10 years of Tame Impala’s Lonerism
From the moment you hear the intrusive whispering of “gotta be above it” at the start of Lonerism, you know you are about to enter a world of neo-psychedelic pop perfection. Tame Impala’s second full-length album is one to be celebrated: a triumph of technology and sound as a wave of undeniable nostalgia washes over you with each listen. For me, Lonerism was the first time I heard Tame Impala, and it was like nothing I had delved into before. 10 years have passed since its release, and it remains equally as poignant and revered as those first few listening experiences. Let’s take a look back at the project and commend its front-to-back listenability as a project that has stood the test of time.
In a world where so many artists have attempted to dabble in new sub-genres of rock, Tame Impala has perfected his niche from his earliest work – producing music to the highest standards for his loyal fanbase. For just under an hour, Lonerism transports the listener to an alternate, acidic universe with wobbly electric guitar riffs and harsh drum patterns rumbling throughout the project from the outset. Often compared to psychedelic rock that emerged in the late 1960s and early 70s, the confidence of opening tracks ‘Endors Toi’ and ‘Apocalypse Dreams’ establish the precedent of Tame Impala’s signature evocative sound. Not to mention how impressively produced the project is from a technical viewpoint – did you know Tame Impala consists of only one man (?)
Seamlessly transitioning into the popular track Mind Mischief, the sound of the tracks are not the only element to be acclaimed. Yearning lyrics “I hope she knows that I love her long, I just don’t know where I belong” hit hard in Mind Mischief, as Kevin Parker bares vulnerability amidst the trippy soundscape. Relatable romanticisms consistently ring through Parker’s melodic, memorable lyricism on the entirety of Lonerism. His openly human sentiments blend perfectly with electronic production to create an oxymoronic concoction of modern humanity, balancing artificial instrumentation with emotive language perfectly.
Lonerism is undeniably a step up from Tame Impala’s predecessor, Innerspeaker. From its unflawed production to the eloquence of Parker’s lyrics, Lonerism achieves a coherent listening experience, track after track – there are no misses in my (slightly biased as a massive fan) opinion. This is highlighted in the less mainstream songs such as Keep on Lying which is jammed between the grandeur of ‘Feel Like We Only Go Backwards’ and ‘Elephant’ – it manages to stand its own without being disregarded amidst the commercial tracks.
Though we have all heard ‘Elephant’ time and time again, there is no denying the brilliance of the lead single. Used in movies and repurposed for all types of advertisements, there is no questioning its catchiness, uniqueness, and impact. It captures the essence of Lonerism, as Parker retrospectively spoke on the track on Beats 1 back in 2019, “it’s how I always envisioned big, egotistical people who would march around. It’s kind of how a loner might see a jock – like an elephant”.
As we near the end of the album, we lose the grandeur of tracks like ‘Why Won’t They Talk To Me?’ and ‘Music To Walk Home By’. In fact, the closer, ‘Sun’s Coming Up’ is bare in comparison. Parker’s vocals are rid of the psychedelia and the synthy tone we have grown to love as a simple piano melody is all he has to work with at the beginning of the track. But this is not to his disadvantage. The entirety of the project to this point has been infectious with a myriad of instrumentation. ‘Sun’s Coming Up’ acts as a reprise from all that the heavy production had been delivered previously. Parker is talking to us without the frills, without the massive soundscape that blared continuously throughout. We can hear his voice as he speaks on the themes that can get lost in Lonerism. Though there are no exhaustive verses in the closer, what he does say is moving. Encapsulating the concept of being lonely, Parker heartbreakingly longs, “think of me as someone, someone that you know, but if I don’t hear something, pretty soon from now, I’ll disconnect completely, see how that works out”.
If you can’t tell, Lonerism is one of my favourite albums to date. To me, from its sequencing, instrumentation, and melodies, it cannot be faulted. Though Currents is arguably Tame Impala’s ‘greatest’ musical achievement, Lonerism captures melancholy in such a unique way – provoking lyrics sit amidst such overwhelmingly busy composition to create such a transcendent piece of art. It will always have a special place in my music library, a reliable, solid album that I simply will never get bored of.
