The Beauty of Tame Impala

With the release of “The Less I Know The Better” in 2015, Tame Impala reached a whole new level of recognition (we’re sure you probably all heard its opening riff).

Since then, Tame Impala has been everywhere, from Rihanna’s cover in ANTI to renowned festivals and collaborations with Dua Lipa, Justice, Thundercat, Lady Gaga or even Kanye West.

But what exactly makes Tame Impala so loved worldwide?

A ONE-MAN BAND

The name “Tame Impala” might be misleading, but there’s only one man in disguise: Kevin Parker. This is one aspect that commands respect: in each song, Kevin is behind the melody, the synths, the drums, the guitars... While making us feel like it’s the work of a band.
Not only Kevin Parker is an instrument and production master, but his voice also tickles our brains, especially when he pulls out this soft falsetto we’ve now learned to recognize as his own.

A SYNESTHETIC ADVENTURE

Tame Impala calls out to our senses, hearts and brains to create an all-encompassing experience. If Innerspeaker and Lonerism are the pinnacle of what Parker can do in terms of psychedelic pop/rock, the sounds he uses throughout his discography are rich and colorful enough to appeal to our imagination.
For instance, “Let It Happen” is a musical ride where both the production and the lyrics carry us through the different steps a person might go through when facing change: denial, resistance, and finally letting go. And don’t tell us you didn’t feel like tripping when hearing the record skip!

THE UNIVERSAL STRUGGLES OF LIFE

Behind all this groove, Tame Impala talks about deeper topics or feelings that we may all go through at some point in our lives. His first two albums, Innerspeaker and Lonerism, are introspective dives into the heart of a loner who feels separated from the world around him.

Currents represents a pivotal point in his discography, where Parker, through a recent heartbreak, tackles the themes of change and personal transformation.

Finally, The Slow Rush goes even deeper by offering a reflection about the uncertainty and frailty of life, after experiencing death and grief.

And for more music discovery, check the rest of our blog here. 

Photo credits: Everet Wright-Palmer

Out of the zone, now that I see
I don't need them and they don't need me
I guess I'll go home, try to be sane
Try to pretend, none of it happened
Destined to be, lonely old me
Whoops-a-daisy, I thought I was happy, oh

Tame Impala - Why Won't They Talk To Me

Yes, I'm changing, can't stop it now
And even if I wanted, I wouldn't know how
Another version of myself I think I've found at last
And I can't always hide away
Curse indulgence and despise the fame
There is a world out there and it's calling my name
And it's calling yours, girl, it's calling

Tame Impala - Yes I'm Changing

If there was time to recover
One-on-one with each other
Just a boy and a father
What I'd give for another
Everything that I have
Wouldn't need this for long
Never speak of the time
That you left us alone
Me and Steve on our own

Tame Impala - Posthumous Forgiveness