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“(…) this sophomore impala is racing towards higher musical grounds, leading you through an escapade full of surprises.”
Tame Impala – Lonerism (2012) 8.5/10
Modular Records
Between the description of Tame Impala’s music on their official site – psychedelic hypno-groove melodic rock music – and other random descriptions such as “a steady flowing psychedelic groove rock band that emphasizes dream-like melody” you know you’re in for an experience when the young Aussie band releases some tracks. The band’s moniker might hint at the energetic beats that characterize their second album Lonerism. However don’t be fooled by the doe eyes of the antelope, or its delicate frame- Lonerism might try and dupe you, but this impala is hardly tame. With overlapping distorted guitars, synths looping and soaring and cymbals crashing, it’s an acoustic sandstorm that’s brewing inside a jewel box. However, despite the likeliness of the Aussies’ with other psychedelic bands such as Empire of the Sun or MGMT, Tame Impala plays to a more classic psychedelic-rock heritage – the rather high-pitched male vocals bring to mind the Beatles’ in their tripping Sergeant Pepper Lonely Hearts Club Band phase and long instrumentals brand the entire album. Halfway between baffling musical modernity and classic rock, this sophomore impala is racing towards higher musical grounds, leading you through an escapade full of surprises.
The LP opens with the decibel-ridden track “Be Above It” whose intro of rhythmical vocals whispering the track’s title is very similar to Fujiya and Miyagi’s “Collarbone”. The droning rhythm remains throughout the entire track thanks to muddles drums and contrasts with the trademark echoing vocals that reach as high as the drums throb low. Another soaring note opens “Endors Toi” in preparation of an explosion of cymbals and synthesisers– yet another defining feature of the album. Although this second track announce the main trend of the album, just when you thought it would keep on swooping and soaring with the same rhythm, an extremely distorted guitar breaks out taking you unawares – leaving us uncertain of the meaning of the appropriateness of the title.
“Apocalypse Dreams” truly highlights the pervading Beatles’ influence throughout the album. The staccato piano with a bouncing rhythm and light-hearted vocals echoing out make for a psychedelic pop track the four British legends could very well have written – all the more so when a slightly Kathmandu riff sounds out in the last part of the song. What’s remarkable in the bulk of psychedelic tracks is the importance given to instrumentals – an art all but lost. Namely, three quarters of “Keep On Lying” is purely instrumental.
“Elephant” plays on the same set of traits but with a slight twist, proving that Tame Impala isn’t stuck in a musical loop: it’s on of the more classic rock tracks. With a typical rhythm and distorted guitars it harks back to the stuff of Pink Floyd, yet with uncanny Justice sounding vibes during its long instrumental.
Two contrasting tracks deserve a special: “She Just Won’t Believe Me” and “Sun’s Been Coming Up (Lambingtons)”. The former is the epitome of how well the band knows how to surprise the listener: the track builds and builds with overlapping synths and an incredibly cool electric guitar before coming abruptly to an end – leaving you wanting more. The latter draws a striking contrast since it’s mostly a piano and voice song, with a much more minimalistic instrumental arrangement. But the psychedelic vibe is never far from the trio as the track ends with a distorted guitar on a backdrop of ambient noises.
