How many bands do you know within their first five years of inception have been able to release six studio albums, and a handful of EPs – other than the awesome The Brian Jonestown Massacre? Can’t think of any off the top of your head? Thought not! Well let us give you an answer…
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard are a seven piece psychedelic garage rock band from Melbourne, Australia who have been relentlessly working their asses off and releasing albums more frequently than most bands possibly release in their entire careers (on average releasing two studio albums a year). Late last year ,the band released the quite frankly incredible psych-punk trip, I’m In Your Mind Fuzz – an album that we wished we had reviewed, because it happened to be one of the best releases of 2014 that we never gotten around to hearing! This time around we are treated to a four track studio album called Quarters! – four songs conveniently consisting of 10 minutes and 10 seconds in length each.
One thing that has always set apart King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard‘s music from other bands, is their incredibly versatile use of production and sound manipulation, as well as their diversity within musical instrumentation. Once again this is further displayed on this album, however Quarters! focuses more on its musical experimentation which can at times lean towards the boundaries of pure self-indulgence. But the fact is, no matter what album King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard release, they provide you with such an interesting and diverse musical pallet, that any preconceptions of pretentious self-indulgence are immediately shattered. They are most certainly a band that you can truly rely on to give you the substantial listening experience you truly deserve.
Whilst Quarters! lacks the immediacy of their previous album I’m In Your Mind Fuzz, this is more of an album that you could quite easily kick back to on a summer’s day with your friends at a barbecue and share a blazing joint with. A backseat musical journey which enchants you with its magic, lifts you to its peak and carries you right back down when you reach your destination. Whilst this album is a short-lived yet thoroughly enjoyable diamond in the rough, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard are a band that are doing special things right now that sets them apart from every other band on the planet, and for this reason alone they should warrant and demand your immediate attention!
