King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard have added another chapter to their extensive discography with Flight B741their 26th studio album.
This latest effort, released today on the band’s independent label, p(doom) records, continues the Australian group’s tradition of musical exploration.
To coincide with the album release, the band also released their latest single “Field of Vision,” a dark biker rock track that perfectly captures the raw, unfiltered energy of the new record.
Frontman Stu Mackenzie recently shared the backstory to “Field of Vision” and explained how the track took shape in the studio.
“I remember Joey sending me a voice message of him playing this main riff on acoustic guitar. From his couch to mine. The arrangement was a little more complicated originally, I think. Maybe it was closer to the bridge of ‘I lied to God’ that came together at the end. Anyway, I don’t think I really got it or felt the groove, but when we were recording with the others in the studio, it really grooved. The verse and chorus changes came together quickly and in real time, and we had a melody in hand. Joey’s baby, this song. And Joey likes to get it right.
He continued: “Joey called me a few weeks after recording and said we had to cut the track because it was crap. What crap. And surprise. Amby (who loved it) and I spent the next two days in the studio recording our vocals and overdubs to try and salvage it. We overdubbed the guitar solo-type section with bits cut from outtakes and added a worn-out guitar solo.”
“It was a $100 acoustic guitar played through external equipment, which it was definitely not intended for, ha ha. Studios are fun. I hoped he liked it. We printed out the tape and sent it to him with a note saying ‘please, man, this has to be on the record.’ Joey obliged (but only after re-recording all his parts). Groove restored.”
“We hope you like it.”
Flight B741 marks a new direction for the band, moving away from their usual high-concept projects and taking a more relaxed, collaborative approach. The album draws on the laid-back vibe of early rock’n’roll, country and blues, and channels influences such as the Steve Miller Band and The Band, creating a collection of tracks that are as laid-back as they are electrifying.
With titles like “Mirage City”, “Antarctica” and “Daily Blues” Flight B741 showcases the band’s eclectic sound while capturing the camaraderie of six friends making music together.
The decision to have each band member take turns on lead vocals resulted in one of the most collaborative performances in their extensive discography.
Tracklist of Flight B741:
- Mirage City
- Antarctic
- Raw feeling
- Field of view
- Pig calling competition
- The Risk
- Flight B741
- Sad pilot
- Rats in Heaven
- Daily Blues
Electricity Flight B741 below.
