6/10

As one of the most prolific bands working today, having released thirteen LPs in the last seven years and most notably a whopping five in 2017 alone, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard are no strangers to giving in to their wild indulgences. The Australian psych-rock outfit are consistently breaking the rules when it comes to music format and expectations, delivering warped and diverse material throughout their career. But as they return with album number fourteen, its clear that they have looked to hold back on much of the weird this time around, making 'Fishing For Fishies' their most accessible full-length to date.

Although this new intention is obviously going to be well received for many on the fence about them, for their hardcore fanbase, this does feel like a step away from their usual fantastical output. Bringing in a more diverse array of influences, most notably the blues inspiration behind 'Boogieman Sam' and 'Plastic Boogie', the band seem keen to explore a more convention route through an album than we have heard before. Long gone are the tales of faraway dragon kingdoms, and are replaced by a fairly safe and, most of the time, engaging collection of tracks that see them in a far more radio-friendly light.

It certainly seems like an extreme position to take, given that the group have performed so well as the golden oddballs of psych-rock. But what 'Fishing For Fishies' loses in strange tangents, it makes up for in proficient songwriting that manages to still leave us enjoying this new path. For those that are new to the King Gizzard fold though, this may not be the best introduction.