Album: Omnium Gatherum (Tracks 1 and 2)
Artist: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Genre: #indie
Sub-Genres: #progrock #psychedelic #garagerock #synthpop
Label: KGLW
Non-Airable Tracks: none
Description:
Note: Omnium Gatherum is not fully out yet. So far, there are two released singles off of the album, Magenta Mountain, and The Dripping Tap.
If there is one thing King Gizzard is known for, it has to be their ability to dip their toes into a variety of genres and still create music that is characteristically them. Meandering and eclectic, we can already see within the first two tracks the Omniun Gatherum calls heavily to the prog-rock and psychedelic pop era in the 70s and early 80s. If you’ve ever listened to In the Land of Gray and Pink by Caravan, you will see the stylistic and thematic similarities.
The Dripping Tap: the musicality and lyricism of this track creates an impression of a psychedelic, swirling blur between reality and dreams. I would describe the texture, like many of King Gizzard’s songs (ex: Mind Fuzz), as grainy, twangy and layered. As is characteristic of prog rock, the riffs and motifs ebb and flow, creating a feeling of a journey. And honestly, the energy of the song from start to end is so fun and exciting. The only elements that I don’t fully enjoy are the muffled sound (which clearly a stylistic choice, as King Gizzard has done clearer productions in the past), as well as the song not having a terribly strong direction. However, this is still a favorite in my book!
Magenta Mountain: This song starts off with a clear and melodic electric guitar riff that sounds dreamy, optimist and almost nostalgic. This vibe carries throughout the entire song. I love the (contrast) between the clean, soft and sweet guitar tabs and the warm vocals. As Ambrose Kenny-Smith commented the track:
“You know when you have a really weird vivid dream and it sticks with you like glue?
One day I came into the studio and Stu was trying to write one of them down. He kept
banging on about this paradise called Magenta Mountain that he had seen but none of
us believed him. Every day since then he’s been still trying to convince us all that it’s
real and one day he will.”
Be on the lookout for the official release date, April 22nd!
Sounds Like:
Caravan
Ariel Pink
Psychedelic Porn Crumpets
Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Recommended Tracks:
The Dripping Tap
Alternatively, Magenta Mountain if you don’t feel like listening to an 18-minute song (this is how you know it's prog rock)
Reviewer’s Name: Tori Olender
Date of Review: 4/7/22