Tame Impala “The Slow Rush” Album Review

By: Bri Bradley

Tame Impala began creating their psychedelic sounds and beats back in 2007 in Australia. Kevin Parker is Tame Impala’s head honcho and writes, records, performs, and produces all the music the band takes on the road. Tame Impala’s sound is completely unique to them, creating a subgenre almost entirely their own. The best way to describe the group’s sound would be psychedelic and dreamy, although they are categorized as alternative on Apple Music and Spotify. Tame Impala’s first album, Innerspeaker was released in 2010 and was nominated for 6 different awards that year including, Album of the Year for Rolling Stone, Australian Album of the Year for J Awards, 3 ARIA awards, and Most Popular Album of 2011 for the WAMI awards. Following the release of Innerspeaker, the group has come out with Lonerism, Currents, and now The Slow Rush. Tame Impala has had a strong following since day one and I don’t think their fans are going anywhere after this album.

The album opener, “One More Year” has psychedelic rhythms and beats that are otherworldly. I was immediately transported to a happy place with sunshine and dancing and which made me feel completely at peace. I have always found that listening to Tame Impala isn’t just about listening to the music, but an experience. It is impossible to listen to their music and not be in a good mood, it’s just a scientific fact at this point. The track comes in at 5:22 and is the perfect way to kick off the album. We are met with the classic Tame Impala sound which immediately makes you excited for the rest of the album.

There is not any track on the album that I don’t enjoy. Each one has its own unique but familiar sound. That being said, most of my favorite tracks do fall towards the beginning of the album such as, “Instant Destiny”, “Borderline”, and “Breathe Deeper”. It is hard to pick out a favorite track though because my favorite way to listen to this album is all at once. Like I said, listening to Tame Impala is an experience and I believe the best way to listen to the album is to listen to it in its entirety. The album’s production is phenomenal (per usual), and the tracks are placed purposely throughout.

Tame Impala’s music is nearly impossible to put into a genre box, I would describe it as goofy. It has a mix of psychedelic sounds and beats, which you could consider “electronic”. But their lyrics and flow could fall into indie or alternative. While they are not easy to put into a box, the band has carved out a niche for themselves in the music industry and are a household name at this point. This album came out just in time for spring break and is the perfect album for the summer. You will definitely catch me on the beach, by the pool, or driving with my windows down blaring this album, and I have a feeling I won’t be the only one.

Rating: 9/10

Favorite Songs: “Breathe Deeper”, “Lost in Yesterday”, “Is It True”, “Instant Destiny”