On Feb. 14, Tame Impala dropped his anticipated fourth studio album, “The Slow Rush.” It’s been five years since the release of the popular 13-track record “Currents,” and fans eagerly awaited a new project.
Kevin Parker is a musician who most will know as Tame Impala. He’s commended in the music world for writing, recording and producing all of his own music. At live shows, he generally has a backing band, but what you hear on the album is 100% Parker.
“The Slow Rush” has a central theme of time, which is weaved throughout the lyrics. Time is shown metaphorically on the album’s cover, showing sand filling up a room similar to an hourglass.
The psychedelic stylings of Tame Impala have garnered a presence in the indie rock world with over 12 million monthly listeners on Spotify. His music is generally spacey, synth-heavy and pop-inspired, with the vocals sounding distant and layered.
“The Slow Rush” opens with “One More Year,” lyrically focusing on time and the impact it plays in his life. The chorus of the song is about his recent marriage: “I never wanted any other way to spend our lives / I know we promised we’d be doing this ‘til we die / And now I fear we might.” Parker is coming to terms with what forever means.
Parker explained the song on Apple Music, saying, “Our life is crazy but where is it going? We won’t be young forever, but we sure do live like it. Our book needs more chapters. Our time here is short, let’s make it count. I have a plan.” This is easily Tame Impala’s most introspective and personal album, a reflective thesis during the mid-20s of a growing artist.
Tame Impala calls “The Slow Rush” “a deep dive into the oceans of time, conjuring the feeling of a lifetime in a lightning bolt, of major milestones whizzing by while you’re looking at your phone, it’s a paean to creation and destruction and the unending cycle of life.” Parker is known for being dramatic and deep, using metaphors to explain his thoughts. It’s apparent that Parker has been thinking heavily about the past, present and future, reflected by the changes in pace on the album’s songs.
The album’s fourth song, “Posthumous Forgiveness,” is about Parker’s complicated relationship with his late father. He sings, “Wanna tell you ‘bout my life / Wanna play you all my songs / And hear your voice sing along,” referencing how Parker feels about not being able to show his dad all of his success. The track was also released as a single in 2019. Other singles include “Lost In Yesterday,” “It Might Be Time” and “Borderline.”
“The Slow Rush” is instrumentally dense, packed with upbeat drum fills and synths. Parker layers instruments to create a unique psychedelic sound. There’s a range of slower, more laid back songs, as well as more upbeat, danceable tracks, providing variety. While the album carries a lot of similar elements from his previous albums, it still has its own original twist. Tame Impala continues to become more finely tuned and intricate with each project.
Tame Impala will be performing at the Moda Center with Perfume Genius on Monday, Aug. 3.
