Artist: Tame Impala

Title: Lonerism

Label: Modular Records

Rating: 7.3

Australian psychedelic rock group Tame Impala are to release their second album Lonerism out this October on Modular Records. Like their first album Innerspeaker it was recorded and produced almost entirely by Kevin Parker, and mixed by Dave Fridmann. Unlike the first album, Lonerism boasts the use of varied synthesizer, and these sweeping, synth soundscapes are used heavily throughout the album.

The trio is made up of Kevin Parker on vocals, guitar and bass, Jay Watson on drums, keys and guitar and Dominic Simper on bass, guitar and effects. Opener “Be Above It” is drum heavy and full of distorted sounds and chanting. During “Endors Toi”, synth compliments Parker’s Beatles-esque vocals very well and sees old and new elements from the band’s sound start to fuse.

“Why Won’t They Talk To Me?” is a song about rejection; “I get it they don’t need me, I’ll just go home” Parker whines. “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards” is a mellow, chilled out track whilst in the summery upbeat track “Keep On Lying”, the vocals sound very Beach Boys. This bright vibe is juxtaposed with a more tricky subject matter – deception. Parker sings; “There is nothing I can’t do, I just keep on lying to you…there is something you should know, but I’ll never let it show”.

The first single from the release is “Elephant” and it’s an instant crowd pleaser; a hit in the making. Thrusting bass drives the song forwards as Parker quips “And it feels like an elephant, shaking his great big trunk for the hell of it”. Brief interlude “She Won’t Believe Me” takes us to the penultimate track “Nothing That Has Happened So Far Has Been Something We Could Control” which is a showcase of all the soaring, squeaking and sparkling synth sounds Tame Impala have learnt to create. And the song matches the word heavy title at six minutes in length.

Closing track “Sun’s Coming Up” brings piano and vocals back to the forefront with sad lyrics in the first half; “Sun’s coming up now, I guess it’s over….Oh my mother, why won’t you answer?” before the second half sees an experimental, guitar filled and instrumental end. Lonerism as a whole is a psychedelic and evocative album that sees Tame Impala go through various topics from life crises to dreams and sees them come out the other side with a great new sound.

Reviewed by Heather Welsh.