Tame Impala
“Currents”
Interscope
The newest album by Australian psychedelic rockers Tame Impala picks up where the last one left off and delivers some really nice sounds. It’s full of weird twists and turns, seamlessly moving from mind bending effects to dance beats and synths. They’ve left behind some of the guitar driven sound and gone for something a little more club oriented. It’s a pretty amazing piece of work.
“Currents” was written, performed, recorded, and mixed by the main band member Kevin Parker. Working out of his home studio, he worked meticulously on getting everything exactly the way he wanted it before readying it for release. It has received critical acclaim across the board, and debuted near the top of the charts internationally.
Tame Impala is one of the strongest innovators in the indie-rock scene these days. One listen to the opening track, “Let It Happen” will show you what this album is all about. It is filled with lush reverb, trippy phasing effects, dizzying loops and thoughtful, and emotional lyrics. It sets the stage for a swirling, mind-bending listening experience: “All this running around, Trying to cover my shadow; An ocean growing inside, All the others seem shallow; All this running around, Bearing down on my shoulders; I can hear an alarm, Must be morning”.
There are too many good songs on here to talk about. One of my favorites is “The Less I Know The Better”. It’s an upbeat, catchy tune with a straight-forward rhythm. After driving hard through the verse, it drops off into a dreamy chorus, pining for the love he lost and begging her to come back. It’s a common theme throughout the album.
There are some slower tempo songs on here too. An excellent example is “Cause I’m A Man”. It starts off with the vibe of an old 80’s pop love song, then launches into a new sonic level in the chorus with a David Gilmour-like guitar riff punctuating his lines: “Cause I’m a man, woman; Don’t always think before I do; Cause I’m a man, woman; That’s the only answer I’ve got for you”.
It’s really awesome to see a young indie-rock band continue to find inspiration for new and creative material, where other bands fall off with new found fame. Kevin Parker and Tame Impala know how to keep it real, keep it exciting, and keep it honest. If you’re not afraid to get bent, check this one out for sure.
Tom Matthew, Two Ton Music