If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'D Do It All Over You

By mid-1969, Caravan enlisted the services of manager Terry King, who in turn secured the band a long-term recording contract with Decca Records. First out was the Soft Machine-esque single "If I Could Do It All over Again, I'd Do It All over You" b/w "Hello Hello." It had some success, which resulted in a Top of the Pops appearance for the band, perhaps also raising the bar for their second effort, to which the band responded with the incredulously titled If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You. The humor was ever-present, of course, with song titles (e.g. "And I Wish I Were Stoned") emblematic of what would become typical Canterbury humor. Each side of the record opens with a side of the 45 single; however, the album plays straight through, in another of the so-called Canterbury tradition: continuous play. "As I Feel I Die" starts off meekly, but picks up at a brisk pace as it unfolds. "With an Ear to the Ground / You Can Make It / Martinian / Only Cox / Reprise," the first in a Caravan tradition of multi-section suites, contains some particularly delicate moments, thanks in part to Jimmy Hastings's flute work. But their greatest strength here is excellent songwriting, both highly original and with a slightly psychedelic bent. Caravan's groove was neither funky nor bluesy, yet it had an undeniable swing. Sweeping melodies dominate, flowing in between with riff and groove-most notably on the epic (and appreciably hard-rocking) segment of "For Richard."