Tame Impala is a psychedelic pop project by Australian singer Kevin Parker. He released their third album, Currents, in 2015. This is the first album that Parker mixed and recorded all music and instruments alone, therefore the album featured no other collaborators. Personally, this is my favorite album by Tame Impala and I became a fan of them after discovering the hit song, The Less I Know The Better.

Similar artists – MGMT, Mac deMarco, Foster the People

Themes and Lyrics

• The album revolves around ideas of self-discovery, complex relationships, and conflicts in past and present. Almost every song describes relation-related transformations as well as their struggles. One of the more prominent examples of these journeys of self reflection can be seen in this quote from the song Yes I’m Changing

“Life is moving, can’t you see? There’s no future left for you and me”

I think the song describes getting over a relationship that most likely isn’t going to work out. This quote illustrates that it’s not always right to be stuck in the past, which many people can sympathize with. Another song that strongly embeds this theme is Past Life, in which a guy talks about an encounter with his old lover, which gives him a strange feeling.

Impressions and Opinions

• Overall the songs in this album are very ethereal and nostalgia-inducing. My favorite songs in the album are Love/Paranoia and Eventually. If you are a first time listener to this album, I would definitely suggest listening to The Less I Know The Better and Let it Happen. My least favorite songs are either very repetitive (Nangs) or don’t have any lyrics (Gossip). No offense to the instrumentals, they’re great, but it’s just not for me.

Final Comments

• I would recommend this album to people who enjoy upbeat, immersive music and would like to explore themes of personal transformation. If you’re getting over a relationship you might find a connection with this album.