Gumboot Soup
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard · 2017
44 min · 11 tracks · psychedelic rock
A kaleidoscopic blend of garage rock and psychedelic influences, swirling through intricate arrangements and playful experimentation.
Top tracks — play these first
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Greenhouse Heat Death — This track exemplifies the band’s fusion of heavy psychedelia with thought-provoking lyrics about environmental collapse, creating an engaging listening experience that resonates with contemporary concerns.
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Superposition — Blending intricate rhythms with existential themes, this song showcases the band’s knack for marrying complex musical structures with accessible melodies.
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The Great Chain of Being — This track stands out for its expansive soundscape and philosophical lyrics that delve into connections between existence and consciousness, reflecting the band’s lyrical depth.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album showcases inventive songwriting and varied structures, making it distinctive within its genre.
What we noticed
- The album features a wide range of tempos, with tracks like 'Beginner’s Luck' starting at a brisk pace and others like 'The Last Oasis' slowing down significantly.
- Several tracks incorporate abrupt transitions between sections, such as the shift from the heavy instrumentation in 'Greenhouse Heat Death' to the quieter moments in 'Muddy Water'.
- The use of unconventional song structures is evident, with songs like 'Superposition' featuring multiple distinct parts that do not adhere to traditional verse-chorus forms.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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8/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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5/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady flow with playful twists
- engaging journey through varied moods
- for afternoon exploration
- cathartic release through experimentation
Maybe skip if you
- prefer straightforward, instant gratification
- not suited for quick listens
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Experimental — Features a deliberate departure from their established sound with inventive songwriting.
- Themes
- environmental collapse· psychedelic experimentation
- Career context
- Released on January 1, 2017, 'Gumboot Soup' came at a prolific time for King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard as their fifth album of the year. Following their ambitious previous works, including the genre-defying 'Flying Microtonal Banana', this record showcased their ability to explore diverse soundscapes while maintaining their signature eclectic style.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Ty Segall· Pond· Tame Impala
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Beginner’s Luck 4:25
- 2 Greenhouse Heat Death 4:13
- 3 Barefoot Desert 3:43
- 4 Muddy Water 3:38
- 5 Superposition 3:35
- 6 Down the Sink 3:59
- 7 The Great Chain of Being 4:50
- 8 The Last Oasis 3:34
- 9 All Is Known 3:34
- 10 I’m Sleepin’ In 3:00
- 11 The Wheel 5:37
What to play next
Polygondwanaland
2017
Continues the experimental sound and complex arrangements found in Gumboot Soup.
Nonagon Infinity
2016
Leads into Gumboot Soup with its energetic and psychedelic rock elements.
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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