It's the bold approach and execution which I adore about this album. Sure, some die hard fans of the band may be disappointed. However, bands who make a radical change to their sound yet manage to keep their essence are a rare breed. Enter Radiohead, Enter Kid A. I wouldn't be as foolish to compare the two albums, because they are different in multiple ways. But the same formula has been a success here, just to differing scales and magnitudes. Lonerism is to OK Computer as Currents is to Kid A. Again, I stress... nothing in my eyes can match the beautiful contrast of the soaring riffs of 'Electioneering' and those opening five notes of 'Everything in it's right place'.
The album begins with a track 7 minutes and 47 seconds in length. Another courageous move... A dragged out opener is quite possibly the worst thing an album can suffer. Luckily it doesn't happen often and it certainly doesn't here. I remember Kurt Vile putting 'Wakin on a Pretty Day' as a opener a couple of years ago. Just the 9 minutes and 31 seconds for that one. Thank god it was a killer track! 'Let it Happen' is glorious. It only takes 3 seconds for the keyboards to jump in and for the groove to lay its foundations. Already the dance-able feel that fills a solid amount of this record shines through. Equally, the beauty of Kevin Parker's vocals don't take long to be showcased. His vocals in general on this album are a thing to behold... and hugely infectious. The other instrumentation is as crisp as ever, as you expect with Tame Impala music. The track takes you on a journey of synth hooks and beats before layering a more typical reverb heavy guitar riff over the top towards the end. The composition of everything is a treat. A near 8 minutes of musical heaven.
'Nangs' follows... a typical Tame Impala interlude, with a dreamy, hazy feel complimented with hard hitting drums and trippy vocals. Note the synths again here, but also note the Tame Impala signature feel bleeding through it. Lovely stuff.
'The Moment' fuses glistening, swirly synths once again with a dark, sinister bass line. A recurring style throughout. The chorus echoes throughout with Kevin Parker singing 'ooohhhh, it's getting closer'. The groove is strong and the vocals are lovable. If there is any song on this record which could potentially sicken the die hard guitar enthusiasts (I was one myself once!) then the next track 'Yes, I'm Changing' is definitely it. The pace is slowered, but the synth and bass hold their glory. Some glistening, disco notes flicker from the keyboard throughout to quite possibly leave some fans open mouthed. Kevin Parker sings of a break up throughout this album, but really centers on it here. He is no stranger to this theme, but on 'Feels Like We Only Go Backwards' on Lonerism, we don't have this stripped back feel. The lyrics are gooey to say the least and the cynics could call the sentiments on offer to be as far removed from rock as you can possibly get. "But baby, now there's nothing left that I can do, so don't be blue, there is another future waiting there for you".
If you are one of those cynics and you've filled your bucket with vomit and tears, you might want to grab another for the next track. 'Eventually' does however, feature some guitars parts and small hooks to fill the small places in between the trusty synth, drum and bass norm. Kevin Parker sings once again of a break up, or relationship woes. Perhaps the narrative of this particular track follows nicely after 'Let it Happen' where Parker puts the two fingers up to compromise and working out a relationship for the sake of it. "All this running around, trying to cover my shadow". By 'Eventually', he has changed his tune to make a change... or even to end it all for the benefit of both parties. "Cause I know that I'll be happier, and I know you will too, eventually". A track which at first is hard to get your head round as a Tame Impala track, but a real grower. The ending section in particular is tranquil and hugely satisfying.
'Gossip' is another interlude thrown in for good measure. 'The Less I know the Better' is next and this track sums up the record and why I love it in a nutshell. The bass line is a belter, the keyboards are a joy and the vocals are Kevin Parker at his best. Tame Impala making you click your fingers, tap your hands and make you want to get up and dance. A sentence I never thought I'd see or write. This simply works, I don't care what any old school fan says! The lyrics are playful here and clearly refer to chasing a girl. "I was doing fine without you, till I saw your eyes turn away from mine".
'Past Life' is another track which feels galaxies away from anything Tame Impala have ever produced. A daft punk esque robotic voice provides the lyrics for the verses with Parker returning for the chorus. The lyrics are a little 'Digital Love' style cringy, but the actual tune and chorus in particular are glorious. "I always wondered if you wanted my love" is sung in conjunction with a lovely little drum fill and synth drop. 'Disciples' is a quick fire follower with more addictive bass and keyboard combinations, with the latter being some punchy disco notes. The vocals are beautiful again here and are a real Kevin Parker signature. It lifts, falls, extends and shortens in a way I cannot help but adore.
'Cause I'm a Man' was another single released before album day, along with 'Let it Happen'. The pace slows again, but the suave doesn't. "Because I'm a man woman, don't always think before I do". 'Reality in Motion' comes next and the beats don't let up. By this point you'd be forgiven to think Kevin Parker has done music this way forever. It sounds like Tame Impala, like everything before it does, but it has a new lease of life... or at least a very different one which isn't relying on guitar sounds. The chorus is remarkably catchy... "I've done all this waiting, vision ever fading". At this point, I rate the vocals as good as anything out there today. I think it's more personal preference and him just striking a chord with me, but I honestly enjoy it more than anyone else currently.
'Love/Paranoia' is the penultimate track. A deep, heavy track homing in on regret and self realisation of mistakes. The themes of love and paranoia/confusion do appear everywhere on the album. "I may not be as honest as I ought to be now that when the walls go up, I said it didn't worry me". "True love is bringing it out of me, the worst of me". A heartfelt track, a lyrical highlight and perhaps the most emotive song on the record. "Suddenly, I'm the phony one, the only one with a problem". We've all been there Kev, tell me about it!
Last track 'New Person, Same Old Mistakes' is a dark, heavy bass and trippy closer and takes the band the furthest away from guitars along with 'Past Life'. The title itself represents the entire narrative of the album. Perhaps along with the track before, a lyrical highlight. Kevin Parker sounds bitter and frustrated until 3 minutes in, when he momentarily shifts his voice up an octave or two and wails "and I know it seems wrong to accept, but she's got your demons, and she's got her regrets". He closes with a series of questions, pondering his learnt lessons..."So how will I know that it's right?". Confusion, misunderstanding and pondering thoughts feature as much here as all of his previous work. A great closer.
This is for me, the best Tame Impala album to date and one of the strongest releases this year. Despite it's differences to previous work, it never feels anything less than a Tame Impala album. The songwriting, instrumentation, vocals come up trumps here and it feels like everything done in the past has led to this album. A coming of age album and one that will live long in the memory. It is that good.
9/10
Other album reviews:
Bully - Feels Like: 6.5/10
Girlpool - Before the World Was Big: 7/10
Here is 'The Less I Know the Better':
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