King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - 'Flight b741' Review

The hogs are squealin' and the Billy's are silly on King Gizzard's 26th(!) album.

If one thing is certain about King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, it's that nothing is certain about King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. The Canadian rockers will do anything and everything when it comes to their musical stylings, from spacey psych rock, to synth driven pop, and almost everything in between. After releasing ONLY 2 records last year (the fiery and intense 'PetroDragonic Apocalypse' and the synth pop driven 'The Silver Cord'), they have returned with 'Flight b741', this time channeling blues, prog, and funk rock acts of yesteryear to deliver something only they can.

At times, 'Flight b741' borders on goofy, carefree melodies which often contrast with the reflections on modern life and the slow progress of age that push the narrative lyrically. It's part yacht rock, part jam band, with equal parts King Giz psych thrown in. Somehow, it manages to separate itself sonically from most of the band's work thus far, a statement that seems hard to believe if you are aware at the freakish output they are known for. It's an album that never takes itself too seriously, and isn't afraid to dip its toe in the strange, silly and downright absurd. Whether it's the countless pig/hog symbolism on 'Hog Calling Contest', the buzzy and floaty 'Le Risque', or the silliest of billiest outros to 'Field of Vision', 'Flight b741 is certainly not short on ideas - something that remains consistent with the entirety of King Gizzard's library.

While it may not be a record for everyone, and some may certainly find the ham-fisted, toe tapping classic rock riffs too hard to take seriously, but if you have a fondness for prog rock, funk, or psych rock from the 60's/70's, this might be the album for you. It never comes off as derivative, at least in my opinion, as the shifts and changing melodic patterns from song to song keep things interesting, catchy, and downright fun to listen to. Each track feels like it's offering something new from an arrangement and melodic standpoint, and it pays a great deal of respect and care to the music they are drawing inspiration from.

Standout tracks: 'Mirage City', 'Raw Feel, 'Hog Calling Contest', 'Field of Vision', 'Le Risque', 'Daily Blues'

8/10