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Pre-eminent Australian psych-rockers King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard have embarked on a collaborative album with UK conductor and keyboardist Chad Kelly, resulting in some of their most lush and elegant compositions to date. It wasn’t out of nowhere either, it came as a result of their shared love for all things vintage and microtonal. Gizzard’s forays into this alternate tuning style have resulted in some of their most beloved work to date, particularly their 2017 album ‘Flying Microtonal Banana’. Kelly on the other hand, being a historical keyboard enthusiast, would’ve known that he’d found kindred spirits in the Gizz boys. The idea to embark on a chamber psych odyssey seemed like the perfect way for the band to continue forward as creatives.
Stu has noted recently that the tracks we hear on this record were born out of loose ideas from their last full-length album ‘Flight B-741’. The boogie DNA leaving its fingerprints all over ‘Phantom Island’, like on the swaggering ‘Eternal Return’. It creates a through line between this album and their last, strengthening their musical universe. The same can be said for a moment like ‘Silent Spirit’, where southern-fried riffs and jazzy embellishments coalesce. This particular blend of sounds feels reminiscent of a cult-favourite like Blood, Sweat and Tears. It’s a stylistic mash that should be done more often.
The rocking ‘Deadstick’ stays true to its name and tells the tale of an unfortunate aircraft, needing to rely on blind faith to land itself. Musically it is similarly high-urgency, its backbone a high-octane collage of brass, horns and bluesy guitar licks. The illustrious opening cut is a disco jaunt that thrives off its generous horn section, making it sound like a transformed Gizz. ‘Aerodynamic’ is driven by wispy woodwind leads, giving the already spacey mix an even breezier quality. This is a major point I want to make in talking about this album. At its best, Phantom Island is leaning into its grandiosity. Making the orchestral qualities just as much a focus in the mix, instead of undercutting the importance of these additions. When they emphasise, they freshen these songs up a little bit.
The most unfortunate thing about the record though is perhaps its lack of adventure beyond the musical concept. Gizzard isn’t so much reinventing the wheel, as they are decorating it with bells and whistles. Granted, it is very well-executed on the performance front. King Gizzard as always are incredibly proficient and prolific musicians, and generally the songs are more-than-competently constructed. I suppose I have more of an appreciation for what they’re attempting on this record, rather than any sort of reverence for its ingenuity. It’s just another helping of King Gizzard, plus an orchestra. If you love King Gizzard, you should know what to expect.
Dan Will Review 