Jim Pinckney takes the pulse on Tame Impala's electrifying Currents.
Running hot on a streak of inspired perfectionism, the third album from Tame Impala, or more accurately Kevin Parker, the group’s frontman who handles everything by himself, takes his hyper melodic, psychedelic songcraft to new places and new levels. There is little mystery about how much solitude and withdrawing into oneself have been a motivator for Parker’s creative muse in the past, it’s explicit enough throughout his lyrics without needing to draw on album titles like Innerspeaker and Lonerism, On Currents he goes further inviting the listener into his own head for an exploration into the effects of a changing psychology and set of circumstances, all seen from the inside out. While the 29 year old maybe still swings a little too hard on the pendulum of influences and total absorption, he is certainly self-aware, and the brave step forward he’s taken on Currents bodes well for wherever he may take his talent next.
Songs played: The Less I Know The Better, Let It Happen, The Moment, New Person, Same Old Mistakes, Reality In Motion, Past Life, Cause I’m A Man, Eventually
