If you’re familiar with King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, then many things come to mind at the single mention of their name; whimsical melodies, a drumming duo, songs that far surpass the five-minute mark and a plethora of guitar riffs overloaded with fuzz.
With the ability to sell out just about every Australian tour they play, and a fan base that’s so committed they’ll attend five consecutive Melbourne shows in a week, these psych rock kings have garnered one hell of a reputation in the scene for their sweat-drenching live shows and prolific writing.
The seven-piece took us on a whirlwind journey with Eyes Like The Sky and Float Along/Fill Your Lungs last year. This year saw the arrival of Oddments, a chaotic, mind-warping LP that scored them a nomination at this year’s AIR Awards. Now, for the fifth time in their career, the band are delivering the brain-frazzling record that takes form as I’m In Your Mind Fuzz.
So, is it possible for a band as prolific and hardworking as the Gizz to maintain their cult-like status and meet the high expectations so many have established? And what’s mind fuzz?
We took a trip inside the record – here’s what we learned from it:
Having The Same Drum Pattern Across Most Of The Album Actually Works
Seeming slightly mathematical, in a sense, I’m In Your Mind Fuzz does mess with your mind and give you total deja vu.
It opens with ‘I’m In Your Mind’, three and a half minutes of heart-racing, toe-tapping King Gizzard tradition which sees jangly guitar making sharp entrances at every chance possible. The rhythmic patterns of the bass and drums particularly stand out, and are carried over into the following track, ‘I’m Not In Your Mind’. This time, guitars elude minor tones, eventually becoming more and more chaotic and fuzzed out.
‘Cellophane’ then makes its appearance, the lead single of the album. The past seven minutes have built up to this – a dynamic, head cooking number set to send any mosh pit into a frenzy.
The chorus – ‘cellophane, cellophane’ chanted over and over is paired with one hell of a catchy melody that burrows in the back of your brain for a while and pops out when it feels the time is right. The backbone of the track is carried over once more into ‘I’m In Your Mind Fuzz’ – as indecisive as the names of the past tracks have been, it seems that with this little number the band have finally made it to their ‘mind’ destination point.
Flutes And Harmonicas Can Be cool
If you thought the wonders of the wind section couldn’t get any hotter, think again. This album pays tribute to the shrill tones of the flute, and the rasp of the harmonica.
The addition of these instruments give the album a rustic, home-grown feel and ultimately serve as perfect contributions to the addictive wall of noise that erupts from this record. It’s present from the first minute of the album, with the flute’s dramatic tremolos floating in and out of the thick smog created by those signature guitar effects.
‘Cellophane’ wears the harmonica on its sleeve, and the pure chaos of ‘Am I In Heaven?’ is merely fuelled by that dainty flute – dynamic, dangerous and an all-round delight. ‘Hot Water’ is a nice contrast in terms of time signature and the dominance of the flute. It gives a very spring-like feel; a lovely, sweet track that serves as a suitable break before delving into the vigorous mind fuzz once more.
King Gizz Can Do Love Ballads, Too
The album rounds out with ‘Her And I (Slow Jam 2) – a cute little love track that shakes things up a little by throwing in a dash of surf rock into the pot.
With the ever-present fuzz still lingering, an acoustic guitar breaks its way through as vocalist Stu Mackenzie croons “it wouldn’t hurt to give you more, my love” in a very boy-band fashion, complete with harmonies. As the track comes to a close, it seems a fitting ending to a crazy whirlwind of a record that’s floored the acceleration pedal until the motor stopped running.
It’s A Record Made For The Live Stage
The experience of sitting through I’m In Your Mind Fuzz just simply isn’t enough. Nor is listening to it with headphones, or getting drunk, popping on your turntable and cranking it in your bedroom or lounge as you dance wildly.
This album is built for the pub band room – shirts soaked in sweat, shoes missing, overly intoxicated men with perspiration dripping from their long matted hair and beards. Pure, unadulterated fuzz oozes from the LP as every second passes. Dirty, hazy and in total pandemonium, I’m In Your Mind Fuzz leaves you begging for more of that lo-fi goodness once the psychedelic adventure comes to a close.
I’m In Your Mind Fuzz is out locally via Flightless/ Remote Control October 31st
The band are playing as part of Sugar Mountain 2015 (Jan 24th), info over at www.sugarmountainfestival.com
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