Over the past couple of years, I have been enthralled with the music of Kevin Parker, a.k.a. Tame Impala.
I was encapsulated by the neo-psychedelic rock of 2012’s Lonerism, and while I didn’t like it as much, Currents had some interesting and zany ideas that kept me listening for years after its initial release.
After five years of waiting, Tame Impala is back with the brand new The Slow Rush. While I wasn’t immediately pulled in with singles like “Borderline” or “Lost in Yesterday,” I was interested to see where Parker would take this new project.
Unfortunately, what I got was a release with a ton of redundancies and little experimentation.
Starting with the opening track, “One More Year,” I was greeted with Parker’s usual brand of psych and synth-pop. What I wasn’t expecting was the dance influence that was heard throughout the track. It wasn’t distracting, but I admit, it was something new for Parker. Not off to a bad start, but this is the least memorable opener to a Tame Impala album.
The following track, “Instant Destiny,” immediately reminded me of “Disciples” off of Currents with Parker’s falsetto vocals and catchy, pop synths accompanying the melody. This has to be one of the most uninspired songs that Parker has conjured. It is so inoffensive and safe, that I wouldn’t be surprised if I heard it playing at the grocery store.
Two songs in and I am already discouraged by this project, which is a shame because I viewed Parker as one of the leading artists in the modern psychedelia scene. Songs like “Let It Happen” and “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards” are so creative and brimming with personality that it is disappointing to hear a track like “Instant Destiny.”
“Borderline,” the lead single of The Slow Rush, continues the mediocrity. While I admit the hook is very infectious, the lyrics are mind-numbingly repetitive.
On top of that, the instrumental doesn’t do much for me, as the dance beat found on this track, while a sign of Parker trying something different, does not stand out enough to leave a lasting impact.
Another sign of other genres popping in and out of this project can be found on the penultimate track “Glimmer.”
Here, Parker tries his hand at crafting an acid house track. While I appreciate this touch of house influence, this comes after an onslaught of boring and bland tracks. It is too little, too late.
At some point, all the songs on The Slow Rush start to blend together. Parker doesn’t do anything exciting or different on this project. Instead, he presents listeners with another batch of ethereal psych-pop songs that are weaker than the ones he created on Currents.
I felt this the most while listening to “On Track,” a song devoid of Parker’s personality and his unique take on the psychedelic genre.
Instead, we get a generic neo-psychedelic track, that sounded like it could’ve been written and arranged by anyone of his contemporaries, about him staying on track despite the hardships he encounters in his life.
Parker isn’t known for his deep and introspective stories, but the subject matter of this song is so broad that it makes Ariana Grande look like a master storyteller.
The only time I was impressed with The Slow Rush was on “Posthumous Forgiveness,” a two-part song that focuses on the estranged relationship between Kevin and his deceased father.
The song opens with slow and sad guitars, setting the mood for the first part of the track.
On the chorus, Parker is at his angriest with his father’s actions with the synths rising to match his emotions. The second part of the song gets rid of the anger in favor of softer and gentler synths.
Here, Parker misses his father and wishes he could share his stories and music with him. I don’t think I’ve heard a Tame Impala song with this much emotional range and baggage.
However, this is the only instance of genuine interest and investment from The Slow Rush for me.
I was hoping Parker could take the ideas and themes he presented on Currents and expand on them, or provide a new sound and story for this project, but instead what I got were watered down leftovers and half-baked ideas.