King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – ‘Phantom Island’ album review: their most theatrical yet
THE SKINNY: During the 15 years that King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard have been making music together, they’ve become notorious for experimenting with a wide array of genres, adapting to everything from acoustic instruments to thrash metal. Their newest album, Phantom Island, is a confusing one, however, with the band continuing to stray further from their psychedelic and garage rock roots and closer towards…well, what sounds like a rock musical.
This is easily the Australian band’s most theatrical album to date, and it feels far removed from the albums that earned them their dedicated fanbase, like I’m In Your Mind Fuzz and Nonagon Infinity. While the band are known for constantly experimenting and progressing their sound, Phantom Island might be a step too far for certain fans, with its callbacks to slightly cheesy ‘70s rock and questionable vocal decisions.
As ever, the band’s musicianship is incredibly tight, and there are some great riffs and melodies – as well as some standout moments that disappear all too soon – but there’s something that doesn’t always work with the inclusion of strings and other classical instruments here. It’s not necessarily that the symphonic elements don’t gel with the more traditionally ‘Gizz’ parts, it just doesn’t always sound as good as you’d hope.
With dramatic orchestral parts and some of the band’s most playful demonstrations of their singing abilities, it’s certainly not a boring album, but it’s hard not to imagine the band bursting out from behind a curtain in costume and dancing round the stage as they perform the album to an eager crowd of Broadway fans. If a ‘70s-inspired rock musical is what the band members were going for, they certainly achieved their goal, but it often feels rather corny and lacking in the poignancy and endurance that comes with KGATLW’s strongest albums.
For fans of: Being a bit silly.
A concluding comment from an Infest the Rat’s Nest fan: “It’s a no from me.”
Phantom Island track by track:
Release: June 13th | Producer: Stu Mackenzie | Label: p(doom) Records
‘Phantom Island’: As keys, strings and horns open up the album with a layer of tension, the song explodes into something incredibly theatrical, although it eventually picks up into a frenetic and almost jazz-like end. [3/5]
‘Deadstick’: If this doesn’t make you think of a musical, I don’t know what will. Some listeners will surely love the classic rock-inspired guitars, but there’s just something here that feels beneath what KGATLW are capable of delivering. [2/5]
‘Lonely Cosmos’: With a deeply cinematic opening like something from a period drama, ‘Lonely Cosmos’ takes a quiet turn that feels a little awkward before evolving into a gentle and impressively cohesive palette featuring strings and flutes. [3/5]
‘Eternal Return’: This is a bit of a sillier one, with layered refrains that tease something greater. The band have always been prone to making songs that are rather playful, and some fans are going to embrace this one, while others certainly will not. [3/5]
‘Panpsych’: Blending the groove of retro rock with very exaggerated (and at times a little goofy) vocals, this is another Marmite-y number. [2.5/5]
‘Spacestick’: A flute-heavy song, it features some meaty riffs that stop the song from sounding one-dimensional, although the band demonstrate a welcome side of themselves with the more dreamier aspects of the track. [3/5]
‘Aerodynamic’: “I ain’t got hope, but I can’t help but smile,” the band tell us. This is a more upbeat number, but it feels a little unoriginal and tires quickly. [2.5/5]
‘Sea of Doubt’: While there is nothing particularly offensive about this song, it doesn’t stand out, and the album starts to sag with a sort of sameness by this point. [3/5]
‘Silent Spirit’: There’s something more rugged about the guitars that open ‘Silent Spirit’, and as the song continues, we get some more interesting instrumental elements that demonstrate what the band do best. [3.5/5]
‘Grow Wings and Fly’: Bringing the album to a euphoric end, the strings really work well here, as lyrics about dancing in the rain with one’s tongue sticking out and shedding skin like a skin offering up themes of renewal and acceptance. It doesn’t feel too musical-esque, and it’s a pleasant closer to an otherwise mish-mash of an album. [3.5/5]
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