If you think you like this album now, wait til you hear it on acid

Had every track on loop in my head since I listened to it

Some of it sounds like psychedelic club dance filler music you'd hear at a Velvet Underground album premier party or something; but it is overall a stellar album with infectious hooks and effects that can throw you threw some serious loops trying to figure out how they created such a sound. It is definitely consistent and confident in it's sound, but it gets overbearing in some places. I plan to explore it more in the future, and I say you should too even if it isn't your cup of tea at first; I think it deserves it.

Lonerism is one of the few albums in this life that I'd dare label as a perfect album, and no, this didn't happen after my first listen. I discovered Tame Impala back in high school during their Innerspeaker days, and I was instantly captivated by their mix of alternative rock with some old school 60s/70s rock vibes. Needless to say, I highly anticipated their follow up at the time.

After giving it a listen upon release, I pushed it aside, not really feeling the new sounds. It sounded like Tame Impala, but it was trying to be something else. Every now and then I would give it a few more listens, extending all the way to the end of 2014. Through all of those listens, the only song that really stood out to me was Apocalypse Dreams, because it reminded me of the Innerspeaker Tame Impala.

During late 2014, my first break up, and as the feeling of loss and loneliness started overwhelming my life, I gave it another listen, and that’s when it all lined up. The album started making sense. It’s hard to understand certain themes in here being a kid and all, without knowing what losing others is like. Song after song, it felt like Kevin Parker was suddenly narrating my life. I started digging deeper through the lyrics, realizing that someone else (Kevin) had once felt the exact same way in some regard. Ironically, I started feeling less lonely. Music like this might sound depressing to some at first, but I believe it’s made like that for a reason. As you read through the relating lyrics and listen to the incredible sounds being thrown at you, you can’t help but smile every once in a while. It was truly a healing experience.

By the end of that year, the album had become a nearly perfect one to me, but not quite. There were still some songs and themes that didn’t make sense to me, and as I’ve transitioned into adulthood, the themes have become more apparent, and I can suddenly view the album in more than one way. It’s no longer just an album about the feeling of being alone, loving someone, or losing someone. And it became apparent with the song that I was listening to the most the whole time, Apocalypse Dreams.

The lines “Everything is changing, and there’s nothing I can do” mean more to me now as an adult, as I realize that we’re just a small part of huge universe that is constantly changing, both space wise, and Earth-wise. And while you think of that, you suddenly want to lay in bed in a fetal position and cry about it, but at the same time, it really makes you think of what it is that you’re doing with your life, and who you truly care about, and what your life would be without those people. And in the end, it makes you appreciate everything just a tad bit more, and essentially, enjoy your unique experience with the gift of life.

This is how Lonerism has affected me, and I can go on and on. But there aren’t many other albums that I can say this about. 10/10

Lonerism is a profound listen if you give it some time. Tame Impala is a pseudonym for Kevin Parker, the writer and producer of every song as well as playing every instrument.

Not sure if most of my millennial peers have the background to fully appreciate this thing. But I show it to my Dad who grew up in the 60's and he instantly grasped the genius of this piece. Parker wears his influences on his sleve, as far as 60's/70's psychedelic/progressive rock. Lots of sources claim comparison to the Beatles, and now that I've studied both artist's catelogues I can see it. But it wasn't apparent to me at first listen, because this is so much more sonically immersive than the beatles.

Parker doesn't "hide" his influences because he doesn't need to - he's created a whole new landscape with his guitars/synths/arpegiators and the production is otherworldly as far how he uses effects to expand the dimensions of the music in different ways. The masterful production is only fully appreciated through a quality set of headphones/speakers and a quality DAC + preamp, because what he does to the mix is truly incredible. Phaser, flanger, filter, envelope, reverb, panning, all these things are floating around in sonic perfection. Even if you don't appreciate this kind of music, you can't deny this is a remarkable piece of enigneering.

Musically he comes up with the most infectious, and emotional chord progressions / harmonys / melodies that I honestly can't make it through this album without crying. And it's not always the vocals providing these things. The interactions of the instruments, particularly the bass lines, that weave in and out of the unique chord progressions is truly remarkable.

Tame Impala is also without a doubt the best live band I've ever seen. His meticulous approach to perfection is tweaked perfectly for a live setting. The painstaking effort that is put in to the live show is far to great to detail on this already massive album comment, but let's just say if you have a chance to see him live, take it. Take a vacation day for afterwards because you won't want to do anything other than reflect (I was fairly sober for this show a small amount of marijuana but it was to this second the trippiest and most psychedelic experience of my life)

A great modern psychedelic rock record, filled with many hits all around.

Favorite Track: Feels Like We Only Go Backwards

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I my opinion, this is one of the best albums ever made. Far better than either innerspeaker or currents. I think 'Be above it' is not appreciated enough, and the 'why wont they talk to me' is may be the best track on the album. 'Feels like we only go backwards' seems at times to be a little generic almost, but overall pretty good.

This album manages to have a fairly experimental sound to it, yet also be exceptionally listenable. Even the strange chords at the end of 'suns coming up' have an ethereal beauty to them that isn't reached by many other bands trying to do the same thing. Sometimes reminiscent of the flaming lips at thier best and early pink floyd

Works best in your subconscious. I learned that if I actively listen to it, it somehow degrades, but works wonders on my subconscious while doing other things.

This is not to dis the album. Just my experience. Also the vocals are fantastic for this day and age.