Tame Impala
Lonerism
In terms of sophomore successes, Tame Impala’s Lonerism might be the crowning achievement of 2012. On the band’s second album, frontman/mastermind Kevin Parker and mega-producer Dave Fridmann (Flaming Lips, MGMT) swing the doors wide open on the psych-rock palette that made up much of 2010’s Innerspeaker. Opening track “Be Above It” starts with a steadily punching kick drum and breathy vocal loop before giving way to Parker’s self-motivational mantra. Later, “Why Won’t They Talk To Me” delivers a spacey, momentum-filled lament about (you guessed it) being a loner. Along the way, we get hints of psychedelic grandeur, including a few beautifully subtle nods to The Beatles’ White Album. Most importantly, though, Lonerism finds Parker turning down the vocal reverb and stepping up to the mike in a big way, making for a record that’s as detail-oriented as it is lyrically impressive.
