Skott - "Wolf": TRACK REVIEW

Photo credit: http://genius.com/Skott-wolf-lyrics

Recently, as I was spelunking the new releases on Spotify, I stumbled on a little British gem. Her name is Skott, and besides the fact that she's British and that, according to her record label, she grew up in a commune of social outcast musicians in the woods, that's all that anyone seems to know about Skott at this point. 

But this sense of mystique generated by her anonymity is part of the appeal of her debut double A-side single, "Porcelain / Wolf." Like a wisp in the woods, I don't know where she came from, what she is, or where she's going, but what she's doing is beautiful. 

Of the two singles, "Wolf" in my opinion is the stand out track. We're greeted by a delicate piano chords and an undulating, subtle rhythm which are brought to life by Skott's stunning vocals. She smoothly glides up and down pentatonic scales as she sings in the chorus, "I'm a wolf, howling in the moonlight, calling out like a fool," exhibiting her delicate head voice.  On the verses, we're treated by her rich and arresting lower register as she bemoans the changes and uncertainty wrought by a love gone awry. She wonders aloud, "What is eternal about love? Is there a way to turn it off?"

The woman, the myth, the Jedi: Skott
Photo credit: http://pigeonsandplanes.com/music/2016/06/skott-porcelain-premiere

She certainly wears her influences on her sleeve--electro-pop indie heroines like Bjork, St. Vincent, and the Knife/Fever Ray instantly come to mine. At points, Skott teeters on the edge of imitation, like the melody she sings on the verse that sounds straight out of Annie Clark's playbook. But the songwriting, her stellar voice, and the sonic choices she makes--dance beat + strings + electronic mysticism--give the track a unique enough sound to feel like a fresh and welcome contribution to the oft-times stagnant and overcrowded genre of indie synth pop. 

Give the track a spin, tell me what you think, and tell me your favorite track that you've stumbled upon recently!

King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard - Nonagon Infinity: ALBUM REVIEW

Listen here.

The only thing more fun than saying "King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard" is playing Nonagon Infinity on repeat. The album title for King Gizzard's eighth studio album is quite literal: Nonagon Infinity is a 9-track album that flows seamlessly from one track into the other, and loops perfectly from the final track back to the opening track.  

I feel like a lot of bands have thought about making an infinitely looping album like Nonagon Infinity--not the least of which is Pink Floyd with the mind-melting transitions on Dark Side of the Moon--but apparently Australia's King Gizzard is the first band to have balls to go through with it. And, man, do they do it well.  

The album kicks off with the barn-burner "Robot Stop," beginning with an ominous invocation/prelude, "Wait for the answers to open the door/Nonagon infinity opens the door," before all 7 members of the band jump on their instruments, slamming out riffs, cutting off eighth notes from their bars, and wooping and wailing like Indian braves playing garage punk.  

For the next 40 minutes the band mines every nook and cranny of this sound.  Like the album cover shows, not only does track 1 connect to track 2, etc., but track 1 connects to tracks 8, 9, 3... The most obvious connection is the "nonagon infinity" chant, which pops up as the album's running mantra on "Robot Stop," "Big Fig Wasp," "Evil Death Roll," and closer "Road Train."  Similarly, lyrics from track 7, "Invisible Face," first pop up on the prior track, "Evil Death Roll." And "Big Fig Wasp" is built on a riff that grows out of the middle of "Robot Stop." All in all, this makes the album feel like one hulking, twisting, connected, breathing organic life form. ...in the best way possible.  Sometimes, yes, this mining of the same sound for 9 straight tracks drags, like on "Wah Wah" and "Gamma Knife," which I don't feel bring anything new to the table. But these moments are more than redeemed by other genius moments of songwriting like the entirety of "Mr. Beat."

Photo credit: http://www.relix.com/articles/detail/spotlight_king_gizzard_the_lizard_wizard

A little note on the album's production: The first time you put on the album, if you're like me, you'll be checking the EQ on your stereo, making sure the treble and mid didn't somehow get turned down to levels of murky muddiness.  It's not your stereo.  It's the lower-than-lo-fi production, making the album feel 40 years older than it is.  In fact, legend has it that vocalist Stu Mackenzie actually uses a microphone that is literally from the 70s.  I wouldn't doubt that for a second.  Once your 21st century ears get adjusted to the incredible fuzz and murk, you'll find that Nonagon Infinity's quirky sound often achieves a level of visceral energy that other modern band's slick and sexy production misses.

Through the band's short but ridiculously prolific career so far, with only 6 years and a whopping 8 albums under their belt, have shown that they certainly aren't afraid to try out what others won't.  I mean, again.  They're called King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. 

They've made love songs to their homeland's beloved Vegemite, traded their fuzzed out garage rock for something closer to indie folk, and now they've made literally the album version of a geometric figure. I'm just excited to see what these guys try next.

OVERALL SCORE: 8.6
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – Nonagon Infinity
1. Robot Stop 2. Big Fig Wasp 3. Gamma Knife 4. People-Vultures 5. Mr. Beat 6. Evil Death Roll 7. Invisible Face 8. Wah Wah 9. Road Train	O!HTT's COLORFUL SCORING SYSTEM 9-10 Holy. Crap. You must hear this song. One of the best of the year. 7-8 I'm so glad I have ears so that I can listen to this wonderful song. 5-6 Yeah, it's passable. Contributes to the vibe of the album, but not anything to write home about. 3-4 Ehh very mediocre or seriously flawed, there's a lot better music out there, or even on this album. 0-2 Good gravy, why must this song exist? One of the worst things that will enter your ears this year.