GANG WIZARD - BYZANTINE HEADACHE (LOAD 094)

STRANGELY FOR A BAND WHOSE APPROACH IS INCREDIBLY CATHOLIC (IE GETTING THEIR SONS IN TO JAM, DIFFERENT FIDELITIES, NO REAL AGREED GENRE OR MODE) GANG WIZARD ARE A BAND WHO ARE IDENTIFIABLE FROM THE MOMENT YOU PRESS PLAY. THEY ARE AVATARS OF A FREE ROCK SCENE THAT COMPLETELY ESCHEWS THE POMPOSITY OF THE UK SCENE AND I EVEN HEARD THEY WERE CHRISTIANS WHICH I AM NOT SAYING WHETHER I AGREE WITH THAT, IT JUST STRIKES ME AS WEIRD.

THE FIRST TRACK HERE IS KIND OF LIKE DAMO SUZUKI GURGLING SEDUCTIVELY AS SOMEONE ATTACKS A DRUMKIT AND A CHILD FURTIVELY EXPLORES A KEYBOARD. OTHERS PRESENT A FAILURE TO COHERE IN VARIOUS DISMAL WAYS. ALL GANG WIZARD RECORDS PRESENT AN IMPROV/ROCK DIALECTIC BUT FOR ME THE BETTER ONES LEAN ON THE LATTER HARDER. THERE'S ONLY SO MANY TIMES I CAN HEAR YOU SCRAPE YOUR STRINGS SO IT SOUNDS LIKE AN INSECT. NOT THAT IMPRESSIVE.

I CONSIDER MYSELF IN THE WORLD'S TOP 1000 GANG WIZARD FANS IN 2020 BUT EVEN I HAVE TO ADMIT THIS ONE ISN'T AMONG THEIR BEST. I HAVE TOO MUCH LOVE AND RESPECT FOR THESE ODDBALLS TO SAY THIS IS RANCID - SOME OF IT RULES - BUT NOT ENOUGH OF IT.