ALBUM: Nonagon Infinity by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
RELEASE YEAR: 2016
LABEL: Flightless Records
BEST TRACKS: “Gamma Knife”, “Invisible Face”, “Wah Wah”
FCC: N/A
A perpetual motion machine is one that could, hypothetically, do work indefinitely without an energy source. According to the laws of thermodynamics, such a machine is physically impossible; however, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard have no interest in following the rules.
With nine tracks that transition seamlessly into each other, the sextet from Australia have created the world’s first “infinitely looping album”. Though “Robot Stop” and “Road Train” could be considered bookends of the album, Nonagon Infinity has no definitive start nor end point. Instead, Stu and the crew present us with a prog/psych rock epic that is more like a never-ending jam session than a traditional LP. In that 40 minutes, the band explores dizzying tempo changes, atypical time signatures, and even microtonality.
Though Nonagon Infinity is best experienced in its entirety, its individual tracks can still be enjoyed on their own. “Robot Stop” introduces the refrain of “Nonagon Infinity opens the door” that repeats throughout the album, and “Road Train” serves as an on-ramp of sorts to restart it. Other highlights include “Gamma Knife”, a blistering affair in 3/4 time, and “Invisible Face”, which offers a brief reprieve from Nonagon’s auditory onslaught with its jazz sensibilities. My favorite track is “Wah Wah”, which puts a Gizzard spin on 5/4 time.
Nonagon Infinity is an album that quite literally doesn’t know when to quit. It’s 40-minute runtime is merely a suggestion as its nine tracks loop into each other to form a perfect nonagon. Even if you aren’t a fan of rock music, this one is definitely worth checking out!
My favorites: Modus, Sanctuary, Reanimator, Like You Do
Listen if you like: 88Rising, Jaden, Kevin Abstract
Joji’s third project, Nectar, was released in late September. The ambitious 18-track album was highly sought after based upon his earlier releases, including tracks like “SLOW DANCING IN THE DARK” and “YEAH RIGHT” which helped the artist gain over 3 billion streams and the #1 spot on Billboard’s R&B Hip Hop Chart (the first Asian-American to do so). George Miller, known by pseudonyms Filthy Frank, Pink Guy, and Joji; first became noticed in the digital age through his Internet personality. He was known for years for his production of comic YouTube videos and comedy hip hop, but in late 2017 Miller switched gears to focus on music full-time and adopted the stage name Joji. Instead of playing a character as he did in years prior, Miller considers his Joji persona as being his true self. Joji released his first full album, Ballads 1, with Asian music label 88Rising. The music Joji produces and writes is often characterized under R&B or Hip Hop, but many fans consider his music to be genreless and unlike any other modern artists.
Nectar throws the listener into a whirlwind, self-described by the artist as “explor[ing] what every living being is innately drawn to and the ends they’ll go to reach it.” Like his previous work, the album defies a genre label. Joji explores a wealth of sound, utilizing synth-heavy backgrounds, light ukulele and piano melodies, and popular hip-hop baselines. The album’s ability to explore different themes, emotions, and influences adds a unique layer to it. Certain gems include loved-up ballad “Sanctuary,” melancholic track “MODUS,” and experimental electronic “Reanimator” featuring Yves Tumor. There is a lot to like within this album and I found while listening that each track appeals to a different audience type. The experimentation done by Joji on this album is indicative of a bright future for the musician, and certainly this album is continuing to propel his success in the industry. However, Joji may have had a little too much ambition when trying to create a coherent tracklist among the 18 very different tracks. While some of the songs have stellar production, vocals, and melodies; others falter slightly. Certain tracks are clunky and needed more development. Despite this, Joji has proven that within less than five years, he can continue to develop a coveted sound and loyal fanbase. The album was not perfect but is definitely worth listening for anyone interested in R&B, trip-hop, or anti-pop. I look forward to all that Joji has to offer in the future. Seeing his talent evolve and bloom is always a treat.
Album art is a non-musical component of musical expression that can significantly add to the experience of the listener and allow the artist themself to further express themselves. Not only does this visual add to the overall mood of the album, the art often corresponds to the wider meaning and emotion of the album itself and showcase another side of the musician. Certain album covers
This Is All Yours by alt-J
An abstract art piece as wild and unpredictable as the different twists and turns the album goes through. A perfect visual reflection of the most soft, indie-folk influenced album by the band.
Mala by Devendra Banhart
It’s a simple piece of art, but definitely has visual interest. I love the different shades of pink that give depth to the image, with simple strokes of black, red, and blue ink that add a uniqueness complementary to the overall album.
Days of Abandon by The Pains of Being Pure At Heart
This album’s artwork is beautifully minimalistic. It looks straight out of the portfolio of a young art student, which is perfect for the overall message of the album. This band’s albums vary greatly in style, all are very interesting but this one is my favorite.
6 Feet Beneath The Moon by King Krule
Another beautiful abstract cover, which reminds me of a work by Dali with more geometric elements and darker colors. Absolutely love both the sonic and visual components of this album.
We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic by Foxygen
Simple, clean design that is unique enough to be instantly recognized without being busy. A design I’ve seen imitated by other musicians since, but Foxygen did it best.
Melophobia by Cage The Elephant
Weird and visually alluring, this work of art encapsulates the mood of the album and the creativity of its creation. The linework and alternating colors of the album’s text make the letters pop out to ensure the listener never forgets.
Shrines by Purity Ring
I love the dark background of the cover of this album contrasted with the lighter pastel-stroke imagery. Certainly unique and adds a depth to the album, showcasing the naturalistic and ethereal elements present throughout the tracks.
If you’re into any type of psychedelic surf rock, you’ve got to check out La Luz. The all-girl quartet makes a great contribution to the modern psych-rock genre. Their music is a delightful mixture of fun and deep feeling. In a genre that tends to be dominated by men, it’s refreshing to hear female voices on the mic playing along to heavy guitar and garage keyboard.
La Luz has been on the scene since 2012 when Shana Cleveland, who was originally a part of both Curious Mystery and Shana Cleveland & the Sandcastles, formed the band in Seattle. Inspired by the sounds of 60s rock, girl pop, and surf music, the band set out to create a playful yet intriguing sound. Their first EP, called “Damp Face,” was released in 2013, closely followed by their first album, “It’s Alive.”
After hitting some bumps in the road, including a car wreck that destroyed all their instruments and bassist Abbey Blackwell leaving the band, La Luz emerged stronger than ever in 2015 when they began producing another album, “Weirdo Shrine,” with Ty Segall. Lena Simon took up their bassist position, and they went on to create their newest album, “Floating Features,” produced by the Black Keys vocalist and guitarist Dan Auerbach.
I am absolutely in love with this band. It’s amazing to see other women represented in one of my favorite genres. I 10/10 recommend giving them a listen. Here are some more key facts about the band:
Within the realm of popular music, few songs have the staying power remain in our collective consciousness for more than a moment. There are protest songs like “A Change is Gonna Come” and arena anthems like “We Will Rock You”, but no song that has captured the cultural zeitgeist has a story behind it quite like “Hallelujah”.
Hallelujah was originally written by Leonard Cohen in 1984 and has since been covered more than a hundred times over. As a singer, songwriter and novelist, Cohen was best known for his sublime poetry and baritone vocal range. The song was written during the early 80s, a period in his career that was creatively stagnant. As a meticulous writer who was always revising material, he wrote more than 50 verses for the song over the span of 5 years – at one point, Cohen found himself banging his head on the floor of a hotel room because he just couldn’t finish the song.
So, given how long Cohen slaved over the song, Hallelujah was sure to be an instant hit – right?
Well, not quite. Leonard Cohen recorded his Hallelujah for the 1984 album Various Positions, but when he brought his project to his record label they rejected it. But he didn’t give up there – instead, he took the record to an independent label that agreed to release it.
Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen – the original version of the song
So, was this when Hallelujah hit the charts?
Well, again, no – Various Positions was a commercial failure, but it was at this point that the song took on a life of its own. Among the first to pick up the song was the Velvet Underground’s own John Cale, who was inspired to record his own version after attending a live performance of it. Cale’s Hallelujah landed on a Leonard Cohen tribute album called I’m Your Fan, released in 1991.
Hallelujah by John Cale – the first cover of the song
So, was this where the song gained traction, capturing the hearts of millions?
Not yet. Like Various Positions, I’m Your Fan was largely ignored by the public and, seven years after its initial release, Hallelujah remained in obscurity. This is where the story gets really remarkable: one of the few people to purchase I’m Your Fan was a woman named Janine. Janine, who lived in New York, happened to be friends with a certain up-and-coming musician named Jeff Buckley, who decided to add Hallelujah to his live setlist. This landed him a deal with Columbia, and his version of the song landed on his 1994 debut Grace.
Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley – the most popular version of the song
So, after 10 years on the sidelines, was this when Hallelujah finally entered the spotlight?
Once, again, no – despite the critical praise Grace received, it was a commercial flop like the previous iterations of Hallelujah. It wasn’t until 1997 when Jeff Buckley accidently drowned in the Wolf River that his only studio album saw commercial success, bringing his music – and Hallelujah – to a mainstream audience. More than 15 years after it was conceived, this tragedy is what thrusted Cohen’s 5-year labor of love into the spotlight.
Once Hallelujah hit the mainstream, it spread like wildfire. The song was introduced to a younger audience with its inclusion in 2001’s Shrek, and has appeared in numerous TV shows such as the OC, the X Factor, and the West Wing. At this point, it’s safe to say that Hallelujah has been cemented into our collective consciousness.
There you have it: the unlikely success story of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah. Let’s take a second to reflect on the contingencies that made such an event possible. If Cohen hadn’t been rejected by his record label, John Cale may have never heard the song, and it may have never ended up on a tribute album. If Jeff Buckley never heard that album, the song never would have ended up on Grace. And if Buckley had not tragically drowned, his work may have never reached the masses – and Hallelujah as we know it may have never happened.
Country music artist Rissi Palmer comes to NC State’s Centennial Campus on Friday, Oct. 23 for Live@the Lot, a drive-in concert experience sponsored by NC State LIVE and Visit Centennial Campus.
Gates open at 5:30 p.m., with music at 6:30 p.m. Local food trucks will be on hand to deliver food to vehicles. Vehicle pre-registration is required.
Learn more about the event and COVID-19 precautions.
Have I mentioned that I love Chris Barnes and Six Feet Under?! You know that I certainly have, Butcher Crew! And Nightmares of the Decomposed is no exception. It was released on October 2, 2020 by Metal Blade Records. This record is Six Feet Under’s 17th full-length album, and as usual, it marks a difference in vocal style and musical composition.
First, Chris Barnes’ vocals continue to evolve (or, devolve) from the early days of ‘95s The Haunted, where his gutterals were legendary; to mid-career material like Undead (2012) and Unborn (2013), where he utilized a strangely darker vocal sound – not as gravely, but more psychotic sounding – to Nightmares of the Decomposed where we find Barnes’ vocals a creepy combination of gutteral and nearly out-of-control rasp. I like it! You can tell it’s Barnes, and at the same time you’re like, what the hell is going on?! And we can’t forget his patented squEEEEEEl!!!
Secondly, the band. Jeff Hughell (Asylum, Vile, Braindrill) has been on bass since 2012, “Lord Marco” Pitruzzella (Vile, Braindrill, Vital Remains, The Faceless) has been on drums since 2013, Ray Suhy has been a guitarist since 2015, and Jack Owen (Cannibal Corpse, Decide) joins in on guitars for this record. We haven’t seen the Barnes/Owen combination since the early days of Cannibal Corpse, and you can tell by the writing of both music and lyrics that having these two back together is a very good thing.
And finally, Six Feet Under have returned to a more classic sound, musically. Most of the songs on Nightmares of the Decomposed are slow to mid-tempo, groovy bops (and you already know that I like that!) with the legendary Jack Owen-style riffs. Great examples of this tone are “Migraine” and “The Noose.” They just ooze along, leaking bodily fluids, as the vocals tell a horrifying story. Then, there’s another style, here, like on “Blood of the Zombie” and “Self Imposed Death Sentence.” The rhythm progressions are layered, while harmonies (yes, harmonies!) and melodies (what?!!) fill out the song with a thick beating. And finally, the faster songs – “Amputator” and “Without Your Life” – are great examples of the technical skill of the band. The latter, in fact, combines all three elements – ooze, layered beatings, and technical pulverizing for one excellent song! As Barnes says in “Labyrinth of Insanity,” enjoy the ride!
Track Listing:
Amputator
Zodiac
The Rotting
Death Will Follow
Migraine
The Noose
Blood of the Zombie
Self Imposed Death Sentence
Dead Girls Don’t Scream
Drink Blood Get High
Labyrinth of Insanity
Without Your Life
Favorite Songs: Amputator; The Rotting; The Noose; Without Your Life
Rating: 8.5/10 – a strong offering from Six Feet Under!
