Five years after the release of “The Slow Rush,” Tame Impala is back with a 12-track party of self-deprication.
A glorification of being a loser, as Kevin Parker told Triple J, “Deadbeat,” his fifth album released Friday, is his first full-length taste of electronic music. Despite being the ultimate rave soundtrack, the record might be his most intimate release yet.
Parker, the 39-year-old Australian musician behind Tame Impala, has always felt hopeless — even after achieving “success,” as he sheepishly said in air quotes during his Triple J interview. The feeling of dispondence is never something he challenged, both on “Deadbeat” and throughout his career, he said.
Ever since Tame Impala’s first studio album, “InnerSpeaker,” released in 2010, there has always been a nostalgic feel to Tame Impala. Its sound is reminiscent of The Beatles, and not just because of Parker’s Lennon-and-Harrison-esque voice.
The warm, rich layering of colorful sounds bears a resemblance to the British Invasion and psychedelic rock of the ‘60s and ‘70s, particularly evident in Parker’s early works. His most recent albums, “Currents” and “The Slow Rush,” start exploring disco, ‘80s pop and R&B. Tame Impala fully leans into the latter genres in “Deadbeat.”
Much of the album explores Parker’s imposter syndrome and low self esteem. He seems to hold onto his mistakes, magnify them and find solace in his partners (“I cannot lie, I feel defeated/Take it as a sign, you’re badly needed,” from “Loser”).
“Deadbeat” offers an intimate look into Parker’s relationships, like in the songs “Afterthought” and “End of Summer.” Parker discusses feeling unwanted and hopeless, which I believe may allude to the neglect he faced from his parents as a teen.
Even before the needle hits the vinyl, it’s evident the album is more personal than his others. The album cover features a close-up photo of him and his daughter Peach, and it's the first cover to picture the singer himself.
When the first track, “My Old Ways,” plays, you’re transported into the studio with Parker. A raw piano melody opens the album, a simpler and more exposed moment than anything in Tame Impala’s discography. There’s static and even a sniff, giving the impression Parker recorded the piano intro on his phone (in fact, the next track, “No Reply,” was partly recorded on voice memos, he said on Triple J).
Though Tame Impala is known for dreamy, complex layering, “My Old Ways” starts unprocessed and vulnerable, and the somber piano returns in several tracks throughout the album. However, “My Old Ways” — one of my favorite songs on the album — quickly transitions to a rhythm that sets the album’s tone and proves Parker’s beats are anything but dead.
The stars of the show, “Dracula” and “Loser,” were both released as singles last month. They feel the most pop-inspired and mainstream; nevertheless, it’s near impossible not to bop your head to the two most upbeat tracks on “Deadbeat.”
“Dracula” is sure to be this year’s Halloween anthem, and “Loser” is an all-year-round walking-to-class-with-headphones-blasting kind of jam.
Another favorite is “Piece of Heaven,” a track that feels like ballerinas dancing on clouds soaked up by the morning sun. It is much more ethereal than “Ethereal Connection,” another track that is by far the most rave-ish, techno-tune on “Deadbeat.”
The rest of the tracks don’t stand out, most of which are monotonized by the repetitive dance beat. Though I am not a fan of electronic music, I respect Parker’s decision to combat “genre snobbery” and dive into a world inspired by his time DJing.
Though the album presents vulnerable themes listeners are sure to find relatable, most of the listening will likely take place in a sweaty club and be enjoyed solely for the rhythm, the most important musical element, according to Parker.
I’m transported to an old vintage thrift store in my hometown when listening to this album, but I imagine if I had ever been to a rave in outer space, I’d be reminded of that instead. A slight departure from Tame Impala’s alternative psych-rock days, “Deadbeat” is a groovy and ghoulish addition to their nearly 20-year-long catalog.
Contact Isabel Kraby at ikraby@alligator.org. Follow her on X @isabelgkraby.
Isabel is a general assignment reporter for The Avenue and is starting her first semester with The Alligator. She is a junior journalism student and transferred to UF from Daytona State College after her freshman year. When she's not writing for Ave, she loves going to concerts, crocheting and designing spreads for Rowdy Magazine.
