Caravan – For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night

Caravan – For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night

For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night is Caravan's fifth studio album, originally released in October 1973 on Deram Records. It is a significant recording from the Canterbury progressive rock scene, featuring an expanded line-up and a distinctive blend of melodic songwriting, intricate instrumental passages, jazz-influenced arrangements and British eccentricity. 

The album is particularly notable for the return of keyboard player Dave Sinclair, alongside the arrival of bassist John G. Perry and viola player Geoffrey Richardson, whose contributions helped give this incarnation of Caravan a richer, more expansive sound.

Its opening sequence, 'Memory Lain, Hugh' and 'Headloss', establishes the album's character through driving guitar work, intricate rhythmic changes and memorable keyboard passages. The inclusion of 'Hoedown', 'Surprise, Surprise' and 'C'Thlu Thlu' further demonstrates the band's ability to move between playful melodic ideas, sophisticated musicianship and more adventurous progressive rock.

The second side contains some of the album's most rewarding material. 'The Dog, The Dog, He's At It Again' is followed by the connected 'Be All Right' and 'Chance Of A Lifetime', before the extended closing suite 'L'Auberge Du Sanglier'. Bringing together 'A Hunting We Shall Go', 'Pengola', 'Backwards' and 'A Hunting We Shall Go (Reprise)', this ambitious multi-part composition showcases Caravan's inventive approach to progressive rock, with shifting musical themes and intricate instrumental interplay.

Produced by David Hitchcock, the album also benefits from its colourful instrumental palette, incorporating keyboards, flute, brass, strings and viola alongside the band's core rock instrumentation. These orchestral touches give the recording a particularly distinctive character, balancing the melodic accessibility of Canterbury rock with the musical sophistication of progressive rock's early 1970s golden era.

For fans of Caravan, Soft Machine, Hatfield and the North and the wider Canterbury scene, For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night is an essential piece of British progressive rock history. Its combination of eccentric English songwriting, jazz-influenced musicianship and expansive arrangements makes it a rewarding album for both established collectors and anyone exploring the classic Canterbury sound.

Tracklist

Side A

A1a. Memory Lain, Hugh – 5:00
A1b. Headloss – 4:19
A2. Hoedown – 3:10
A3. Surprise, Surprise – 3:45
A4. C'Thlu Thlu – 6:10

Side B

B1. The Dog, The Dog, He's At It Again – 5:53
B2a. Be All Right – 6:38
B2b. Chance Of A Lifetime
B3a. L'Auberge Du Sanglier – 9:46
B3b. A Hunting We Shall Go
B3c. Pengola
B3d. Backwards
B3e. A Hunting We Shall Go (Reprise)