Tame Impala creates some of the best pop music, particularly in a genre that often presents monotony. Tame Impala’s albums always feel like a breath of fresh air, thanks to their strikingly distinctive production and instrumentation. “Deadbeat” is Tame Impala’s 5th studio album. “Deadbeat” is a step away from Tame Impala’s typical formula; this album is more EDM-oriented. Kevin Parker, the genius behind Tame Impala, has a neurological condition called synesthesia, which causes him to see colors when he hears music. Parker makes all the music but tours with a band.
The album opens with “My Old Ways.” I like the piano and the repeating beat, which had my head bumping the first time I heard it. The lyrics, though, just don’t do it for me. However, the symphonic sounds throughout the song make it a good listen.
“No Reply” is relatable, and from this song, it is clear that Parker’s vision for the album is to guide the listener through his psyche at different points in his life. On my first few listens, I found myself wanting more from this song.
“Dracula” starts funky and features high-pitched vocals, but it lacks a solid direction. It is a decent song. This song lacks what previous Tame albums have had. “The Slow Rush,” their most recent album, is unbelievably layered and expansive. As a whole, “Deadbeat” is not comparable to the abstract scope that all of their previous albums had.
“Loser” is good, very catchy, but at the same time, by the end of the song, it loses me. The production, though, is excellent; the layering of different instruments is what makes this song good. In my opinion, it is too drawn out, and the mediocre lyrics significantly hinder it.
“Oblivion” is the next track. It is very atmospheric, and I really enjoy this song. I mean, the production is unbelievably catchy. It is a weird track, with high-pitched echoing vocals, but its weirdness doesn’t hold it back, unlike the next track.
“Not My World’s” instrumentals and production are excellent, very atmospheric, and unconventional. The real problem I have with the track is that Parker says “It’s not my world” around 40 times through the track in a weird echoey voice, which honestly ruins the track for me.
“Piece of Heaven” embodies this album; it has potential to be good, but it relies too much on Parker’s mediocre lyrics. The lyrics lack depth, which is a recurring theme throughout the album. This song is about devotion to a girl, which the lyrics depict, but not in a spectacular way. In this song, it feels like there is a lot of potential there, but it simply falls short.
The next song, “Obsolite,” starts off super catchy, and overall, I really like this song; it is the best on the album. This song is extremely catchy and had my head bobbing with the creative drums and beat throughout. Honestly, Parker’s lyrics are excellent, too. The somber lyrics and theme blend seamlessly with the catchy instrumentals.
“Etheral Connection” is just way too much hardstyle EDM. When this song isn’t blaring EDM, it is actually pretty good, but that lasts only about a minute, and then it returns to blaring beats for around six minutes. This song feels like “On Sight,” but in my opinion, Tame Impala botches the song’s moment of clarity.
“See You on Monday” is an enjoyable track, atmospheric and euphoric. The echoing vocals are a standout feature. The end of the song is again slightly drawn out and gets a little weird with the vocals at the end. As a whole, though enjoyable.
“Afterthought,” the second-to-last track on the album, is a solid pop song. Catchy, with a quality reverberating beat throughout, this song is a head-bumping, electric track with a Tame Impala spin.
The final track of the album, “End Of Summer,” features emotional lyrics set to an EDM beat. To me, this style of heartfelt lyrics with a catchy EDM beat embodies this whole album, and it really does not do it for me. This track is catchy, do not get me wrong, but it just is not what I look for in a song.
“Deadbeat” was somewhat of a letdown. This album is unlike any other Tame Impala album. I mean, he had five years to make this album, and it is nowhere near as layered as his past albums. It is not awful, but the quality and layering that made their past albums so great just are not there. The lyricism simply falls short, and Parker does not present those lyrics with the beautiful composition that he had in his past projects. I rate this album a 6.2 out of 10. If my expectations were not so high, the score would be higher, but it simply falls short.
