Psychedelia addicts from down under KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD must
be the hardest working band on the planet. So far they released 25 albums in 13 years,
an average of almost 2 per year (hello Radiohead?). Their most recent one is last year’s The Silver Cord (stream below). So, there’s a lot of artwork to choose from. TUTV picked these 5 ones.
British long-running music website LOUDER THAN WAR is, without a shadow of a doubt, my favorite one on the Internet. They support/challenge alt-rock, post-punk, guitar-pop and all related genres by as well, small indie artists as the big ones (old and new). My kinda stuff.
As we near the end of the year, best-of lists are coming in. LTW just published their, yes,Top 100of best 2022 LPs.
9th LP of the British glam heroes (1989–2003, 2010–present)
led by charismatic maestro Brett Anderson
Key single: 15 Again
Louder Than War: “An album to treasure for life. It really does contain all the bombast, swells and drama of the orchestral classical music so beloved by Brett’s father, but also an intimacy wrapped up in the intensity.”
TUTV: As much as I am a fan, this is too many Suede
by numbers. Except for one of the best singles of
the year with15 Again the LP doesn’t work for me.
Singer-songwriter from Chicago
with a vulnerable heart and soul.
His/her 6th full length.
Key single: Forever In Sunset
Louder Than War: “All Of Us Flames focuses on the resistance, the struggle, and the community of the threatened. Furman says the album is, “a queer album for the stage
of life when you start to understand that you are not a lone wolf, but depend on finding
your family, your people, how you work as part of a larger whole.”
DIY post-punks from Cheshire, UK with their 2nd longplayer.
Key single: Harmonia
Louder Than War: “This absolute scorcher of an album set alight the start of 2022
with a sonic bang of pure power that screams along at breakneck speed throughout,
one which burns but never crashes.
TUTV: To be honest I never heard of this band until now. Thank you Louder Than War. These guys are amazing. No brakes, no breaks. Bingo!
The hardest working band in the world. 23 albums in 12 years. Hallelujah.
Key single: The Tripping Tap (18-minute riff-manic psych jam)
Louder Than War: “Omnium Gatherum, a miscellaneous collection; eclecticism order of the day as they pull on every one of their strengths to create what just may be their least defined yet most defining record to date.”
Stu Mackenzie (their multi-instrumentalist): “This recording session felt significant. Significant because it was the first time all six Gizzards had gotten together after an extraordinarily long time in lockdown,” the band’s Stu Mackenzie said in a statement, “Significant because it produced the longest studio recording we’ve ever released. Significant because (I think) it’s going to change the way we write and record music, at least for a while.
A turning point. A touchstone. I think we’re entering into our ‘jammy period’. It feels good.”
This is the follow-up to the 18-minute psych-o-tic jam The Tripping Tap shared
a couple of weeks ago. Here the Aussies take a breather and move to la-la land…
The announcement of the new longplayer came with this message…
“PSA 4 the weirdo swarm! Gizz’s 20th: Omnium Gatherum. Track 1, The Dripping Tap
is out now. Pre-orders March 22. You’re gonna love Omnium Gatherum – it’s fun. Thanks
for stickin’ round for 20 albums, folks. Here’s to 20 more. I love you all. Love Stu Xoxox.”
Stu Mackenzie (their multi-instrumentalist): “This recording session felt significant. Significant because it was the first time all six Gizzards had gotten together after an extraordinarily long time in lockdown,” the band’s Stu Mackenzie said in a statement, “Significant because it produced the longest studio recording we’ve ever released. Significant because (I think) it’s going to change the way we write and record music, at least for a while.
A turning point. A touchstone. I think we’re entering into our ‘jammy period’. It feels good.”
These guys are totally nuts. 18 minutes of supersonic guitar schizophrenia. Like a jet on cruising speed. Holy cow! After the first (and so far the only one) listen I had the same problem as Pixies’ frontman Black Francis years ago: Where is my mind? Vocals? Oh yeah, here and there, if I remember well. I can’t imagine that they did more than 1 take of this mindfucker.
Prepare yourself for an electric chair experience…
