King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard are a seven piece psychedelic garage band from Melbourne, Australia formed in 2010. In the space of five years they have released two EPs and seven albums on their own record label, Flightless.
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard’s sense of unfettered sonic exploration makes them easy to mistake for a long-forgotten relic of the psych explosion of the ’60s. With a far-out sound that, at times, feels barely held together, the band evoke the eclectic rock experimentation of Frank Zappa’s early work with the Mothers of Invention as they follow their musical flights of fancy wherever they might go, and let the rest just fall into place on its own. In 2012, the band released 12 Bar Bruise, which they followed up just five months later with 2013’s Eyes Like the Sky, which the band somewhat enigmatically self-described as a “spaghetti western audio book.” A third full-length, Float Along, Fill Your Lungs, was released in 2013 and was quickly followed by 2014’s Oddments and I’m In Your Mind Fuzz. Still working fast, they released an EP in early 2015. Titled Quarters, it featured four trippy songs that each timed out exactly as 10:10. Later that same year they released yet another album, Paper Mâché Dream Balloon. Now signed to ATO Records, their sound took a detour from expanded jams and fuzzy freakouts to tightly constructed, but still weird, pop songs played exclusively on acoustic instruments.
In 2024, the new record (their 26th !) is Flight b741. It’s a rocker! This album marks the band’s 26th full-length release since forming in 2010, and their first under their new label p(doom) Records.
Compared to the previous two singles, “Field of Vision” suggests that Flight b741 will be a more musically diverse record for KGLW. The earwormy electric guitar riff is electrified even more when combined with keyboards and synths. A memorable drumbeat from Michael Cavanaugh and a good old-fashioned guitar solo also rip through, adding to the overall 1980s feel of the song. Lyrically, the song is a literal testament to the band’s work ethic and focus on their singular vision. This is illustrated by using references to cyclops, specifically Polyphemus, who was blinded by Odysseus in Homer’s The Odyssey. Ambrose Kenny-Smith’s sassy vocal delivery aids this interpretation, showing a semblance of awareness of their reputation and taking pride in it.
Ref: http://www.allmusic.com/artist/king-gizzard-and-the-lizard-wizard-mn0003085959/biography
http://kinggizzardandthelizardwizard.com/
Members:
Ambrose Kenny Smith
Cook Craig
Eric Moore
Joey Walker
Lucas Skinner
Michael Cavanagh
Stu Mackenzie
Noah Taylor