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| Laminated Denim | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 12 October 2022 (2022-10-12) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 30:00 | |||
| Label | KGLW | |||
| King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard chronology | ||||
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Laminated Denim is the twenty-second studio album by Australianpsychedelic rock bandKing Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, released on 12 October 2022, five days after their previous album,Ice, Death, Planets, Lungs, Mushrooms and Lava.
The album's title is ananagram of the title of the band’s 19th album,Made in Timeland, whose digital release coincided with the release ofLaminated Denim. Described by the band as a "spiritual successor" toMade in Timeland,[2]Laminated Denim features two 15-minute songs written around the ticking of a clock, but featuring more rock-focused instrumentals with heavy use ofpolyrhythms[3] and aMotorik beat. Itspsychedelic andprogressive rock sound differs from theelectronic-basedTimeland.
On 18 June 2022, the band posted a tweet promising three more albums by the end of 2022.[4] More details came on 12 July, when it was reported that the first two of these were "built from all six members jamming for hours," similarly to the recording process of "The Dripping Tap" fromOmnium Gatherum.[5]
On 7 September, the band revealed the titles, cover artwork, and release dates for their next three albums:Ice, Death, Planets, Lungs, Mushrooms, and Lava would be released on 7 October;Laminated Denim on 12 October; andChanges on 28 October.[6]
Laminated Denim was the first album finished of the three records the band released in October. After the recording sessions for "The Dripping Tap," the band continued to record together again, spending more in the studio to jam. Following the positive experience recording this album, the band decided to continue working in this way, recording the preceding albumIce, Death, Planets, Lungs, Mushrooms, and Lava.
Lead vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Stu Mackenzie noted that the two songs onLaminated Denim are among his favorites: "Sometimes the boundaries you set for yourself kind of force you into a creative place that you wouldn't have usually gone to or been comfortable with".[7]
In anticipation of the album's release, it was revealed that copies ofLaminated Denim would be available on their show at Red Rocks on 10 October, two days ahead of the album's official release.[8]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [9] |
| The Fire Note | [1] |
| Pitchfork | 7.5/10[10] |
| Prog Archives |  [11] |
| Uncut | 7/10[12] |
In the review forAllMusic, Tim Sendra described the album as being, "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."[9]
Writing forThe Fire Note, Simon Workman claimed that "The music slowly blossoms as each track unfolds, layers of guitars and keyboards weaving melodic lines beneath Stu Mackenzie’s familiar falsetto. WhileIce, Death, Planets, Lungs, Mushrooms, and Lava felt proggy, jazzy, and funky at times, Laminated Denim’s jams are more psychedelic, with Michael Cavanaugh’s motorik krautrock beat anchoring the rest of the band’s explorations."[1]
All tracks are written byStu Mackenzie, Michael Cavanagh,Cook Craig, Ambrose Kenny-Smith,Joey Walker.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Land Before Timeland" | 15:00 |
| 2. | "Hypertension" | 15:00 |
| Total length: | 30:00 | |
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard
Production
| Chart (2022–2025) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)[13] | 11 |
| UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[14] | 33 |
| USTop Album Sales (Billboard)[15] | 93 |