It appears as though Greta Van Fleet may soon be saying “Hello” to a new producer to follow up Anthem of the Peaceful Army — the Michigan band's divisive chart-topping debut.
The Detroit Free Press confirms that GVF has put the prolific Greg Kurstin at the helm of its sophomore record, which may be released as early as this year. Kurstin, who has had a hand in some of pop music's biggest releases, is said to be working with the band in Los Angeles where Kurstin originates.
The 50-year-old producer and songwriter has an eclectic resume. Kurstin has worked with a range of pop-stars (Sia, Adele, Pink, and Kelly Clarkston, to name a few) as well as top rock acts like the Foo Fighters, crossover artists such as Kendrick Lamar, and legacy artists — namely, Paul McCartney.
Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl called Kurstin a “fucking genius” with unmatched “sonic intuition” in reference to his work on Foo's 2017 record, Concrete & Gold. The New York Times lauded the record for demonstrating the band's ability to strike a balance between being disciples and trailblazers, as both Grohl and the rest of the Foo Fighters “wear their influences so openly” — commentary that has been regularly weaponized against GVF's derivative retro rock.
Earlier this week, the Grammy Award-winning Frankenmuth foursome received some friendly advice from Detroit's own Jack White: “If you keep pushing forward, that shit will go away,” White told Rolling Stone in reference to the tireless comparisons between GVF frontman Jake Kiszka and Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant.
GVF guitarist and one of the band's three brothers, Jake Kiszka confirmed the push into a new direction when speaking with NME last week: “We're working on something quite different.”
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