Melbourne's King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard are so preposterously prolific, they now have 18 albums under their belt and they're still a young band, that's it's easy to think, 'I'll give that a miss this time'. This is what I've generally done in the past as they often strike me as a band slightly akin to the Grateful Dead modus operandi, slightly lacking in the quality control department.
I'm very glad I've given their latest record Butterfly 3000 a listen however, because it's quite terrific from start to finish. Also a glistening one premised on a motorik pulse that provides the record with a thrilling and coherent momentum.
As a band they've often been more inclined to break things up and generate decidedly choppy waves of noise. Here though, harmony and conisistency seem to be the key ingredients. It's an impressively fluid listen.
Neu! and Kraftwerk are not the only apparent influences here, Gabriel's Genesis, Yes and Hawkwind are also audible within the mix. Though I usually blanch at too much Prog, it's used in the most purposeful and disciplined way imaginable here. This is a gloriously positive and disciplined affair. A wonderfully sunny and positive ride.
A 'lockdown' album inevitably. It does incredibly well to evoke the great outdoors. A fantastic soundtrack for hitting the road to or heading out to the beach, this is a proper trip. On first listen there was not a single song that I felt let the side down or the pace drop.
As I've confessed I'm no authority on the band, not having actually litened right the way through to many of their records but I think I've found the one with my name written on it. I think Butterfly 3000 is just wonderful. I just hope that others who share my own listening dispositions don't let it pass them by. It's an album that could convert many to their cause.
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