Float Along – Fill Your Lungs is the third studio album by Australian psychedelic rock band King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, released months after their second album, Eyes Like the Sky. It was released on 27 September 2013 on Flightless Records and was re-released on vinyl in November 2018 by Flightless and ATO Records.[1] The re-release peaked at No. 12 on the ARIA Albums Chart.[2] The album was a change in style for the band, with the album being more psychedelic than their previous releases.[3]
| Float Along – Fill Your Lungs | ||||
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| Released | 27 September 2013 | |||
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| Length | 41:53 | |||
| Label | Flightless | |||
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| King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Float Along – Fill Your Lungs | ||||
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Background and recording
editFloat Along – Fill Your Lungs was released in September 2013, seven months after their previous album, Eyes Like the Sky. It is the band's third album and fifth recorded release, and the first to feature second drummer, Eric Moore, using a drum kit as opposed to theremin and keyboards as used previously.[4] The album was recorded in home studios and sheds[5] in Darraweit Guim, Deniliquin, and Anglesea,[4] where they experimented with a psychedelic sound as opposed to the Western sound on their previous album.[4][6][7] The band furthered their experimentation by using synthesizers and the sitar, while also using unique time signatures in their music for the first time.[4] It was produced by Paul Maybury, Jarrad Brown, and band member Stu Mackenzie.[8]
Before the album's release a live video for "Head On/Pill" was issued, and the band played the full album live.[6]
Singles
editTwo singles were released in support of the album.[4] The first of these was "Head On/Pill", which was released as a music video on YouTube on 2 July 2013.[9] It was followed by "30 Past 7", which was released on 31 July 2013.[10] "Head On/Pill" was first shown when it was performed live in early 2013, prior to the album's release.[6][11] Both singles feature prominent sitar.[6]
"Head On/Pill" was received positively by critics, with John Paul of PopMatters calling the song a "sixteen-minute epic"[3] and Patrick Emery of The Sydney Morning Herald calling it an "epic opening",[12] with the song receiving further praise for its ability to keep the listener engaged despite its length.[13]
"30 Past 7" was also received well and was described as slow and ethereal by some.[5] The use of the sitar in the song was viewed positively by critics,[6] who said that it fit into the song and fulfilled a purpose.[5]
Music videos
editThere were two music videos released for the singles, "30 Past 7" and "Head On/Pill", from Float Along – Fill Your Lungs.[4]
The music video for "Head On/Pill" was created by friend of the band, Syd Row, and shows the band performing the song live in their studio.[9]
The video for "30 Past 7" was created by long-time King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard collaborator Jason Galea, who created the video using old VHS footage and white noise.[10] The video was made to represent the feeling of waking up early in the morning for work, and features scenes designed to represent a worker fighting their boss and going insane from their job.[10]
Music
editOn Float Along – Fill Your Lungs, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard experimented with a more psychedelic sound.[4] As well as psychedelic, the music on the album has been described as garage and fuzz.[3][13] The album has also been described as experimental, drawing influences from the music of the '60s[13] as well as featuring instruments such as the sitar in its music.[6][13]
Critics described the album as psychedelic, garage, and fuzz.[6][13] Indre McGlinn of The Music Network called the musical style of Float Along – Fill Your Lungs "maturing" when compared with the band's previous work, with the stylistic choices made by the band differing from those found on their previous albums.[13]
Reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [7] |
| PopMatters |   [3] |
| The Sydney Morning Herald | [12] |
Reception of the album was generally positive, with many authors praising the experimentation found within the album.[6][13] In a review from AllMusic, Tim Sendra describes Float Along – Fill Your Lungs as "cool and definitely worth getting into" with the album receiving 3 and a half out of 5 stars.[7] Patrick Emery from The Sydney Morning Herald described the album as a "fantastic and truly mesmerising record".[12] The re-release of Float Along – Fill Your Lungs peaked at number 12 on the ARIA Albums Chart in 2018.[2]
Track listing
editVinyl releases have tracks 1–3 on Side A, and tracks 4–8 on Side B.[14]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Head On/Pill" | Stu Mackenzie | 15:59 |
| 2. | "I'm Not a Man Unless I Have a Woman" | Mackenzie | 2:54 |
| 3. | "God Is Calling Me Back Home" | Mackenzie | 4:24 |
| 4. | "30 Past 7" | Mackenzie | 3:43 |
| 5. | "Let Me Mend the Past" |
| 2:30 |
| 6. | "Mystery Jack" | Mackenzie | 2:48 |
| 7. | "Pop In My Step" | Cook Craig | 2:50 |
| 8. | "Float Along – Fill Your Lungs" | Mackenzie | 6:45 |
| Total length: | 41:53 | ||
Personnel
editCredits for Float Along – Fill Your Lungs adapted from liner notes.[8]
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard
- Michael Cavanagh
- Cook Craig
- Ambrose Kenny-Smith
- Stu Mackenzie
- Eric Moore
- Lucas Skinner
- Joe Walker
Production
- Stu Mackenzie – production, recording
- Paul Maybury – co-production, recording, mixing
- Jarrad Brown – co-production, recording, mixing (track 6)
- Michael Badger – mixing (track 1)
- Joe Carra – mastering
- Ben Butcher – front cover photo
- Jason Galea – projections, art, layout, back cover photo
Charts
edit| Chart (2018) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)[15] | 12 |
References
edit- ^ "Float Along Fill Your Lungs". ATO Records. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
- ^ a b "A Star Is Born soundtrack holds #1 for third week". Australian Recording Industry Association. 10 November 2018. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
- ^ a b c d Paul, John. "King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard: Float Along – Fill Your Lungs/Oddments". PopMatters. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Float Along – Fill Your Lungs – King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard". kinggizzardandthelizardwizard.com. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ a b c Evans, Dayna (6 August 2013). "King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, "30 Past 7"". IMPOSE Magazine. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Tom Marinelli (2 October 2013). "King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – Float Along – Fill Your Lungs". SpeakerTV. Archived from the original on 2 December 2020. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ a b c Float Along, Fill Your Lungs – King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic, retrieved 17 May 2021
- ^ a b Track listing and credits as per liner notes for Float Along – Fill Your Lungs album
- ^ a b King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Head On/Pill (Live Clip), retrieved 17 May 2021
- ^ a b c Cashmere, Paul (31 July 2013). "King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard Debut 30 Past 7 Video". Noise11.com. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ "Album Review: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Float Along – Fill Your Lungs". SYN Media. 28 October 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ a b c "Shortlist weekly album reviews". The Sydney Morning Herald. 26 September 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Album review: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - Float Along Fill Your Lungs". The Music Network. 27 October 2015. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ Float Along – Fill Your Lungs at Discogs (list of releases)
- ^ "Australiancharts.com – King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – Float Along - Fill Your Lungs". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 December 2022.