Australian four piece Scizzorman has carved out an unique niche for themselves in the modern music scene as purveyors of funk rock with a decidedly offbeat and modern bent. This is far from a glorified tribute act to past icons like Parliament, Funkadelic, and others of that ilk; Scizzorman are far too idiosyncratic to follow the path of pastiche and, instead, are building a reputation based much more on involved but comprehensible lyrical content, conceptual ideas, and topics tethered to our time. The band has produced new material intermittently since their 2005 debut, but they progress and further refine their art with each new release.
BANDCAMP: https://scizzorman.bandcamp.com/
The latest studio outing from the band, Schizophonic, includes nine songs split between two “sides”. Side A is “Introvert” and Side B is “Outrovert”; the band has released each half of the album in physical forms as EPs. It is a shrewd move. The album has obvious merits as a nine song collection, but each side can stand on its own as a shorter work. It’s indicative of the band’s creative vision that Schizophonic proves so malleable and forward thinking rather than falling into the rut of being just another standard release.
“21st Century Clan” opens Side A in a way serving notice to newcomers that Scizzorman are working on a higher level than many bands of their ilk; labeling their music as “rock/funk fusion” scarcely scratches the surface of their capabilities. The track begins with a spoken word introduction that is more prosaic than poetic but nonetheless intriguing before the track launches in earnest.
To say it has an unusual approach is an understatement. Scizzorman brings chops galore to the table evident in the head-spinning tempo changes they navigate with confident finesse. Despite some tasty guitar playing and Dorothy Helfgott’s keyboard playing, the burning heart of the track is the rhythm section. Terry Vinci’s drumming and a memorable bass line played from Cody Robson define the early and recurring groove, but their contributions elsewhere are notable as well.
“Souls of the Past” has an evocative and theatrical opening provided by Helfgott’s synthesizer playing before faint percussion and Vinci’s voice emerges from the mix. The track forgoes the funk inclinations of the opening track in favor of a haunting and dreamlike musical attack. Scizzorman invokes a great deal of melancholy with this performance, but the lyrics carry an ultimately hopeful message.
The first track on Side B, “Skin”, is the album’s single. We return to the band’s funk influences for this track though it has a much more straight-line approach than the aforementioned “21st Century Clan”. This paean to epidermal love has more than one meaning in the way Scizzorman treats the subject. It should prove to be a winning live number as well for the band. The melodic bass line opening “Homoblivion” is a bit misleading. You keep waiting for a full band to kick in, but it never happens. Instead, the bass playing carries the day in a dazzling way and the vocals provide a crowning touch for my personal favorite on the release.
CD BABY: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/scizzorman7
The finale “Generation Wrap” opens with some Pink Floyd-ian keyboard playing soon joined by bass and drums. Ending the release with an instrumental is a bold move, but in keeping with the same daring spirit defining Scizzorman’s music. It’s a low key yet nuanced performance, pensive and intelligent, and Cody Robson’s guitar playing sparkles throughout. Schizophonic is Scizzorman’s finest release yet.
Jodi Marxbury