Psych Fest Record Reviews

King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard

After the psychedelia and blues-tinged garage rumble of 2012's 12 Bar Bruise, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard veer headlong into studio-tanned nuttery. The Melbourne, Australia-based brain pokers revel in disregard for fidelity. If your neighbors dig Steely Dan, these extra-stubbly appendages of exploding bubblegum degradation are sure to elicit groans of disapproval. Oddments opens on a Casio horse stampede that gives way to a blaring Hollywood musical swatch and swirling Hammond organ flashbacks. With its out-of-tune piano foundation, "Vegemite" hits like a sun-damaged Banana Splits outtake. "Hot Wax" couples incendiary harmonica with reverberant horror-film rattles and a sneering, pelvic riff. The whole package explodes like a carnival ride rife with soul-churning switchbacks for low-rent thrill-seekers. (Fri., 4:30pm, Reverberation Stage)