Greta van fleet - Palace for the people (2026)
An enjoyable classic rock album with some ambitious arrangements, excellent guitar work and a few strong melodies, although the songwriting and theatrical vocals occasionally become a little excessive.
Palace for the People sees Greta Van Fleet expanding their seventies-inspired rock sound with orchestral arrangements, acoustic passages and more progressive structures. The Led Zeppelin influences remain obvious, but the band introduces enough variety to make the album interesting, moving between energetic hard rock, atmospheric ballads and longer compositions.
“Saw You Stand” is my favourite track. I particularly enjoy its emotional atmosphere, the gradual development of the arrangement and the way the guitars support the melody. The orchestral elements add some depth without becoming overwhelming, and Josh Kiszka's expressive vocals work particularly well in this more restrained context. It's one of the moments where the band's dramatic approach genuinely serves the song.
“Born into This” is another highlight, with its ambitious structure, orchestral passages and excellent guitar work. “Lost in the Golden” has a good energy and some interesting instrumental developments, while “Boughten Bliss” offers a more delicate atmosphere with acoustic guitars and strings. “Dreams You Hold” also brings some enjoyable hard rock moments.
What I appreciate most is the quality of the musicianship. Jake Kiszka's guitar playing is particularly good, and the band knows how to create powerful arrangements without relying entirely on heavy riffs. The production is rich and detailed, and there are some effective contrasts between the quieter sections and the more energetic passages.
My main problem is that the album sometimes tries too hard to sound grandiose. Josh Kiszka's high-pitched vocals can become tiring, particularly when combined with the most elaborate arrangements. Several songs also feel longer than necessary, and not every instrumental development leads to a particularly memorable melody.
The seventies influences are still very obvious, and despite the attempts to introduce more progressive elements, I don't think the band has developed a completely distinctive musical identity. There's also some inconsistency between the stronger compositions and the more conventional rock songs.
Still, there are several enjoyable moments here, and I appreciate the effort to make the music more varied and ambitious. A solid album with some very good songs, even if I would have liked a little more restraint and stronger songwriting throughout.
68/100
❤️ Favourite track: “Saw You Stand”
Genre: Classic Rock
Country: US
Final Verdict: 68% (Good Album)
Yearly Ranking: 86th / 746
Highlight: Saw You Stand
Made me think of:
Led Zeppelin
Rival Sons
Crown Lands
An ambitious and enjoyable classic rock album, with powerful guitars, some interesting progressive arrangements and a few excellent moments, even if the vocals and songwriting can occasionally become a little excessive.
+ Excellent guitar work and ambitious arrangements
+ Interesting progressive and orchestral elements
+ Several strong melodies and atmospheric moments
– Occasionally excessive and tiring vocal delivery
– Some overlong compositions and uneven songwriting
– Still heavily influenced by seventies classic rock
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