Album Review – King Giz

I’m in Your Mind Fuzz – King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard

 8/10 

To put it blankly, listening to this record is like being hypnotized by a space raccoon. Australian psychedelic rock band King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard are just as other-worldly as their name implies, and 2014’s I’m In Your Mind Fuzz is a pinnacle example of how they aim to search the psych-rock genre for any new, unbroken ground it still has left. Most of the music world first met King Gizzard in 2016, two years after this record’s release, when they dropped their infinitely-looping album Nonagon Infinity – which is now somewhat of a cult classic among fans, although such a judgement may be premature. However, to many, I’m In Your Mind Fuzz served as the introduction to what would later be a surprisingly-large discography (King Gizz put out five records in 2017 – yes! Five!). The record opens with the upbeat, fuzzy guitar jam “I’m in Your Mind” – a track that keeps a keen ear for melody but also does not falter in breaking the pentatonic scale. And this jam doesn’t stop for a break between tracks until nearly the halfway point; this is a style of song-blending that the band would later use throughout numerous future records. Other highlights include the groovy, somber “Slow Jam 1” – a song that prompts one to ponder about distant city lights, heartbreak, and the nostalgic ambience of an early 2000s Rainforest Cafe. The track “Am I In Heaven?” acts as an explosive, jet-fueled ride into a world of existential discontempt. This song is a personal favorite of mine on this record, and if there’s anything to take away from reading this review, it’s to give this ol’ guy a spin. Songs like “Am I In Heaven?”, “Cellophane”, and  “I’m in Your Mind” are still commonly heard at King Gizzard gigs to this day despite this record’s age. Psychedelic rock has quite a few years behind it at this point, but King Gizzard has managed to find new ways to bless the ears of the world with catchy tunes glazed in reverb and low-fi production techniques. I’m In Your Mind Fuzz is like riding one of those old wooden roller coasters – like one of those ones that might have passed inspection, but with a little bribery involved. I’m In Your Mind Fuzz is what is playing in the coolest bar in Narnia.