W/e 20/06/25 - Steve Queralt, Yawn, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Half Man Half Biscuit, Metric

A good week overall with our equal highest set of scores of ‘25.

Congrats to King Gizzard who land at #6 this year as our winners this week plus they have the TOTW.

We enjoyed this offering significantly more than their previous 2, from 2021 & 3, which sit a few hundred places further down our chart.

Matt’s opiod buzz might have been a driver for his 😄, with highest marks for over a year. Erol has the ☹️, just a smidge ahead of Adam.

Metric were enjoyed by most and say hi to Abba and My Bloody Valentine on the classics.

Andy

Half Man Half Biscuit - Is it possible to be a national treasure if the majority of the nation have no idea whatsoever about your work? I say yes and Nigel and the lads continue to build their legacy with one of their better outings. It normally takes a few listens to really appreciate a HMHB album, with all the references and gags so as a result I probably listened to this five times over the weekend and it contains multitudes. I could name every track as a great example of Nigel’s songwriting style but I’ll just go with Falmouth Electrics and its legend of a ventriloquists dummy that gets a git too gig for its goots as a future Biscuits classic. Like Wes Anderson in films they’re very much a case of if you’re not into it it’s going to be tough to convert you, especially if for some reason you like Ben Shephard. However, if you’re in there’s so much to enjoy 9

King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard - More of a solid groove than the millions of previous outings that have been a bit more psych, a great listen though 7.5

Steve Queralt - Unsurprisingly a debut solo album from Ride’s bassist has strong Mogwai and PSB vibes to it, with soaring instrumentals all over the place (the label he’s released it on gives a hint too) It’s so a success when vocals occasionally pop up, Emma Anderson’s contributions are especially lush (sorry) A strong addition to the canon 7.5

Yawn - With a name like that you’ve got to go some to avoid a piss taking review and tbf she’s dodged the comedy bullets. This does peak with the first track but the rest holds its own on a week with tough competition 6

TotW - A Porsche Shaped Hole by Steve Queralt (all HMHB tracks split the vote)

Metric - I don’t often listen to Metric, mainly when they come up here or when I’m watching Scott Pilgrim but whenever I do I think I should listen to them more. This is a case in point, an album I’ve never listened to before but thoroughly enjoyed. Until next time then 7

Simon

Half Man Half Biscuit: really wouldn't have thought I'd still be listening to HMHB 40 years after Back in the DHSS - they're definitely an acquired taste but I enjoyed this way more than I was expecting, there's some very amusing lyrics and Rawlplugs of Yesteryear is a belter. 7.5

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard: even though it's their gazillionth album this still took me by surprise - wasn't expecting upbeat 1970s groove a la Rose City Band but it works brilliantly, a cracking summer listen. 8

Steve Queralt: second excellent solo album this year by a member of Ride, after Andy Bell's Pinball Wanderer - no surprises how it sounds, evidently not a singer but it doesn't suffer for it given that the instrumentals stand up on their own and the fine guest vocalists. Good stuff. 8

Yawn: so much of this stuff around that it's hard to stand out - I did at least sense an attempt to do so here, there's a few interesting arrangements on show and a couple of decent tracks (let it all go, world is burning). 6.5

Metric: don't really know this lot but this certainly had some appeal - high octane synth/rock crossover not a million miles away from Ladytron or Yeah Yeah Yeahs, if a bit shiny and lacking the bite of Karen O and gang. 7.5

TotW: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - Deadstick

Justin

Half Man Half Biscuit - the clever lyric indie pub band genre is quite dated these days. I find these type of albums one listen only. I did enjoy Horror Clowns are dickheads. 6.4

King Gizzard - funkier than expected. Obviously good musicians and can put together a good tune but nothing standout. 6.7

Steve Queralt - I love a bit of ambient drone guitar style music. Got plenty of listens. 7.5

Yawn - on the whole a bit boring but the food songs like Coloured Lights and wasting time worked well for slow ambient style tracks. 6.5

Totw Mission Creep - Steve Queralt

Metric - listened to them before but for whatever reason leaves me a bit cold. 5

Phil

Half Man Half Biscuit 7.8

Surprising as it may seem, I’ve never listened to a HMHB album all the way through before. It always seemed to me that when I did hear tracks by them the title was usually better than the song. Well, clearly I’ve been missing out because I enjoyed this a lot. I agree with Andy that Falmouth Electrics is probably the best track though Record Store Day had the best line – “I do like to re-release the B sides”. I shall be listening to this album on repeat and slowly working my through their back catalogue.

King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard 7.25

I gather this band are very prolific (5 albums in 2022! Look out, Guided by Voices – and SAULT!) and that, perhaps as a consequence, they’re prepared to try their hand at pretty much anything. It certainly sounds like it on it on this record. Surprisingly they mostly pull it off too. Very enjoyable.

Steve Qeralt 7

The creepy (see what I did there?) opening track promises an album of disconcerting soundscapes but, rather disappointingly, it then settles for a Mogwai-lite vibe. There are worse bands to imitate than Mogwai but I was hoping for something a bit more ambitious.

Yawn 6

More girly pop. At least she doesn’t quite live down to her name but there’s little here to get excited about. Relax, Charlie, you got this.

TOTW – HMHB – Falmouth Electrics

Classic

Metric 5.5

Dull, widescreen indie. Bright bouncy tunes with a synth backwash. Not for me, Clive.

Guy

Half Man Half Biscuit: always fun. Some superb lyrics (the one Phil referenced is outstanding). An enjoyable listen which you need to hear 2 or 3 times to get the best out of – 7.8

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard: superb 70s sound. Despite the fact these guys knock out albums like confetti, they deliver high quality and really interesting albums - 8

Steve Queralt: very Mogwai-esque. I’m not sure I’d rush back to it but it was a pleasant listen whilst pootling round the park with the dogs - 7

Yawn: above average female vocal act. There are too many of these type of acts though and I’m starting to tire a bit. – 6.6

Metric: Decent listen but it isn’t the YYYs - 7

TotW: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – Sea of Doubt

Jim

Half Man Half Biscuit 7

Witty, clever lyrics , I didn’t warm to the tunes as much

King Kizzard and the Lizzard Wizzard 6

Nice, for a bit, but I do glaze over with this genre somewhat

Steve Queralt 7.5

My fav this week. Really enjoyed the super-sonic sounds and was a perfect listen for the sunny mornings we’ve had this week

Yawn 6.5

Decent pop which grew on me and reminded of La Roux and Sigrid at times without quite hitting their heights

TOTW: Steve Qs High Teens

Metric 8

This is a top album, with a handful of cracking tunes - Dark Saturday, Underline The Black and Dress To Supress my stand outs. She is a Karen O-lite, but even lite is pretty cool and the big tracks are Killers-esque. Could have dropped the last 2 and finished on Holding Out to make it a tip-top album.

Annette

Half Man Half Biscuit: 6.5

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard: 6

Steve Queralt: 7.5

Yawn: 7

TOTW: Lonely Town by Steve Queralt

Classic: Metric - 8

Matt

Half Man Half Biscuit - masters of their genre but the genre is rather limting. Still you have to love anyone who sings about about an uppity ventriloquist's dummy who likes Gauhaus. 7.6

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - they constantly confound. This has a 70s southern rock feel and some big tunes. Is the Lizard Wizzard chanelling Lynyrd Skynyrd? 8.3

Steve Queralt - big instrumental pieces with a (perhaps unsurprisingly) shoegazy feel. 7.8

Yawn - starts well and tails off a little, but a nice contribution to the female driven self-reflection genre. 7

Totw - Deadstick, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. A surprisingly cheerful song about a plane crash. Told you they confound.

Metric - some big electronica rock tunes here. Not half bad. 7.5

Erol

HMHB - vaguely interesting working-man lyrics but I’m inclined to agree that this just sounds a bit passé. Doubt I’ll be returning for a second listen. 5.5

King Gizzard etc - they really have thrown everything at this! Super varied big band panoramic sounds mixed with funkiness. Really enjoyable. 7.5

Steve Queralt - dreamy synth based pop. I don’t really know Mogwai (so can’t comment on the validity of the comparison) but thought this was very listenable. 6.9

Yawn - the first track is lively, the rest is moderately pleasing but all rather pedestrian. Sorry, I can’t resist: yawn. 5.8

TOTW - Deadstick, King Gizzard etc

Metric - great album, notwithstanding the earlier debate as to whether it counts as a classic! 8

Adam

HMHB

Does have that slightly pub gig circuit vibe. Interesting lyrics keep it going. 6

King Gizzard

Another good offering of Aussie psychedelic rock. High energy, weird. Good stuff. 8

Steve Queralt

Slightly moody synthy outing here. Could imagine bopping about on Moth clubs sticky floors to this. 7

Yawn

Standard issue floaty pop with a female lead. 5

TOTW: King Gizzard - grow wings and fly

Classic - have listened to Fantasies to death back in the day. Hadn’t listened to this I believe, more cracking vocals, guitars and overall rocking. 8

Sam

Half Man Half Biscuit: consistently clever and funny . Glad I saw them live last year with Andy . 7.5

King Gizzard etc : what a fab album ! Really zipped along with loads of influences but all

Mixed together beautifully.8.3

Steve Queralt : some of this was absolutely gorgeous. Occasional flat bits so it’s a 7.2

Yawn : Good voice , pretty good without blowing my skirt up . 6.9

TOTW : Deadstick by King Gizzard etc

Metric : listened to this loads in lockdown. Such a stunning voice . Thanks again Jim for this . Comes out of the traps like a bullet . 9

Mark

HMHB - gloriously laugh out loud funny and the tunes are mostly great too. Maybe the puns wear off after a while, but on first listen it's ace. A total antidote to modern glossy pop music, long may they continue - 7.5

King Gizzard - another cracker from this endlessly inventive bunch of Aussies. Funkier and more 'song' driven than a lot of their usual freak out stuff, and all the better for it, bits of it put me in mind of Beck. The variety and prolific output of bands like this and Car Seat Headrest put a lot of the basic verse/chorus bands to shame - 8

Steve Queralt - been a fair few of these 90s indie band drummers & bassists striking out on their own and for the most part I've enjoyed them. Atmospheric, soundtracky, Mogwai lite as has been noted, this was a decent listen and more than justifies him doing his own thing - 7.5

Yawn - I thought this was all rather lovely, nice vocals, strong songwriting, bubbly atmospheric synths running along underneath - 7

TOTW - Deadstick by King Gizzard