Tame Impala, The Slow Rush | Album Review 💿

Following a five-year hiatus, Tame Impala makes a compelling return on its psychedelia-heavy, introspective, fourth studio album, The Slow Rush.

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.  Yep, the fans have been quite restless for some time.  That said, top-notch advance singles – “Posthumous Forgiveness” and  “Lost in Yesterday” among them – suggested that The Slow Rush was totally worth the wait. Is it? You bet it is!

“One More Year”

“I never wanted any other way to spend our lives / I know we promised we’d be doing this ‘til we die,” Kevin Parker sings on the chorus of ✓ “One More Year,” continuing, “And now I fear we might / Ooh, now I fear we might.” The reflective “One More Year” commences The Slow Rush with a bang.  The production is absolutely amazing, with the infectious groove, programming/synths, and unique vocal samples. The sound blends the psychedelia Tame Impala is known for with electronic pop.  Ultimately, it’s an awesome way to kick off an album, particularly your first album in five years.

Follow-up ✓ “Instant Destiny” keeps The Slow Rush on-point with the exuberant pads and synths, and the dusty, soulful groove.  The sound remains firmly planted in psychedelia and neo-psychedelia, which is what we’ve become accustomed to hearing from Tame Impala.  Kevin Parker blesses the listener with his reverb-heavy vocals, particularly the falsetto.  Besides the colorful backdrop, Parker gives us another hella catchy chorus:

“I’m about to do something crazy, no more delayin’
No destiny is too far
We can get a home in Miami, go and get married
Tattoo your name on my arm.”

The theme of “Instant Destiny?” Love, devotion, and definitely matrimony. Single ✓ “Borderline” follows, reworked for the album from the original.  The drums are hard hitting and quite potent – groove bodes well in Kevin Parker’s favor throughout the LP.  Furthermore, the keyboards are also hard hitting, remaining firmly planted throughout this four-minute standout.  Vocally, the listener gets more of the same: a heaping dose of falsetto, further enriched by Tame Impala’s most beloved studio effect, reverb.  “Borderline” also gives Parker another golden chorus, with a couple of lyrical variations.

“Posthumous Forgiveness”

‘Posthumous’ is a cool word – admit it.  Merriam-Webster defines posthumous as “following or occurring after death.” Add ‘forgiveness’ to the mix on the brilliant ✓ “Posthumous Forgiveness” and essentially, Kevin Parker is forgiving his father after he’s passed away.  On the first part of the song, he sings about how much admiration he had when he was younger for his late father but became aware of his flaws: “Did you think I’d never know? Never wise up as I grow / Did you hope I’d never doubt? Never wonder, work it out?” Furthermore, Parker is bothered by the fact that his dad wasted time, and ultimately, “…Decided to take all your sorrys to the grave.”

On the second part of “Posthumous Forgiveness,” Parker embraces forgiveness more.  Sure, he still mentions their estranged, tenuous relationship, but he wishes he had the opportunity to atone and repair for the relationship:

“Wanna tell you ‘bout the time
Wanna tell you ‘bout my life
Wanna play you all my songs
Learn the words, sing along.”

Though a lengthy number, running north of six minutes in duration.  it’s quite intriguing from a lyrical and thematic standpoint, as well as musically. Tame Impala provide a backdrop that incorporates psychedelia, retro cues, and marvelous soulful elements.  Vocally, Parker remains compelling, singing beautifully and expressively on this gem.

“Breathe Deeper”

The groove continues in all its glory on ✓ “Breathe Deeper,” another cut that like “Posthumous Forgiveness,” extends beyond six minutes in duration.  “Breathe Deeper” may run long, but it’s quite a glorious listen – understatement! It can’t be overstated how great Tame Impala is with neo-psychedelia – it’s definitely Kevin Parker’s thing.  That said, this record also manages to be quite soulful, with the ostinato keyboard passages and synths hearkening back to 70s funk, soul, and disco. And, it’s poppy too! The lyrics are simple, but potent, yielding another top-notch chorus, not to mention catchy verses to (“If you think I couldn’t hold my own, believe me, I can”).

“Tomorrow’s Dust” incites more foot tapping and body moving and grooving – Kevin Parker came to dance.  With another alluring backdrop, perhaps it’s the lyrics that yield the most distinct moments on this five-and-a-half-minute number. Parker is reflective, philosophical, and ‘forward thinking’ – no need to dwell in the past. “I was blinded by a memory / Like it’s someone else, like it wasn’t me,” he sings on the refrain, continuing, “And there’s every chance I’ll be learning fast / And the day will come and then it will pass.”

Reflection continues on ✓ “On Track,” where “Strictly speaking, [he’s] still on track” despite various obstacles and adversity faced.  Interestingly, he seems to also reflect on the album process itself, being behind schedule releasing it. “I know it’s been a slow year, nothin’ much to show here,” he sings on the verse, continuing, “I didn’t really go for it, so not a lot to show for it.” Despite being ‘slow’ in numerous ways, Parker totally doesn’t let it get him down.

“Lost in Yesterday”

“And if it calls you, embrace it / If it holds you, erase it / Replace it.” ✓ “Lost in Yesterday” continues to deliver the expected cues from a Tame Impala record; it’s idiomatic to the nth degree.  How so? Colorful production, and of course, those potent tenor pipes from Parker, particularly that falsetto.  He floats atop the busy backdrop, that also includes a driving, infectious groove that kicks some serious ass. Songwriting and theme also make the fourth single from The Slow Rush captivating. “Lost in Yesterday” speaks to the power of the past and moving forward into the future.  Yep, that seems to be The Slow Rush summarized in a nutshell.

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. 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.”

“Is It True”

On the groove-tastic “Is it True,” love and the future have Kevin Parker feeling nervous.  Previously, he preached against the past, and now, it’s the future that’s the issue. “We started talkin’ ‘bout devotion / The kind that goes eternally,” he sings on the first verse, continuing, “And I tell her I’m in love with her / But how can I know that I’ll always be?” There may be some cold feet on his end of things, but “Is it True” keeps The Slow Rush piping hot.  “It Might Be Time” continues to find Tame Impala analyzing the future, coming to the realization you can’t run from it – “It might be time to face it / You may as well embrace it.” The listener continues to be spoiled with floating, falsetto.

“Glimmer” is short on lyrics, with the key lyric being, “I just want a glimmer of hope.” That said, musically, the brief penultimate cut yields more ear candy.  The longest song on The Slow Rush concludes the album, “One More Hour.” Like most of the album, Parker is introspective.  Here, he’s in no rush, combining his reflections with a combination of minimal and more dynamic musical moments.  It’s epic when the guitars kick it up a notch, not to mention the pummeling drums and dizzying psych synths.  “One More Hour” is long, but there’s plenty to go gaga over.

Final Thoughts

Five years was a hell of a long time to wait for the return of Tame Impala. That said, the result of the hiatus is a compelling, well-rounded album in The Slow Rush.  Some of the biggest selling points are Parker and company remaining ‘true to self’ musically, the falsetto, and the reflective nature.  There are no vibe-killing rubs, maybe save for the extended runtime on some songs, and that’s not a big deal ultimately.  Lots to like about The Slow Rush.

✓ Gems: “One More Year,” “Instant Destiny,” “Borderline,” “Posthumous Forgiveness,” “Breathe Deeper,” “On Track” & “Lost in Yesterday”

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

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