As 2020 drags on for another five hundred years, one of the few genuinely bright spots is the amount of great new music coming out from all over the world. With their first release of the year, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard have released their latest LP, KG, and it’s a welcome return to form for this listener.
The record opens with the same desert wind effect as King Gizzard’s beloved Flying Microtonal Banana. As the singles for this album have indicated, KG is volume two in their microtonal experiment. This time around there are a few more acoustics, flutes, and tempo variation in the mix; while this record may not exactly break new ground for King Gizzard, it’s a fan-favorite sound and a very solid record.
As far as standouts go, “Intrasport” is the clear victor. With psychedelic crunch delivered via Middle Eastern disco, it shows that King Gizzard can still flex their creative muscles while taking another look at a sound they’ve done well in the past. Plus, as with Flying Microtonal Banana, the flow between the songs is nice and supple as well, particularly the three-song stretch of “Ontology” into “Intrasport” into “Oddlife.” Oh, plus the Sabbath riffage on “The Hungry Wolf of Fate” to close out the album.
Most King Gizzard albums have fierce critics and staunch defenders within the fan base; any band that produces material in disparate genres is bound to incite some heated discussions amongst its most loyal crowd.
With that in mind, KG might not be anything brand-spanking-new in terms of the sound itself, but it’s a great next step in their microtonal adventure with some really wonderful tracks. Give it a listen and find out for yourself.
