible original music and stay for a clever cover.
5. A new album is on the way...hopefully: It's pretty incredible to think that a band with just eight songs out in the world is already scheduled to open up for Guns N Roses, but old and young generations are both obsessing over their music and the hype is real. In an interview with the Metro Times, the band reveals that they haven't finished their debut album, but aren't getting a hard push from their label. Their plates are currently full with constant touring until mid-October, so don't be surprised if you have a wait a little longer for new music from these masterful musicians.
You can see all of Greta Van Fleet's tour dates here.