Laminated Denim (Lucky Rainbow Edition)

Laminated Denim is made up of two 15-minute songs meant to be used as intermission music at King Gizzards late 2020 shows to be held at Colorado’s famed Red Rocks amphitheater, but the shows were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Never a band to waste material or let fans down, they released the music under the name Made in Timeland after they were able to play an epic Melbourne concert. When the time grew closer to the rescheduled shows at Red Rocks, they realized they wanted to treat fans to something brand new. (For of wordplay lovers, Laminated Denim is an anagram of Made in Timeland.) The first of the tracks, "The Land Before Timeland," is a Motorik jam with slots for harmonica solos, avant-garde jazz guitar noodling, a laid-back melody sung in falsetto, and an ending that swirls into a psychedelic dust storm. It makes for exactly the kind of relaxed vibes concert patrons might want after watching the Gizz go wild on-stage for 90 minutes. The other piece, "Hypertension," feels a little more like filler as it unspools one fuzzy, proggy guitar solo after another, never really going much of anywhere but sounding good as it meanders. It does come to a nice climax, with flutes, guitars, and chanted vocals locking into a strong groove that builds excitement as it grows in intensity. Again, perfect for taking up time until the stars of the show return to the stage. Does it make for good home listening? Is it King Gizzard at their best? Yes, and not exactly. It certainly slots in a level below their more considered releases, but if one is fully onboard with the King Gizzard experience, Laminated Denim is certainly worth adding to an ever expanding collection of works. ~ Tim Sendra