Tame Impala is not Pink Floyd, The 13th Floor Elevators, The Zombies, or any other typical 60s psychedelic rock group. Unfortunately for them, this is their ill-fated future, as many first time listeners will come to relate them to these early pioneers due to Tame Impala’s characteristically influenced sound. Even lead vocalist Kevin Parker’s voice vaguely resembles that of Paul McCartney.
Yet, Tame Impala is much more than these superficial comparisons. Amidst a number of acts that ruthlessly steal revolutionary sounds from this once great era, Tame Impala have redefined a new realm of psychedelia for the modern age.
Though Lonerism is the band’s sophomore record, there is hardly anything on the album that could be remotely considered “sophomoric.” Since their debut record Innerspeaker, Tame Impala has conscientiously grasped the meaning and purpose of their genre by fully extending the parameters to great unkown lengths, noticeably maturing in both lyricism and composition.
While Innerspeaker focused on engaging melodies mainly produced through heavily distorted guitars and driving bass lines, Lonerism displays the band’s extreme virtuosity in instrumentation that pushes the limits on what can be considered their “sound.”
A more cohesive effort, Lonerism focuses less on guitar-driven songs and shifts toward over-the-top synth melodies, which end up characterizing the large majority of the whole album.
Surprisingly, these combined elements make an extremely consistent and interconnected record, combining new sounds to create a piece of psychedelic brilliance.
The listener is fully cognizant of this shift by the second track, “Endors Toi.” Immediately, one is greeted with the pleasant sounds of rolling synthesizer octaves lying gently over the top of lazy distorted guitar lines. Parker’s characteristically soft voice melds with the gooey textures to the point where his lyrics are almost lost among the crashing drum patterns.
Yet, he is able to whisper to one’s inner core, guiding the listener to the far away lands in the Tame Impala cosmos, giving a whole new meaning to the previously spoken lyrics “Go to sleep and you’ll be fine.”
“Mind Mischief” couldn’t be more aptly named, as one is baffled at the new direction taken since Innerspeaker. Heavily distorted guitar rhythms synchronize perfectly with the heavy bass lines and repeated drum motifs.
As one begins to think this is a traditional rock song, a surprising synth grabs the listener, dragging one under the immense wave of psychedelic sounds and faint vocal harmonies as the song fades out.
No other track proves the extent to which Tame Impala have changed than “Keep On Lying.” The song begins much like the other synth-lead but takes a drastic turn. It winds the listener around the noises of indecipherable conversations between crowds of random people, while simultaneously submerged in the murky funk beats. One becomes enveloped with sounds to the point where consciousness begins to be questioned, creating an overall numbness and an evaluation of existence.
Lonerism is full of hidden brilliance. “Why Won’t They Talk to Me” discusses real themes of being an outsider while taking the listener on an intergalactic voyage with its laser-like electronic noises. “Apocalypse Dreams” uses a variety of interludes that force the listener to beg for more as the song escapes into the final minutes of crashing symbols and synthesizers as Parker belts out the melancholy line “Do I really need this?”
Though an undefined term, “lonerism” perfectly describes the sentiments the entirety of the album evokes. Its discordant guitar sounds and bombastic compositions leave the listener with a sense of wonder and amazement.
It challenges traditional conventions of psychedelic rock while still pioneering new concepts. The lyrics provoke loneliness amidst gleeful melodies. Lonerism is an anomaly. Yet, isn’t that what Tame Impala were trying to achieve?
