Tame Impala – The Slow Rush
(Interscope)
Reviewed by Sam Smith.
It has been five years since Kevin Parker last released a Tame Impala project. 2015’s Currents catapulted the Perth psych-rock musician to global superstardom with that albums pop sensibility proving a massive hit. Now in 2020, Parker has returned with a fourth Tame Impala album entitled The Slow Rush, and once again he is changing things up stylistically.
Buoyed on by four pre-release singles, The Slow Rush is a dreamy prog-rock affair and in many ways, odes a lot of its sound to 70s British prog band Supertramp of whom Parker is a big fan. On here, there are lots of swirling synths, jaunty piano runs, and of course, Parker’s now trademark John Lennon-esque soprano vocals, resulting in Tame Impala’s most prog-sounding record yet.
On an album that doesn’t attempt to hide its influences, the track ‘It Might Be Time’ might just be the most Supertramp sounding track on The Slow Rush. In fact, I had to double-take to make sure I wasn’t listening to a lost Supertramp B-side or something given the prominence of the Rick Davies-like piano chords and Parker’s simmering falsetto vocals.
Meanwhile, ‘Posthumous Forgiveness’ takes the form of a swirling Beatle-esque number which featured a surprising but effective mid-song tempo change and harked back to Tame Impala’s breakout album Lonerism with its sixties psych tendencies. There are also shades of late-70s MOR on here in the form of ‘Instant Destiny’ and ‘Breathe Deeper,’ the latter all be it with a Chicago house bent.
Although Parker attempts to push the Tame Impala sound in the prog direction on The Slow Rush, there are moments which draw heavily from the successful template carved out on the last Tame Impala album Currents. ‘Lost in Yesterday’ is this albums ‘The Less I Know the Better’ with its bouncy bass lines and catchy pop chorus, while pre-release single ‘Borderline’ definitely harks back to Currents with its sprightly rhythm and spacey production.
Parker also brings the club heat in the form of ‘Is It True’ and ‘Glimmer’ in a clear attempt to pander to dance fans, while album closer ‘One More Hour’ is a prog tour de force featuring Yes-inspired keyboard playing that would have made Rick Wakeman proud.
All up, I would describe The Slow Rush as a liquorice all sorts type of album. There is something for everyone on here, whether your taste is psych rock, prog, pop, or even dance music. In many respects, this is not a typical Tame Impala album given the variety of styles on display here. Yes, it is anchored in that psych-prog lane, but at the same time, it seems Tame Impala’s popularity post Currents has manoeuvred Kevin Parker into recording an album that attempts to capture as many music fans as possible by providing as many stylistic turns as possible.
It appears risky and was a daring move on Parker’s part to deliver this type of record as a comeback. However, the results, overall, are positive, and I am sure The Slow Rush will just reconfirm to people that Tame Impala truly is one of the biggest bands in the world still, even after five years in the wilderness.
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