In 2010, the notion of a small-time, Beatles-esque psychedelic project growing into a global festival headliner may have seemed too Woodstock-y to be true, but this has been Tame Impala’s exact trajectory over the last decade. As Kevin Parker’s psych-rock band expanded past the wah-drenched stylings of its 2010 debut, Innerspeaker, toward 2012’s colossal pop experiment Lonerism and 2015’s disco-lite Currents, the group gained new fans in amounts proportional to each album’s increase in critical acclaim. Parker’s melodies and production with each subsequent album likewise became significantly sharper and more upbeat.
One thing, however, has remained unchanged: From the get-go, Parker’s lyrics have had at least some level of cringe factor, with reaches for philosophical highs often sounding half-baked or, at worst, immature. Even amidst the sweeping drum blasts and saccharine synths of Lonerism that highlight “Music To Walk Home By,” the juvenility of Parker’s ruminations on purposelessness proved inescapable. Currents opened with arguably the best five-minute-plus pop song of the 2010s (“Let It Happen”), but one line from the album’s closer—“I know that you think it’s fake / Maybe fake’s what I like”—resembled a preteen blowing a raspberry until Rihanna made this brashness sound profound.
Parker’s long-awaited Currents follow-up, The Slow Rush, isn’t quite as interesting as its predecessors in terms of songwriting and production, and this gap makes Parker’s lyrical weaknesses more challenging to ignore. As the album’s title suggests, Parker fixates here on the passage of time, but he often belly-flops into tropes about loneliness or mistakes snide comments for revelations. Although its catchiest moments somewhat make up for lyrics as cloying as “If you think I couldn’t hold my own, believe me, I can,” The Slow Rush’s production and melodies underwhelm compared to Parker’s signature blissful odysseys.
About that lyric: Though one of the album’s weakest, it actually comes from one of the LP’s most energizing songs. “Breathe Deeper” opens with a guitar shuffle that would feel at home amid the rapturous bursts that defined Lonerism, but even when vigorous acid-house pianos emerge during the refrain, the song never blossoms the way we’ve come to expect from Parker’s best productions. “Is It True,” perhaps the album’s most disco-indebted tune, may well be the LP’s most galvanizing, but its rump-shaking bass line and Vegas Strip synths can’t mask its haphazardly narrated story: A conversation about the nature of devotion turns into Parker telling the other person his love for them might not last. Plot-wise, the sharp left turn is hard to believe.
Musically, The Slow Rush is disappointingly devoid of such abrupt deviations. Parker has long been a master of suddenly exaggerating one part of a song so strongly—the “Let It Happen” record-scratch trick, “Apocalypse Dreams” briefly imploding and then dramatically exploding with a hair-raising key change—that only literal stones would fail to feel catharsis. On these new songs, however, he opts for such varnished smoothness that the music often loses its luster. This trend might stem from his pop production for other artists; consider the song he produced for Kali Uchis’ remarkable Isolation, “Tomorrow.” Where the unobtrusive, mildly trippy effects Parker applied to Uchis’ silken synths elevated her vocals’ endless warmth, on The Slow Rush, this restraint saps poignance from moments such as the first two minutes of “Posthumous Forgiveness.”
Still, that song eventually finds its way toward one of the album’s most unshakable musical moments. Staccato, delirious synths and kick drums melt into a foreboding, mind-swirling abyss that faint acoustic notes later enhance, and in classic Parker style, these elements unexpectedly disappear to introduce an entirely different motif. Unfortunately, where Parker has previously employed such bait and switches to conjure glorious geysers of sound, here he follows that exciting midsection with a dull, barren stretch padded with bizarre lyrics, including a passing mention of “Mick Jagger on the phone.”
Though Parker has long dabbled in lyrics that don’t hold weight upon close inspection, the chorus of glistening single “It Might Be Time” feels especially shallow. Here, Parker matches the aforementioned “New Person, Same Old Mistakes” wisecrack with a remark that the new track’s siren-like wails, technicolor synths, and booming drums can’t hide. “You’re goin’ under / You ain’t as young as you used to be / It might be time to face it / You ain’t as cool as you used to be,” he sings. He often seems uninspired enough on The Slow Rush that he could be talking about himself.
71 Comments
I’m definitely interested in giving it a listen when I have time but after Currents I’m not holding my breath. Lonerism and Innerspeaker were both much better.
song above is meh, was not really a fan of Currents, this review also does not inspire confidence that this will be anything interesting. I believe I will pass
This will be the first TI record I skip. For me it’s been downhill since Innerspeaker. Not saying I blanket dislike everything after, but consistency has been dwindling.
I’ll give it a listen, but Innerspeaker was nearly a perfect album as far as I’m concerned, and each album since has a been a step below the previous. It’s a bummer because that first album was so excellent. I do think some of the newer stuff is catchy, for sure… but it won’t ever hook me like Innerspeaker did.
You’re really going to believe one review. All the others I’ve read have said this album is awesome.
Ehhhh not just the review. The song I have heard, and also fall in the group of people who think each album has shown a decline
Shallow lyrics? ha ha. This review fucking sucks.
I’ll admit I don’t go to Tame Impala for the lyrics, so I don’t know if I exactly am opposed to the critique of them so much as the idea that *that* would be the issue to have with TA. And the repetitive bluntness of “I know you think it’s fake/maybe fake is what I like” is exactly why it’s effective.
It is a brain dead, disingenuous critique. Critic may enjoy reviewing poetry over song
“Feels Like We Only Go Backwards” is the only song of their I really love. I was kind of surprised to find out how popular they are (they TOP headline festivals above people like Janelle Monae) but I’ve never really got into it. Some of it kind of sounds like people who wish MGMT had kept making music like Oracular Spectacular instead of changing (for the better, I think, other than the S/T)
Don’t understand the hate for Currents, my favorite album of theirs, I’m in on this one.
Now’s the perfect time for us all to learn:
I fucking hate this shit even if making fun of artists I don’t like.
Trash.
One thing, however, has remained unchanged: From the get-go, Parker’s lyrics have had at least some level of cringe factorWow, the first couple paragraphs of this review don’t exactly instill a sense of detached objectivity. I’ll go ahead and wait to hear this one for myself.
Not quite sure why you’d want detached objectivity in a review (or really what that would look like? This song has 120 beats per minute. This one is in a 3/4 time signature. Yaaay). If anything, knowing what the reviewer likes and doesn’t like provides a better service (if using music reviews as a purchasing guide). Just as long as there’s not a blatant conflict of interest, objectivity iS An impossibility.
You’re taking me too literally; my point is that if you’re starting your Tame Impala review with “I never understood the big fuss over this band; their music always makes me cringe,” you’re obviously bringing that to the table with your first listen.
But that’s also not what the review says (your use of quotes is a paraphrase, but you also said I took you Too literally sooooo make up your mind?). He didn’t say that tame impala makes him cringe. Just that some of the lyrics are cringey. If you’re coming to the first listen loving everything TI did, you’re also not coming from it from an objective position but one of a fan. Your “point” is itself pointless. People come to the table with preconditions and assumptions is like florals in spring.
Okay. So you’re just being super pedantic about my choice of words for the sake of being right more than you actually have anything to say about what I’m saying. Got it.
it’s a super weird review. obviously mentioning weaker aspects of the album is a must, but focusing your entire Tame Impala review around his lyrics and ignoring everything else is like reviewing a Pink Floyd album for the drums. like c’mon – “A conversation about the nature of devotion turns into Parker telling
the other person his love for them might not last. Plot-wise, the sharp
left turn is hard to believe”. does this not apply to like every pop song written about love in the last 20 years?
I remember when #9 Dream = Every Tame Impala Song. But maybe focusing on lyrics isn’t the most important thing. More I cannot say. What more can I say?
Since I can’t edit my post anymore:
I’m digging the 4 songs that are on Amazon so far, have to wait until the album actually drops to make up my mind though.
All four of the song released before the album was very good and the albums is getting great reviews every else. And Borderline is a banger. Couldn’t disagree more with this reviewer.
All four of the songs released before the album were so bland and lightweight they didn’t even pass into memory. I loved each of their albums more than the last, and none more than Currents, but this is a massive fail.
Borderline and It Might Be Time are catchy as hell for my money. 3 of those singles made the Triple J Hottest 100 2019 (top 100 songs of the year voted by listeners), for what it’s worth.
I disagree. And I’ve read numerous reviews that say this album is the best.
Fail isn’t really it, but I agree that the 4 tracks released before all kinda run together, as does this record. It’s just so one note and sonically repetitive with nothing but wall to wall synths and mid tempo pacing for the entire duration. The mood never changes, either. It’s not bad, but it is largely boring and feels more like the album you throw on when you want some fuzzy background music but have no desire to really get anything out of it. The lyrics all melt into the wall of sound and get lost. I listened to the whole thing through on good headphones the other day and remember hardly any of it.
Couldn’t agree more. It Might Be Time made my decade playlist already. I can’t believe how much this review relied on the lack of profound lyrics when that’s never been what Kevin’s known for… hell, he admitted that Let It Happen was partly gibberish until he had to perform it live!
Lyrics aside, the singles I’ve heard so far from this album are boring keyboard pop and I’m a Tame Impala fan.
I too was disappointed by the singles that came out. I even ended up removing them from my playlist as I was constantly skipping them. I never skip any of his songs from the past albums.
Funny you say that, Patience was easily my favorite of the pre-album singles, and I’m pretty miffed that it didn’t make it, especially when Borderline (probably the only Tame Impala song I’ve ever disliked) made it.
Same, I thought Patience did what Borderline is trying to do much better.
3 of those 4 were completely forgettable. I’m just glad patience isn’t on it
I don’t know a thing about this band, but are you suggesting that their lyrics come with no grammar?
Wholly disagree. It’s an album full of sensationally produced yacht rock bangers. Lighten up pal.
Avclub really just graded this album equally with the new Bieber lol, time to throw in the hat gang, you’re officially no longer relevant as music reviewers
but one line from the album’s closer—“I know that you think it’s fake / Maybe fake’s what I like”—resembled a preteen blowing a raspberry until Rihanna made this brashness sound profound.Y’what? She practically xeroxed her cover of that song, there’s practically zero difference in her interpretation – or intonation for that matter. Wow.
Yeah this is a really weird stance to make when discussing lyrical content. It’s the same. The only difference is the performance. Which, whatever, if you like Rhianna version of it better – cool – but that’s more on feel for her interpretation/voice.
“I really didn’t like the childish dialogue in Tarantinos ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ but it became much less childish when Jordan Peele did a shot for shot, word for word remake of it”
This is the most dishonest and inaccurate music review I’ve ever written. It’s almost as if the pathetic low life POS reviewer realized that his poorly written posts would get more clicks if he purposely gave it a poor review. This album has some of the best instrumentalism AND lyricism of any album created in the past ten years. Tame Impala has more talent then you ever will, you stupid cunt faced dog of a subhuman
I found all the singles solid, actually going back and enjoying Patience more like one of those sounds better in the context of the albums thing even though it’s not on the album. Still a fan after Currents even though it’s obviously more pop, dance oriented. I’m actually just realizing how much this sound of theirs reminds me of REO Speedwagon which has been apparent with the last album but the song On Track on this album in particular. The rest of the album doesn’t really compare to the singles but it’s fine, better than a C+ but there is a lot of other good music coming out right now.
I don’t think patience is even on the album
No, it’s not hence why I said it’s not. Borderline is a different mix as well, fyi just in case that one sounds really diff in the context of the album to people lol.
Oops missed the end of that sentence. I like the new mix of borderline but it’s still not all that good
It’s on G ‘N R Lies
It’s a MASSIVE disappointment. I’d give it a D- as compared to his other outings. The biggest criticism? It’s boring. All adventurism has been dropped to the wayside, and now Parker is turning out mid-tempo, tired tunes with bland lyrics. It’s so bad in comparison to his earlier work, it reminds me a lot of the Travelling Willburies, where some of rock’s greatest (Orbison, Harrison, Lynne, Dylan) started cranking out easy listening tunes.I read Parker got married—that could be it. Many times a happy home life kills what makes artists great.
I don’t know what happened to Tame Impala but their new stuff (anything after Lonerism) is unlistenable to me. Innerspeaker was their best album and now they’re just some weird generic pop disco group.
There’s no “their”. It’s one guy.
“Maybe fake’s what I like” was one of my favorite lines of that entire album. Had to stop reading there, very excited for this one!
Currents >>>>>>>>>>> Lonerism. Fight me
Wow. Couldn’t disagree more. The Slow Rush is magnificent. This review is not.
I disagree and this review is poorly written. Funny that 8 other reviews I’ve read have been extremely positive about this album. Haters gonna hate.
Critics who review lyrics above all else don’t know how to write about music.
Very strange that I just read the Pitchfork review, expected them to go all hipster runoff on this album, but they gave in an 8.0 and were almost entirely positive about it…AV Club…trying to be more relevant by being more critical? Or saying the emperor has no skinny scarf? YOU be the judge.
Pitchfork has bands they like, and bands they don’t like. Anything Tame Impala puts out will get a decent review from them. As a long time fan, this is easily the weakest effort. FWIW this album received the lowest grade Pitchfork has given a Tame Impala record, and the only that hasn’t been given ‘best new music’
They do tend to set a collar for what grade they are going to give a particular artist. I hated “The Big Day,” and it seemed to catch a lot of critics off-guard whether they should overpraise it or be called unhip, despite that the album is terminally unhip, AV Club went the overpraise, Pitchfork was VERY critical but still gave it a 6.9, I’d have given it a 4.3, they just could give Chance a lower grade. “Ye” was Kanye’s worst album and they gave it a 7.1. That might be the lowest they’ve given him, but it wasn’t low enough for that album.
100% agree with you on both counts. I could barely believe how disappointing Chance’s debut was after all the hype he’s gotten.
Calling that his debut is being about as disingenuous about it as he has been, he’s released three classic albums whether you call them mixtapes or not, his fourth was a clunker.
I don’t think the reviewer is trying to be relevant, just that he was disappointed by the album. As am I. It’s been a very long wait for Parker to release his worst album.
Max you are out of your mind. Citing “Cringe Factor” lyrics as a reason to downplay (for clickbait) one of today’s living legends of music is incredibly inaccurate and also completely irrelevant to his sound. You’re talking about the guy who wrote “He pulled the mirrors off his Cadillac, Because he doesn’t like it looking like he looks back” and “Theres a party in my head, and no one is invited”. Tame is known for their incredibly deep, personal and thought provoking lyrics. This is just a trash article from a trash writer. Also your poor reference of ‘Mick Jagger on the phone’ is Kevin talking about the Mick Jagger remix that he worked directly with Mick on, who his father (posthumous forgiveness) was a huge fan of. What an ignorant article, pathetic.
Imo I never got the big hype over Tame Impala. They’re okaayy… I kind of dig the pseudo-retro, relaxing melancholy ambient thing to a groovy beat thing that they have going on.For me they’re one of those bands who are in the heard two or three songs, heard ‘em all basket.
max, you might end up regretting this C+ grade. yes, tame impala are somewhat watered down from their debut release, but i’m hearing a lot of originality, excellent production and a couple truly great songs. how many times did you listen to it prior to your review.. just curious?
Me personally, I never really understood all the hype behind this project/band. One of the most boring bands I’ve listened to these past 20 years…Even “Innerspeaker”, which I bought back then on LP, made me yawn like a mofo. Guitars or not…same, boring tripe. Unadventurous, safe, bland, never taking a risk…These dudes are Supertramp for ageing hipsters.
Look no one is ever gonna say that Kevin Parker is the lyricist of our times but god damn if he doesn’t like to make deep grooving music. Love Tame’s old stuff and I love the now.
Oh damn on track is some beautiful life affirming shit
Honestly. No hyperbole. If you don’t see. What so cool about theeLatest Tame LPYOU DONT KNOW MEbut seriously you shoul groove on where It Might Be Time wants to take you. That ending is a lot of fun.
I dunno, he may have his ups and downs but I still think Kevin is making something new for music. I don’t have a comparable.
I mean Disciples. Automatic pass yes?
“But one line from the album’s closer—“I know that you think it’s fake / Maybe fake’s what I like”—resembled a preteen blowing a raspberry until Rihanna made this brashness sound profound.”So the lyrics became less “preteen” when Rhianna sang them, even though their context within the song remains the same? This is such a confusing take.
“A conversation about the nature of
devotion” sounds like it was plagiarized from a 7th grade book report on the Scarlet letter.immediately followed by:“disappointingly devoid of such abrupt deviations.” grossand only surpassed by this 18 car pile up of a sentence:“Parker has long
been a master of suddenly exaggerating one part of a song so
strongly—the “Let It Happen” record-scratch trick, “Apocalypse Dreams”
briefly imploding and then dramatically exploding with a hair-raising
key change—that only literal stones would fail to feel catharsis.”and the piece de resistance:“On
these new songs, however, he opts for such varnished smoothness that the
music often loses its luster” such varnished smoothness? jesus.a review about lyrical clunkiness shouldn’t read so clunkily.
“Though Parker has long dabbled in lyrics that don’t hold weight upon close inspection”
Going to be very honest, this was one of the worst music reviews I’ve read that I remember. Please if you are reading this, disregard the review author entirely. I have basically the exact opposite opinion about almost everything you’ve stated, and I find your obsession with lyrics and their “cringe” factor very off-putting. I couldn’t imagine micro-analyzing lyric lines like you do, looking for some sort of mystifying analogies or English poetry that you don’t seem to explain at all. The way you judge lyrics, you would have to put 99% of good music in the trash can if you applied the same standards.
“Currents opened with arguably the best five-minute-plus pop
song of the 2010s (“Let It Happen”), but one line from the album’s
closer—“I know that you think it’s fake / Maybe fake’s what I
like”—resembled a preteen blowing a raspberry until Rihanna made this brashness sound profound.”
The way you talk about Rihanna’s literal EXACT cover of New Person, Same Old Mistakes, down to the vocal delivery of each word, is so weird. The lyrics are the exact same, so are you criticizing Kevin’s voice or his lyrics? Because you make no mention of his voice at all?
And the level of production on Slow Rush is beyond anything he has done before, he has clearly honed his craft to a staggering degree and manages to deliver a convincing vintage sound with an incredibly modern and ear-satisfying twist, with layers of instrumentation that exceeded anything he’s done before. How do you not hear that?
“Unfortunately, where Parker has previously employed such bait and
switches to conjure glorious geysers of sound, here he follows that
exciting midsection with a dull, barren stretch padded with bizarre
lyrics, including a passing mention of “Mick Jagger on the phone.”
Are you serious? Did you even bother to look up the meaning of that song? It’s a very complex and incredibly well-written and moving song about his troubled relationship with his long absent and now-deceased father. The first half is haunting, exhausted and almost angry sounding and the lyrics are about the resentment and feelings of abandonment he’s had, and then the song beat changes into a sound of pure nostalgia and longing, and the lyrics become so forgiving and loving and he’s literally saying that he could share his experience of talking to Mick Jagger with his father, who would likely be proud. Again, I am deeply disappointed by this review, you make almost no legitimate attempt to substantiate your takes on the lyrics and why they are more “cringe” than other popular songs when I found the lyrics better than ever, and they are especially suited for the psychedelic-disco-rock sound he was going for.I’m not saying all of this because im “offended” that you insulted a favorite band of mine, believe me, there are some fair criticisms about TI to be made, and Kevin probably isn’t the strongest singer in history (something you dont make mention of though, you just focus on lyrics strangely). I just think this review sucks and is a great injustice because The Slow Rush is one of the greatest albums I will ever hear before I die and I know that for a fact.