Lonerism

Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker once studied astronomy in university, which seems fitting—this plays like a psychedelic space opera, with galaxy-sized guitars playing over percussion that feels like planets colliding. And yet this supernova of sound actually accompanies a lyrical trip to inner space—not the grand destinations, but the common ones, the ones that would feel mundane if they weren’t so artfully rendered. There are forays through familiar territory: love found and lost and never really given, the standard messing-with-my-heart that feels major because it happens to you, even though it happens to everyone. And those songs are actually quite awesome. (The album’s musical high point’s probably the looping “Keep On Lying,” a circular meta-song about the repetitiveness of our character defects, a song whose message is as much in its structure as in its lyrics. “I guess I’ll go and tell you just as soon as I get to the end of this song, to the end of this song, to the end of this song…” he croons, and not only does the lyric deliberately repeat, but the track fades in mid-song and fades out midway, implying that the listener will never get the promised explanation, just a lot of psychedelic guitar pyrotechnics that will hopefully distract them.) But the album has plenty of other things to say about the inner voyage; there are also great meditations on anonymity and stardom, on being special in a generation where everyone was told they were special—and then discovering that you are special, only nobody else knows it, and you don’t know how to deal with all the loneliness that entails. “This could be the day that it goes through. It could be the day that all our dreams come true,” he coos on “Apocalypse Dreams,” and his angst will be familiar to anyone who’s ever waited for the life-changing deal, the big opportunity from the agent or the label, the Email That Will Change Everything. He does know he’s gotta pay his dues first—“I gotta bide my time as a face in the crowd,” he observes on “Gotta Be Above It.” But above and beyond that’s the longing for a truly transformative experience, a chance to pass through a stargate of sorts to a different world, out of the crowd and onto a stage and into our hearts. And yet he has the good sense to not only show sadness about the length of the journey, but worry about whether it’s even worthwhile: “Am I getting closer?” he asks. “Will I ever get there? Does it even matter?” Given all the angst and alienation it’s appropriate, perhaps, that Parker’s from Perth, one of the most isolated big cities on the planet, the far end of the English-speaking world. But it should also be noted that he’s voicing the frustrations of an entire generation. On the basis of his sound and vocal qualities, he’s earned comparisons to John Lennon. To my mind it’s not entirely fair, partly because Tame Impala’s basically a solo project and, for my money, he’s better than Lennon was solo. (Although I’m hardly the first to notice this, it seems that without the input of the other Beatles, there were no checks on Lennon’s arty extravagances.) And he’s staking his own claim as a voice of a generation—albeit a fragmented generation, one where Beatles-like superstardom may no longer be possible because there is no more monoculture, less broadcasting, and instead a multitude of voices howling into the void. It took me a few years to check this album out; I felt like it was being overrated—and there is, after all, SOOO MUCH music to listen to nowadays. Now I’m kicking myself for missing out. It’s retro and futuristic and timeless, and I suspect that when 2020 rolls around, it’ll be on my top ten of the decade.

I was a fan of the song "Solitude Is Bliss" from T.I.'s first album Innerspeaker. I didn' t get the album as I figured (wrongly) that T.I. was a 1-hit wonder. About 6 months ago I was tipped off that Lonerism was the best alt-rock record of the year so I decided to purchase it. I don't normally write reviews, but I'm a huge music fan and believe most people my age (40's) are completely lost in the 1970's classic rock scene- I mean I love Floyd and Led Zep too, but after 1000 listens it gets old. Of course the music today isn't anywhere near as fresh as that stuff was back then, but it doesn't change the fact that there are some amazing bands out there that the rock loving public has no clue about, and that's sad. To me, there has been a lot of great music over the last 20 years or so, but only 1 band, that being Radiohead, has transformed music- making 3 completely epic, yet completely different records back to back to back. Which gets me to the point of the review. Tame Impala, to me, has the best chance of being that kind of transformative band. I say that because every song they've put out so far (including the EP and B sides) is simply great. The progression from Innerspeaker which is an amalgamation of great tunes one after the other to Lonerism which flows perfectly from song 1 to 12 is the kind of progression you want in an "epic" band early in their career. Yes, Kevin Parker sounds like Lennon and the music is a psych blend of Beatles meets Floyd meets the White Stripes, but it's uplifting and dreamy. Parker's genius is to hook you constantly with melodies-for instance the 4 minute looping in "Keep On Lying" that any other band attempting something similar would have you hitting the "fast fwd" button after a minute- Parker makes you want even more after the song is over. The guitar riff at the end of "Music To Walk Home By" nails it, the tantalizing drum beat in "Nothing that Has Happened..", the amazing building burst of sounds in "Endors Toi" and the the wild psych ride of "Apocalypse Dreams", which imo is a song that rivals Radiohead's "Paranoid Android". I saw these guys live a few months ago in NYC and it was like going to a Floyd show and will see them again next month, and I can't wait to see what Mr. Parker comes up with on the next album.

I can't stop listening over & over to this album--something I haven't done in a LONG time! Each time I do play it, I like it even more. This music is melodious, dreamy, yet urgent & 'hardcore' in its own way. Kevin Parker is no 'throwback to 60s acid rock,' but I AM reminded of super-early Pink Floyd (only better) when I hear certain of his riffs, as well as the Moody Blues, King Crimson & lots of other acid-rock bands I was too spaced to catch the names of at the time. Parker's lyrics perfectly match his melodies. He tells you just enough of 'the story' so that you, the listener, can fill in the rest from your own experiences. Then, it becomes YOUR song, too. Sometimes, I just ache as I listen to this album-- it is cathartic as heck to know another person has been to these secret places. You realize that it isn't just you. Others have felt these intense emotions, too. It's part of life. Kevin Parker, aka Tame Impala, is one brave soul & one wildly talented musician! He lets us into his mysterious world fully. I'm 61 years old & I LOVE rock. Still, the last Stones album I ever bought was 'Exile On Main Street.' You just have to move on. How else do you grow? I have always listened to all kinds of music, & I am thrilled that I stumbled onto Tame Impala. It's just a great album that flows perfectly from song to song, taking you for a glorious ride on stacked harmonies within beautiful melodies & deep lyrics. I think everyone should buy this album & play it over & over. You'll love it, too!

Came packaged perfectly with no damage, sound is great as well and was a perfect addition to the collection!

There are kids out there that will whine about being born in the wrong generation. This is one of those albums I want to wave in their faces and say, "NO you were not." The Sounds of the 60s are alive and well, and Tame Impala sounds like The Beatles if they never evolved after Revolver and that isn't a bad thing. Most of the songs are catchy and you'll wake up with them stuck in your head even if you haven't listened to the album in a while. Keep on Lying, Apocalypse dreams, Feels like we only go backwards are all amazing songs, the main guitar riff on Keep on Lying won't leave your head ever. The opening track and last two songs aren't so hot. so there's a star knocked off for those and there seems to be a mastering error on Keep on lying where there's a skip or pop but no real evidence on my copy of dust or a scratch. I'd need another copy to know for sure and yes ABSOLUTELY if you get this album get it on Vinyl. Just to help with that late 60s vibe.

UPDATE: My first copy of the LP was unlistenable. Both discs were warped, with the first disc more warped than some of the worst abused used records I've seen at Goodwill. I returned it to Amazon, who promptly sent me a replacement copy (great customer service there). The replacement copy is far better, however, the second disc has a slight warp, but not enough to warrant returning it again. As for the album itself, many of the reviews posted here do a far better job than I could. I think this is a natural evolution of Parker's sound and songwriting. He keeps his distinct guitar style, and the drums sound blissful with the same quality of engineering found on Innerspeaker (just the right amount of compression, and ADT). But the addition of synths and keys make for a more progressive sound in a great way. So far the album feels less psychedelic than Innerspeaker in the sense of studio trickery, even though its there in spades. To me that speaks to the strength of Parker's songwriting and his ability to produce a product that is a cohesive whole. I look forward to what he'll do next. I am curious what a Parker project would sound like produced outside of his home studio or in isolation, but suspect that's part of the formula for his success.

Damaged. Plays fine.

Such a fantastic album. One of my favorites. Having the actual vinyl recording is very nostalgic and I will enjoy playing it time and again.