Album Review: Tame Impala - Lonerism

Tame Impala
Lonerism
Rating: Woof Daddy

Tame Impala's debut album Innerspeaker was a pleasant surprise when it hit in 2010. A potent mix of sixties psychedelia, Brit pop reverence, and chugging riffage all washing over you like waves. While it wore its influences on its sleeve, Innerspeaker was a surprisingly modern take on the styles, and transcended any claims of being mere copy-cats. Sophomore album Lonerism is still a Tame Impala record but the sonic palate has definitely been forced wide open, sounding bigger and more expansive, and bursting at the seams with new ideas and sounds.

According to Kevin Parker, Lonerism is a darker, melancholy record about general themes of isolation and introspection, which are more subtle than overt throughout the tracks. There is density to these tracks, but the analog instrumentation is mostly warm and inviting. You feel more risks being taken from the start, leading off with "Be Above It" a track full of pounding drums, eerie electronics, and a chorus of multitracked vocals. It is an off-kilter production that recalls Todd Rungren, one of the band's named influences for this record.



First single and teaser track "Elephant" has an old-school Tame Impala sound, thick and buzzy, but adds more of a stomp to the proceedings with choppier vocal delivery which forces the track to lurch rather than to glide.



There are a lot more uses of synthesizers and keyboards this go around, giving the record a swirly, psychedelic feel. "Apocalypse Dreams" bounces on chirpy keys and swooning analog synths, all held in place by Parker's airy vocals and a steady backbeat,



"Keep On Lying" features beds of analog synths and mellotron to create a wondrous kaleidoscopic world that is only slightly broken up by some fractured guitar and samples, while 60s sci-fi synths hover around the dreamy tug of "Why Won't They Talk To Me?"



That is not to say that guitars are forgotten on the record. There are still plenty of raveups to be found. Instead of letting the guitars wash over you though, Parker and Co. are far more direct this go around, choosing to let them be more of a force. Fuzzy riffs push Parker's vocals along on the gritty "Mind Mischief," guitars and spacey keyboards slide around each other on "Music to Walk Home By," and flanged guitars create an airy space around the druggy haze of "Endors Toi."

But definitely there is more attention to keyboards this time around, and elevates Tame Impala's sound ten fold, allowing their songs to have more heft and weight to them. Several of the tracks off Innerspeaker were all swirly haze and nothing of much substance to hold them down. Lonerism feels tangible and the work of a band that wants to push where their sound goes. While Innerspeaker was a really good record, Lonerism is Tame Impala's first foray into great territory.

Rating Scale:

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and piques one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.