Julian Klincewicz
Kevin Parker, known by his stage name Tame Impala, releases fifth album on Oct. 17.
Australian musician Kevin Parker released his fifth studio album, “Deadbeat”, under his stage name Tame Impala on Oct. 17. In an exclusive interview with triple j, Parker revealed that the album name was drawn from aspects of his own life, being a dropout and often feeling inadequate.
The album opens with the song “My Old Ways,” which starts slow but picks up as the song goes on. It has the same psychedelic feel as his previous music, which he often calls psychedelic pop. This album is slow-moving, with similarities to his hit album “Currents.” The general vibe of his album feels self-deprecating, with songs titled “No Reply,” “Loser,” and “Not My World.” Parker pokes fun at his own life while keeping the energy of the album light.
These songs are pretty average, being fairly repetitive and feeling more like background music to the average listener.
The most popular song of the album, “Dracula”, is no exception to this. Tame Impala also released a video for “Dracula” on YouTube Sept. 26, just in time for Halloween. The video feels very apocalyptic, with Parker walking through a group of people who are partying in what appears to be the middle of a desert. There is something off about these people, though. They are dancing (very strangely), while Parker walks through with a truck following him, repeating the lyrics “run from the sunlight, Dracula.” It is revealed later on in the video that the truck is pulling a large house, which looks haunted. This song feels a little redundant and hard to find meaning in. The lyrics “run from the sunlight, Dracula” are repeated throughout the song, seeming to be about Parker.
Most of the other songs lack the kind of energy that Tame Impala usually brings to the table, as seen in his 2012 song, “Elephant.” Some fans were claiming that Tame Impala was “going commercial.” He responded to these claims by stating that if he wanted to go commercial, he would “mak[e] a bunch of ‘Elephant’ redos.” This explains the differing energy seen in this album as compared to Parker’s previous albums, showing that he is making the music more for himself than for a large audience. This music is a form of expression for him, releasing all of his frustrations into this album.
“Piece Of Heaven” delivers the same energy and repetition; however, the melody behind it is more graceful, making it a personal favorite. It feels less self-deprecating compared to the rest of the album, which is appreciated.
“Obsolete” has a good beat, with more going on compared to “Piece Of Heaven.” Parker repeats the lyrics “Do you want my love? Is it obsolete?” He seems to become more comfortable with himself as the album goes on, with the album telling a story of heartbreak and acceptance.
The song “Ethereal Connection” does not have much going on, with a mediocre beat and very few words. It feels very experimental, being seven minutes and 42 seconds long, the song does not really start until almost three minutes in. Just like it is at the bottom of the album, this song is at the bottom of the list.
The song “End of Summer” finishes off the album, delivering the upbeat energy that fans often look for. This is a top song, with lyrics “Do it on my own, goin’ through it on my own, It’s a feelin’ in my bones, can we do it tomorrow?” These lyrics fit with the overall theme of the album, and the beat behind them and effects behind them that Parker uses are very catchy. Overall, the message of this album is good; however, the delivery could be better.