King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard

[Hemulen]

I've become worryingly obsessed with these chaps in recent weeks and I'm not entirely sure why. My first exposure was the video for People Vultures about a year ago (via the Cardiacs facebook group) and I thought "Oh that's nice, they're having fun, good for them" and thought nothing more of it. Then a couple of months later I found out about the whole endless loop gimmick on Nonagon Infinity and gave it a whirl because that kind of nonsense appeals to me. I had it in heavy rotation on my commute for a month or two, got a bit bored of it, moved on. I think maybe I checked out a different album around then (not sure which one) and kind of dismissed it. I got the whole garage/psych/krautrock thing they were going for but didn't feel any great urge to delve deeper into their absurdly prolific back catalogue.

...Until I suddenly did. In the last month or two I have been acquainting myself with pretty much their entire discography and even when individual albums seem a bit perfunctory or undercooked there's something undeniably impressive about them when taken as a whole. There are obviously far better bands out there, but there is something oddly magnetic and charming about their "fuck it, this'll do" approach. They're planning on releasing five albums this year. Unless you're Zappa (which they are very much not), that's simply too many albums, but I kind of admire the sheer chutzpah of it.

So yeah, King Gizzard... Kinda shit, kinda brilliant or a bit of both?

[ArtParrott]

I like them but yeah a bit of both I guess. I like that they don't take themselves too seriously but agree some stuff (like the recent Flying Microtonal Banana) isn't that good. Saw them in Camden at the start of last year and they were amazing, it just happened to be a bit of a sweet spot well after the release of Paper Mache Dream Balloon* (which is great) but before Nonagon Infinity so a decent varied set.

In the end Nonagon didn't really do it for me, so it's been a while since they've put out something I've really liked. The new album Murder of the Universe is interesting as well but it's basically their third 'concept' album on the bounce and I'd like to see them put out something a bit more considered and 'conventional'. That seems unlikely if there's 3 more records to come this year. However, one of those records is meant to be a collaboration with Mild High Club, who are great and that could be a belter.

If you like the gimmicky nonsense, check out Corners. It's an album of four songs which each come in at 10m 10 secs. I like it a lot.

*Awful name

[Dusty Gozongas]

I'm a "like" in this department. They're fun and quite psychedelic doncha know.

[Brundle-Fly]

I had this lot recommended to me only last week but got put off by the name so haven't investigated yet. This is odd because twenty-five years ago I would have been drawn to them purely by their ridiculous moniker.

What's a good entry point track?

[Dusty Gozongas]

What's a good entry point track?

You're either going to get inundated with suggestions or you're just going to have to find out for yourself...

It's that sort of band. Soz ;o)

[Dusty Gozongas]

To be very honest! For a change! Though!

They're a bit hard to explain. All you need to do is get NoSleep to explain, cos he knows his microtonal shit!

They're good.

[Brundle-Fly]

You're either going to get inundated with suggestions or you're just going to have to find out for yourself...

It's that sort of band. Soz ;o)

I was trusting Cab Oscillations taste impeccability.

And being lazy. I shall remedy this later.

[weekender]

I think these chaps cropped up in the general "What you listening to?" thread this week, and I liked them.

I dunno, imagine Pink Floyd or Grateful Dead on 45rpm instead of 33rpm, but it works?

They seem to like playing long tunes that take you musically to another place, but they just seem to do it a bit faster and groovier.

If you like the gimmicky nonsense, check out Corners. It's an album of four songs which each come in at 10m 10 secs. I like it a lot.

I have this labelled as 'Quarters', and so far I've just listened to the first one - The River - but I love it because it seems like talented musicians playing around and grooving.  It's like a session, but one where they're all really tight and just having fun. 

Here's the entry track which piqued my interest (warning, might be the whole album) - it's when they wig out at 2m 50s that I like.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ak2E0igSx8

IN THE INTERESTS OF HISTORY AND DOCUMENTATION I WANT IT RECORDED THAT ALL OF MY VINYL HAS MELTED AND I AM TOO HOT.

[ArtParrott]

Shit, yeah, Quarters. My mistake.

[Hemulen]

This KEXP session would make a pretty good introduction, I reckon. It's got the aforementioned "The River", plus the little medley that makes up the first chunk of I'm In Your Mind Fuzz.

So far, I've mainly stuck with their six most recent albums  (everything from 2014's I'm In Your Mind Fuzz to the just released Murder of the Universe) and I dig them all to varying degrees. I've just picked up Float Along – Fill Your Lungs after watching a blistering live version of the opening track, so I'm looking forward to getting acquainted with that one as well.

So yeah, after some initial reticence, this band's really got its hooks in me now. I don't think I've descended quite so rapidly into full blown obsession like this since discovering Cardiacs many moons ago. I still think in pure musical terms they're not really all that special, but it's their exuberance, gimmickry and undeniable work ethic that somehow combine into something really appealing for me.

Favourite album so far is probably still Nonagon Infinity, but Flying Microtonal Banana's a close second at this point. Rattlesnake is a belter.

[Dusty Gozongas]

I was trusting Cab Oscillations taste impeccability.

I'm a fly in the ointment. Was trying to  be humorous but they are one of those bands I think you have to check out to see if it clicks.

First one I heard was Gamma Knife, which is probably old hat these days, and I thought it was quaint. It took a little while before I actually grocked them.

[phantom_power]

Big fan of Billabong Valley. Not heard much else

[hard rocx and mettals]

Yeah, I've really taken to these guys over the last few months. I saw them play upstairs in a pub in Manchester a few years ago and deemed them unworthy of committing to memory. Like other posters have said, I was drawn in by the cyclical gimmick of Nonagon Infinity, but then realised there were actually some damn good tunes underneath the layers of psych rock faff. Not enough for me to adore the album, but enough to keep any of their new releases on my radar. And with a whole five of them (allegedly) on the way this year, I feel like they're going to be taking up a lot of my time.

[Hemulen]

Album #3 of 2017 is out today - Sketches of Brunswick East. It's a collaboration with a group called Mild High Club that I know nothing about, and is bringing their jazz influences to the fore, but it's still unmistakably a King Gizzard album.

After a single cursory listen I already feel confident in saying it's one of the best records they've put out so far. Highly recommended if you like their more lazy/ethereal stuff like Quarters and Paper Maché Dream Balloon.

[Kane Jones]

Album #3 of 2017 is out today - Sketches of Brunswick East. It's a collaboration with a group called Mild High Club that I know nothing about, and is bringing their jazz influences to the fore, but it's still unmistakably a King Gizzard album.

After a single cursory listen I already feel confident in saying it's one of the best records they've put out so far. Highly recommended if you like their more lazy/ethereal stuff like Quarters and Paper Maché Dream Balloon.

Glad you've said this. Of their releases this year, I enjoyed Flying Microtonal Banana but found Murder Of The Universe incredibly irritating.

[Hemulen]

Glad you've said this. Of their releases this year, I enjoyed Flying Microtonal Banana but found Murder Of The Universe incredibly irritating.

Yeah, MOTU was a bit of a letdown. I don't dislike the songs as such, but the narration tends to disrupt rather than enhance the music and all three parts felt like they were spread a bit thin. I've seen some very solid live renditions of Altered Beast and Lord of Lightning, which suggests that there's good ideas there and the problem lay more in the execution.

[Dr Syntax Head]

They've been on my radar for a while and I liked what little I heard. Now listening to the banana microtonal album and I dig it's krautrock vibe daddio

[Dusty Gozongas]

Already on youtube

These chaps are one of a certain few bands I always find myself wondering how they'd sound doing it proper jazzy. Haven't listened all the way through yet but as Hemulen says, "it's still unmistakably a King Gizzard album".  Niiiice.

[alan nagsworth]

I like them but yeah a bit of both I guess. I like that they don't take themselves too seriously but agree some stuff (like the recent Flying Microtonal Banana) isn't that good.

Are you off your bonce? It's a bloody great album!

I'm a big fan, they don't exactly blow my mind, but they absolutely ooze fun from every pore and it shines through in everything that they do. Their hardcore schedule and commitments, super fun videos and everything else about them is very admirable. Quarters is definitely one of my faves, and The River - coupled with its mesmerising video - is probably their most accomplished song. It's also fairly remarkable that in this highly prolific seven piece band, frontman Stu Mackenzie is pretty much the sole songwriter for everything.

I'm seriously pumped to hear the new one as Mild High Club's Skiptracing was one of my favourite albums of last year - super woozy psychedelic laid-back pop, for fans of Ween and Connan Mockasin for sure. Australia has produced so many great garage/psych bands over the last ten years or so!

[non capisco]

Australia has produced so many great garage/psych bands over the last ten years or so!

I'm still browned off I got into Eddy Current Suppression Ring seemingly after they split up.

On the Australian band front, they're not really garage/psych but I love The Drones so fucking much and I hope they tour over here.

[Brundle-Fly]

Album #3 of 2017 is out today - Sketches of Brunswick East. It's a collaboration with a group called Mild High Club that I know nothing about, and is bringing their jazz influences to the fore, but it's still unmistakably a King Gizzard album.

After a single cursory listen I already feel confident in saying it's one of the best records they've put out so far. Highly recommended if you like their more lazy/ethereal stuff like Quarters and Paper Maché Dream Balloon.

Yes, this is really lovely. Not heard of Mild High Club before now.  Sunny music for an unsunny August.

[Hemulen]

Album #4 (Polygondwanaland) is out on Friday as a free digital release. As in 100% free, with the band encouraging people to produce and distribute their own copies if they so wish. People are already crowdfunding vinyl pressings and whatnot. God bless these silly boys.

Here's a stonking big tune from it that they released a few weeks back. Please don't watch this video if you're at all prone to seizures. Please do watch it if you want your brain to feel all minced up and fidgety.

[alan nagsworth]

I'll be hugely impressed if they uphold the promise of releasing five albums this year.

[Hemulen]

I'll be hugely impressed if they uphold the promise of releasing five albums this year.

I think the unusual release plans for Polygondwanaland are in part an effort to make good on that promise. From what I read, that and the untitled fifth album were both completed more or less at the same time, so by outsourcing distribution to fans for this album they can concentrate on releasing the final one in a more conventional fashion.

[Hemulen]

They did it.

[Gregory Torso]

Such a shit name, though.

[alan nagsworth]

Gumboot Soup is not the best thing they put out in 2017 but I'd say at least half of it is bloody great. Superposition is such a fucking cracker of a tune. Also, the cover art is probably my favourite of the five:



Overall they're my musical act of 2017 for this fantastic feat. I would say around 70% of these five albums as a whole is grade A top tier King Gizzard material. Some of it is the best stuff they've put out. Even if they immediately turn to shit now, what they've accomplished in the last twelve months - let alone since 2012, spanning across thir-fucking-teen studio albums - is just phenomenal and worthy of high acclaim. Very proud of them.

[Hemulen]

I agree with pretty much all of that, Alan. I've only given Gumboot Soup the one spin so far, but I was impressed that far from seeming like a collection of B-sides or offcuts, it's more like a greatest hits comprised of entirely new songs! There is just something truly infectious about their energy, and they've wound up being one of a handful of ports for me in a fairly stormy year.

[Kane Jones]

BUMP BIZZARD & THE BIZZARD BUMPARD

Their latest album 'Fishing For Fishies' is fucking ace. So full of joy. I'm having a totally shit time at the moment, and listening to this is providing me with some much needed respite from the life bollocks. It's lighter than their previous stuff, but it's so full of fun. I'm finding it impossible to listen to without a big shit-eating grin plastered over my face. It's great. Listen to the bastard.

[Hemulen]

BUMP BIZZARD & THE BIZZARD BUMPARD

Their latest album 'Fishing For Fishies' is fucking ace. So full of joy. I'm having a totally shit time at the moment, and listening to this is providing me with some much needed respite from the life bollocks. It's lighter than their previous stuff, but it's so full of fun. I'm finding it impossible to listen to without a big shit-eating grin plastered over my face. It's great. Listen to the bastard.

Very agreed. It's only been out a couple of months but it's already potentially a top 5 Gizz album for me. As with Gumboot Soup the musical eclecticism is in full force, but there's a bit more lyrical cohesion this time, with strong environmental and social commentary pervading most of the songs.

Their next album (possibly titled Auto-Cremate and rumoured for release later this year) will apparently be a Gizzardy foray into thrash metal. They've released two singles so far:

Planet B
Self-Immolate

Daft buggers.