Ben F. on Nostr: Polygondwanaland by King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard. KG&tLW is a band I've heard of ...

Polygondwanaland by King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard. KG&tLW is a band I've heard of quite a bit, but with close to 25 albums to their name, I had no idea where to start. Since I did hear that they hopped around genre-wise, I searched for "the most prog King Gizzard album", and consensus seemed be on Polygondwanaland. Although you might be excused on the basis of the track listing for thinking this could not possibly be prog (10 songs, only two of which pass the 4mn mark) it's eminently prog: concept album (though I'm still struggling a bit to understand the narrative), lots of 70s sounding synths, occasional bits of flute and harmonica, odd time signatures galore, and recurring musical themes across all these tracks. In fact, they even cheat on track length because some tracks segue into each other. I've only listened to it a few times, and not necessarily in the best conditions, but I already know I like it and will be revisiting it. I love the opening track Crumbling Castle, definitely a classic. The synth bass ostinato on Deserted Dunes Welcome Weary Feet is fantastic, especially against the polymeter on top of it. What I find really interesting with this album is that in a day when most new prog is a form of metal, Polygondwanaland is proper prog. But also, while it does reference and nod towards 70s prog, it does so in a very modern way. It doesn't feel like a nostalgia album, it's very fresh. #music #progressive #rock