Tame Impala, Lost in Yesterday | Track Review 🎵

Tame Impala continues to build the anticipation for their fourth studio LP, The Slow Rush, with the fourth advanced single, “Lost in Yesterday.”

After a five-year hiatus, Australian alternative collective Tame Impala, the brainchild of Kevin Parker returns in 2020 with their fourth studio album, The Slow Rush. The gap between Currents (2015) and The Slow Rush marks the longest between any Tame Impala LP.  All indications suggest The Slow Rush is totally worth the wait, led by the excellence of third single, “Posthumous Forgiveness”, and the song at hand, fourth single, “Lost in Yesterday.”

“Lost in Yesterday” serves up the cues expected from a Tame Impala record; it’s idiomatic to the nth degree.  How so, you ask? Well, the production is quite colorful, featuring synths that embrace – wait for it – psychedelia.  From a vocal standpoint, Kevin Parker continues to embrace his tenor, specifically his knack for singing predominantly in falsetto.  He floats atop a busy backdrop, that also includes a driving, infectious groove.  That groove, well, it’s arguably the biggest triumph; it kicks some serious ass. Making things even more exciting is the fact that “Lost in Yesterday” has some tempo about it.

With the sound and vocals locked in, what else makes the fourth single from The Slow Rush captivating?  The songwriting and overall theme.  “Lost in Yesterday” speaks to the power of the past and moving forward into the future.  Parker’s philosophy regarding the past is best summed up on the pre-chorus, where he sings: “So, if they call you, embrace them / If they hold you, erase them.” The key seems to be releasing the bad memories, and not letting them destroy you. Also, you could argue there’s at least an element of shit happens too. Further confirmation of moving beyond the past occurs on the chorus, where Parker scolds all of us who keep returning to, well, YESTERDAY:

“And you’re gonna have to let it go someday
You’ve been diggin’ it up like Groundhog Day
‘Cause it might’ve been somethin’, don’t say
‘Cause it has to be lost in yesterday.”

Final Thoughts

“And if it calls you, embrace it / If it holds you, erase it / Replace it.”  Ultimately, Tame Impala drops another worthwhile single from the highly anticipated The Slow Rush. “Lost in Yesterday” continues to intrigue lyrically and thematically, coming from a philosophical, reflective place.  Musically, psychedelia continues to be their thing, with the groove being amongst the crème de la crème on this particular record.  As for Kevin Parker, vocally, he remains a force – killing the falsetto. The Slow Rush, to reiterate, has the potential to be an epic album.

The Slow Rush • Island / Modular Recordings Pty Ltd • Release: 2.14.20

Photo Credit(s): Island / Modular Recordings Pty Ltd