Prolific garage jamming Aussies, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, return with their seventh album, and second of 2015.
Always an exciting prospect live, here the band have sailed from the darker tones of late to approach skewed-pop armed only with acoustic instruments. Things kick off with the funky jazz lounge of 'Sense', three and a half minutes of hushed vocals and simply stunning melodies. The following 'Bone' ups the ante and enters pure 60s trip-folk with it's strummed guitars and prominent clarinet. The titular track somehow (and suitably) reaches even dizzier heights and euphoria with its light-footed drumming and pleasing harmonica.
The band wisely add some density to proceedings with 'Trapdoor', a quick fire slice of spooky freak-pop that opens with a string sample that wouldn't be amiss on The Cure's 'Pornography'.
The following 'Cold Cadaver' is a stone cold indie stomper with added sunshine before things get a blues groove with 'The Bitter Boogie'. On the strength of this number it'd be interesting to see what this seven-piece could do with a purely blues album. Closing instrumental 'Paper Mâché' smartly goes full circle by playing snippets of each track's main melody, reminding the listener how ingrained in you ear they'd actually become.
The band have managed to capture their live energy with ease here, and in part due to this, and the album's relentless level of glee, it can become a tiring listen. However, one can't help but admire the band's enthusiasm and the gusto in which they've gone for these songs. A ray of light for the coming winter months.
7/10
Words: Sam Walker-Smart
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