Tame Impala | ||
| Allmusic Biography : The sound of spacy, guitar-heavy psychedelic pop has never really gone out of fashion since the Beatles brought it to the mainstream in the late 60s, with proponents like Pink Floyd and the Flaming Lips managing to make long careers out of mining its every seam. In the 2010s, there is no more popular psych-pop group than Australias Tame Impala. Kevin Parker (vocals/guitar) and Dominic Simper (bass) formed the band as 13-year-olds in Perth in 1999, sticking to bedroom recordings until 2007, when Jay Watson joined them on drums and backing vocals. Their sound was pure late 60s, but wasnt the sound of any specific band from the era. They were as likely to channel the Nazz as the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Cocooned away inside walls of psychedelic fuzz in Western Australia, they re-created their preferred period one song at a time with the aid of gear and production techniques that sounded like they hadnt been dusted off since 1968. Like a lot of the buzz bands of the mid- to late 2000s Tame Impalas story involves MySpace. The social networking website rocketed them from a teenage garage band to the sought-after trophy in a multiple-label bidding war. It started when Modular Records sent them a message after hearing several songs on their MySpace page and asked for more. Tame Impala sent them a demo with 20 songs, which led to requests and offers from everyone under the sun. After consideration, they stuck with the label that had shown first interest, and signed with Modular in 2008. In September of that year they released their first self-titled EP. There was some confusion among reviewers, several of whom referred to the release as "Antares, Mira, Sun" after the notes written on the artwork, a representation of the Orion Nebula drawn by bandleader and songwriter Parker. As well as drawing the art, the perfectionist Parker micromanaged the recording, performing every instrument himself. The EP went to number ten on the ARIA charts and number one on the independent label charts. Though Parker played everything in the studio, live Tame Impala functioned as a real band, though at their early gigs they were famously unprepared and never wore shoes. At one such shambolic gig for a Vice Magazine party in Melbourne, indie electro-pop band MGMTs label manager caught their act and was impressed enough to offer them the support slot when his band toured Australia. That year they also supported the Black Keys and You Am I on national tours. In 2010, Tame Impala made their full-length debut with the Dave Fridmann-mixed Innerspeaker. Recorded mainly in a remote beach house four hours outside Perth, Parker did almost all the music, this time letting Watson and Simper contribute a little bit. The album was a critical and popular success, gaining the band fans all over the globe, being nominated for many awards in Australia including ARIA Album of the Year and winning the J Album of the Year nod. Shortly after the records release, Parker returned to his home studio in Perth to begin work on new material, which he started recording while the band was on tour. Along the way he lost half the album when his iPod fell out of his bag, he moved to Paris (where he produced Melodys Echo Chambers album), and eventually, after a year of mixing with Dave Fridmann, he finished the album. Released in 2012, Lonerism was a less guitar-heavy, far weirder album than Innerspeaker, yet it made an even bigger splash. Tame Impala repeated as winners of the J Award for Album of the Year and topped many year-end polls (including NME), and the record was nominated for Best Alternative Album at the Grammys. All this success made Parker an in-demand collaborator, and Mark Ronson was the biggest name to make a connection, with Parker working on a handful of tracks on Ronsons Uptown Special album. At the same time, Parker and some friends formed the space disco band AAA Aardvark Getdown Services. These were touchstones for the next Tame Impala record, 2015s Currents, which saw their sound expanded to include more up-tempo dance music-informed tracks and some smooth R&B; stylings. The record swept a number of categories at the 2015 ARIA Awards, including Best Album, and was once again nominated for Best Alternative Album at the 2016 Grammys. Parker stayed busy during the next few years with collaborations including work with Koi Child, Lady Gaga, Yasiin Bey, ZHU, and Mick Jagger. On the Tame Impala front, they released an expanded edition of Currents, which contained three previously unheard tracks and remixes by Pond and Soulwax. In 2019, Parker kicked Tame Impala back into gear, landing a handful of high-profile summer festival headline slots in anticipation of their Currents follow-up. The first single from that project, "Patience," was released that March. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 9 Title: Tame Impala Released: 2008-08 Tracks: 6 Duration: 20:57 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Half Full Glass of Wine (04:26) 2 Skeleton Tiger (?) 3 The Sun (?) 4 Half Full Glass of Wine (Canyons Drunken Rage) (05:34) 5 Skeleton Tiger (Retamed by Canyons) (06:11) 6 The Sun (Fred Cherry Eclipse) (04:46) |
 | Album: 2 of 9 Title: Innerspeaker Released: 2010-05-21 Tracks: 11 Duration: 53:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 It Isn’t Meant to Be (05:22) 2 Desire Be Desire Go (04:26) 3 Alter Ego (04:48) 4 Lucidity (04:32) 5 Why Won’t You Make Up Your Mind? (03:19) 6 Solitude Is Bliss (03:56) 1 Jeremy’s Storm (05:29) 2 Expectation (06:02) 3 The Bold Arrow of Time (04:25) 4 Runway, Houses, City, Clouds (07:15) 5 I Don’t Really Mind (03:48) |
| Innerspeaker : Allmusic album Review : The limpid lysergic swirls and squalling fuzz-toned riffs that populate Tame Impalas debut clearly owe a hefty, heartfelt debt to the hazy churn of late-60s/early-70s psych rock, but the members of this Perth threesome are hardly strict revivalists. In comparison to their similarly inspired contemporaries, they chart a course somewhere between Dungens lovingly meticulous replication of their chosen style and Malachais deconstructive, electronically enabled pastiche of same, deftly skirting the potential for parodic excess that comes with either extreme. Balancing an obvious reverence for their sonic forebears with subtly contemporary production tweaks, they make straddling two disparate eras feel like the most comfortable, effortless thing in the world. And that sense of unforced, unpretentious ease is fundamental to what makes Innerspeaker so simply, viscerally pleasurable: theres so much that Tame Impala get so wonderfully right here -- a distinct but understated undercurrent of melody, a relaxed but ever-present sense of groove, a crystal crispness and deliberateness to the sound even when its treated with a healthy dousing of buzz and reverb -- without seeming like theyre trying at all hard. Despite a classic power trio configuration and relatively limited use of overdubbing, the album frequently feels so sonically massive, so thick with ringing guitars, walls of effects, and tremendous, reverberating drums, that its hard to believe its the work of a mere threesome. Kudos are perhaps in order to neo-psych mainstay Dave Fridmann, who mans the mixing boards here with a relish and restraint that helps make this one of the most tasteful (and tasty) records on his recent résumé. Credit frontman Kevin Parkers lazily drawled, remarkably Lennon-esque vocals, too, (frequently Leslied or otherwise processed, which helps) with giving the album an extra air of free-floating authenticity (while only occasionally giving up anything as specific and tangible as a substantially intelligible lyric). Its only infrequently that individual songs manage to stand out from the surrounding fluid, atmospheric haze -- typically when the band decides to leave its hooks a bit of space to breathe, as on the chunky, chugging closer "I Dont Really Mind" or the crisp, snakily phased guitar lick cementing the deliciously poppy "Solitude Is Bliss." But the dearth of standout tracks here hardly feels like an issue -- indeed, Innerspeaker coasts so beautifully on its blissful, billowing waves of sound that readily discernible hooks almost seem like gratuitous distractions. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 9 Title: InnerSpeaker B-Sides & Remixes Released: 2011 Tracks: 7 Duration: 40:07 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Island Walking (03:04) 2 Why Won’t You Make Up Your Mind? (Erol Alkan rework) (08:14) 3 Lucidity (Pilooski remix) (05:29) 4 41 Mojitos (Poolside dub) (06:19) 5 Canyons Sunrise Reprise (07:45) 6 Solitude Is Bliss (Canyons "Dow Jones" mix) (04:21) 7 Solitude Is Bliss (Midnight Juggernauts remix) (04:55) |
 | Album: 4 of 9 Title: Lonerism Released: 2012-10-05 Tracks: 12 Duration: 51:47 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Be Above It (03:21) 2 Endors Toi (03:06) 3 Apocalypse Dreams (05:56) 4 Mind Mischief (04:31) 5 Music to Walk Home By (05:12) 6 Why Wont They Talk to Me? (04:46) 1 Feels Like We Only Go Backwards (03:12) 2 Keep on Lying (05:54) 3 Elephant (03:31) 4 She Just Wont Believe Me (00:57) 5 Nothing That Has Happened So Far Has Been Anything We Could Control (06:01) 6 Suns Coming Up (05:20) |
| Lonerism : Allmusic album Review : Theres a better than decent chance that, no matter where you are, Perth, Australia is pretty far away, a fact that pretty much makes Tame Impala mastermind Kevin Parker an isolated pop genius isolated pop genius. Working mostly by himself, Parker mines this solitude with brilliant results on Tame Impalas sophomore effort, Lonerism. Diving headfirst into the realm of pop music, the way Parker uses keyboards to explore more traditional melodies makes the album feel like the McCartney to Innerspeakers Lennon, blending the familiar with the far out to craft a Revolver-esque psych-pop experience. This shift from the guitar-heavy sound of the debut to a more synthed-out approach gives the album a more expansive feeling, allowing Parker to explore new textures through layer after layer of melody. As with Innerspeaker, sonic architect Dave Fridmann handles the mixing, and though he wasnt involved in the recording process, Lonerism definitely shares the producers knack for using the space as an instrument in and of itself. This layering of not just sounds, but environments, creates a serene and lonely patchwork of sound, texture, and atmosphere thats a pleasure to explore, offering something different with every journey into its swirling haze of classic pop melody and modern, more experimental, construction. Most importantly, the partnership allows Fridmann to help shape Tame Impalas wild, starry-eyed ambition into something enveloping and accessible, a trick hes performed for the Flaming Lips and Mercury Rev again and again. This combination gives Lonerism the best of both worlds, allowing it the creative freedom to emerge as one of the most impressive albums of the home-recording era while still feeling superbly refined. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 9 Title: Lonerism B-Sides & Remixes Released: 2013 Tracks: 7 Duration: 42:15 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Beverly Laurel (03:10) 2 Be Above It (Erol Alkan rework) (07:43) 3 Mind Mischief (The Field Remix) (10:47) 4 Feels Like We Only Go Backwards (Memory Tapes remix) (03:14) 5 Feels Like We Only Go Backwards (Young Dreams version) (04:23) 6 Elephant (Todd Rundgren remix) (05:39) 7 Elephant (Canyons Wooly Mammoth Extension remix) (07:19) |
 | Album: 6 of 9 Title: Peace and Paranoia Tour 2013 Released: 2013-10-29 Tracks: 4 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Runway, Houses, City, Clouds (?) 2 Elephant (?) 3 Are You a Hypnotist?? (?) 4 Silver Trembling Hands (?) |
 | Album: 7 of 9 Title: Live Versions Released: 2014-04-19 Tracks: 9 Duration: 48:11 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Endors Toi (05:57) 2 Why Won’t You Make Up Your Mind? (04:21) 3 Sestri Levante (01:46) 4 Mind Mischief (04:12) 5 Desire Be Desire Go (05:24) 6 Half Full Glass of Wine (08:14) 7 Be Above It (07:29) 8 Feels Like We Only Go Backwards (02:56) 9 Apocalypse Dreams (07:52) |
| Live Versions : Allmusic album Review : Originally released as a limited-run LP for 2014s Record Store Day before Modular issued a digital version later that year, Live Versions is a live album from Australian psych rockers Tame Impala. Made up of nine beautifully recorded tracks captured during a 2013 performance at the Riviera Theatre in Chicago, Illinois, the record features tracks spanning all the way back to the bands self-titled 2006 EP. With its great production values and a superb set list featuring excellent cuts like "Desire Be Desire Go" and "Feels Like We Only Go Backwards," Live Versions is one of those rare live albums that could easily double as a best-of compilation for new fans, while offering enough in the way of new experiences that die-hard Tame Impala devotees will want to get in on the action. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 9 Title: Currents Released: 2015-07-15 Tracks: 13 Duration: 51:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Let It Happen (07:46) 2 Nangs (01:47) 3 The Moment (04:15) 4 Yes I’m Changing (04:30) 5 Eventually (05:19) 6 Gossip (00:55) 1 The Less I Know the Better (03:38) 2 Past Life (03:47) 3 Disciples (01:48) 4 Cause I’m a Man (04:01) 5 Reality in Motion (04:12) 6 Love/Paranoia (03:06) 7 New Person, Same Old Mistakes (06:02) |
| Currents : Allmusic album Review : After a long break from making Tame Impala music, during which time Kevin Parker produced other peoples albums and played in side projects, 2015s Currents shows that much has changed with the project. Like before, Parker recorded the album on his own, only this time without Dave Fridmanns guiding hand and by mostly forsaking electric guitars in favor of a wealth of synthesizers, and this time out theres a much more relaxed, intimate approach. In addition to the soft rock of the 70s feel that permeates the sound, Parker adds elements of R&B and hip-hop to the mix, gets lyrically introspective in spots, and generally sounds like hes either on the verge of a long nap or just waking up from one. These arent bad things when done right, and Parkers prowess as a producer and musician makes most of Currents palatable, if not extremely exciting. However, by focusing on all these new elements, and by sleepwalking through at least half of the songs, this new way of doing things does a lot to frustrate the expectations of anyone looking to this album as another mind-blowing expression of guitar-heavy psych-pop. Its hard to deny artists the chance for change or growth, and Parker seems dedicated to both here. Where you can fault them is if they dont change or grow in an interesting or unique way. Great chunks of Currents sound like plenty of other bands and artists in 2015, especially since practically everyone with access to recording equipment did their own takes on midtempo, chilled-out R&B. Does Parker do it as well as others like Unknown Mortal Orchestra or Caribou? Sure, he does. Is it enough to make this album worth checking out? Yes, but its not enough to make it an improvement over his previous work. At Tame Impalas best, they blend huge guitar sounds, melodic basslines, and vintage synths into sweeping psychedelic rock with energy and drive that feel hugely cinematic while still feeling real. There are only a couple times here when Parker comes close to that sweet spot. For example, the both "Let It Happen" and "Reality in Motion" have a good blend of guitars and synths and a sense of purpose thats often missing elsewhere. There are far more times where he strays too far from his strengths and gets bogged down in meandering, overly smoothed-out sounds and meandering songs that deliver no real payoff or sound half-baked at best, like the embarrassingly weak "Cause Im a Man." Its too bad that Parker stashed his guitars away instead of keeping them around to add to the mix. Its definitely not a case of addition by subtraction; its quite the opposite. While Currents would have made a decent Kevin Parker solo album, people coming to the album and expecting to hear the Tame Impala they are used to will most likely end up quite disappointed. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 9 Title: Currents: B‐Sides & Remixes Released: 2017-11-16 Tracks: 5 Duration: 28:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 List of People (to Try and Forget About) (04:40) 2 Powerlines (04:18) 3 Taxi’s Here (04:47) 4 Reality in Motion (GUM remix) (05:04) 5 Let It Happen (Soulwax remix) (09:17) |