King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard promised 5 albums in 2017, and it delivered exactly that. Gumboot Soup is the 5th and last project of 2017 from the Aussie band, and it follows Polygondwanaland, a free-for-all release the group urged fans to press up their own versions of (we have a very special colored-vinyl pressing). The psych rockers' prolific output is one thing, but even more impressive is the quality and consistency of their work, with Gumboot Soup being no exception. Stu Mackenzie, referring to the album, says that it is "a place for us to put a lot of different ideas that we're trying to experiment within the song, rather than within the whole record. And for me, some of my favorite songs of the year are on the fifth record." He's not lying, as this 13th effort from the band is not a collection of throwaways from its previous 4 2017 releases, but rather, a collection of well constructed numbers that perhaps lean more toward pop than its previous offerings. And that's not a bad thing, check out "Beginner's Luck," "All Is Known," "I'm Sleepin' In," or "Greenhouse Heat Death," and you'll immediately see.

• orange vinyl w/ red smoke and black splatter
• music label: ATO Records 2018

reviewed by rei kwondo 04/2018