Review Summary: Neat to look back on when you’ve been properly immersed in the Gizzverse.
King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard is one of my favorite bands to have come out in the 2010s and arguably one of the most important. While many bands seem to use eclecticism as an excuse to run through multiple genres in every song, discarding each one whenever they get bored, the Australians have a more committed approach as an entire album will be devoted to exploring a particular style. Results may vary but the sheer variety of sounds they develop helps justify their ever-growing discography. Throw in consistently eyepopping artwork, an intense live show, and lyrics hinting at a larger universe, and you’ve got a recipe for a group that’s always entertaining to follow.
But with that said, their first full-length comes from humbler beginning and is driven by a mostly conventional garage rock style. The production is incredibly raw as the instruments often clash in a raging morass of fuzz while the tempos fluctuate through sixties-inspired psych rock with flourishes of punk. The guitars are driven by flailing surf shredding and Syd Barrett-esque hiccups, the rhythms are relentless, the harmonica and keyboards put in even more distorted flavors, and the vocals keep a melodic presence while often giving into the madness.
This off-the-cuff method makes for an album that stands out as a whole experience than for individual songs, but the writing manages to be solid and enjoyably varied. The title track provides the first major curveball with an appropriately bluesy stomp coming through the haze while “Garage Liddiard” and “Uh Oh I Called Mom” make the most of that surf rock loopiness, and “Blood Ripper” has more pop than the brutal title would suggest. The western-flavored spoken word on “Sam Cherry’s Last Shot” even provides a hint at the weirdness that would define their next outing.
While 12 Bar Bruise doesn’t have much of the mind-bending eclecticism of subsequent efforts, it immediately establishes King Gizzard’s energy in fun, noisy fashion. It feels like they were setting a template of future efforts with this album rather than aiming for a particular standout quality; the lo-fi production hints at the intensity of their live shows and the varied songwriting reflects the influences that would be given greater attention hereafter. Not the sort of album that’s recommended for getting a first impression, but certainly neat to look back on when you’ve been properly immersed in the Gizzverse.
