The other way you could describe it 'slavish and cautious recreation of a sound that was never cautious in the first place' but that accounts for a lot of rock music nowadays.
― Matt DC, Friday, 30 November 2012 11:56 (eleven years ago) link
I don't think that's quite fair, Matt. Compare it to the Allah-Las - that's a slavish recreation. Tame Impala have clearly heard those 60s records, but I'd say they're trying to copy the spirit rather than the songs.
― Manfred Mann meets Man Parrish (ithappens), Friday, 30 November 2012 21:18 (eleven years ago) link
kinda like the yang to Uncle Acid the Deadbeats yin, y'know?
(as in: weirdly Lennon-esque vocals taken in different emotional directions while an overall trippiness prevails)
― the tune was space, Friday, 30 November 2012 22:06 (eleven years ago) link
I still don't get "Lonerism". I loved their other album, but I don't think this album is as good - so I'm confused by the NME's album of the year verdict. I still don't think adding synths helps, and I don't think the songs are as good. I may be in a minority of one there.
And having listened to psychedelia for years and years... Yes, you can't compare it to the original stuff (and I agree with Matt's point, the references are pretty narrow) but it does remind me of the first Sun Dial LP which was equally reverent to the style. Maybe I need to persevere with "Lonerism", but something about it doesn't really make me want to go back and listen to it.
― Rob M Revisited, Friday, 30 November 2012 22:26 (eleven years ago) link
I still don't think adding synths helps, and I don't think the songs are as good.
i agree w/ this completely. there's something naggingly annoying about this record that i never got from the first
― site nuances (electricsound), Saturday, 1 December 2012 02:17 (eleven years ago) link
That stuff doesn't come across in Tame Impala at all, although they've got the sonics and the voices and the recording effects down pat, their songwriting horizons feel limited by comparison.
I kind of feel like this is missing the point; obv there's no 'wtf' factor where it feels like any old sort of batshit thing can happen, but that's bcz dude kind of approaches writing songs the way, say, M.C. Escher approaches painting staircases (this is true of the first album also)
― that's the way to choke a jiving spirit (Drugs A. Money), Saturday, 1 December 2012 04:59 (eleven years ago) link
i think that might be giving them a little too much credit
― site nuances (electricsound), Saturday, 1 December 2012 05:00 (eleven years ago) link
eh maybe
― that's the way to choke a jiving spirit (Drugs A. Money), Saturday, 1 December 2012 05:01 (eleven years ago) link
perhaps I am confusing the potentiality of what I'm hearing with its actuality
― that's the way to choke a jiving spirit (Drugs A. Money), Saturday, 1 December 2012 05:02 (eleven years ago) link
Tame Impala have clearly heard those 60s records, but I'd say they're trying to copy the spirit rather than the songs
That's probably fair. They're definitely trying to copy the sound, and yeah probably the spirit too, but I'm not sure they're entirely successful in the latter. The album's enjoyable enough but short on surprises.
― Matt DC, Saturday, 1 December 2012 12:17 (eleven years ago) link
cleared from all the extras surrounding them - the essence of the melodies is very simple and repetitive.
― nostormo, Saturday, 1 December 2012 14:55 (eleven years ago) link
and that's the problem of this otherwise fine album
"extras"
― that's the way to choke a jiving spirit (Drugs A. Money), Saturday, 1 December 2012 19:34 (eleven years ago) link
ok nm I think I understood your exact point
― that's the way to choke a jiving spirit (Drugs A. Money), Saturday, 1 December 2012 20:29 (eleven years ago) link
the question is do you agree?
― nostormo, Saturday, 1 December 2012 22:41 (eleven years ago) link
I listened to this while drifting of on the train and dreamt it was actually a recording of my band playing. Weirdly I started getting annoyed because of all the mistakes. The one track that did hit the spot was Elephant, which had some neatly cryptic little flourishes but in the whole this is not remarkable music.
― make like a steak and beef (dog latin), Sunday, 2 December 2012 01:36 (eleven years ago) link
yeah, it's nice but the songwriting isn't very strong and the whole thing gets a bit boring after a while.I still like "feels" a lot but I don't really listen to the rest anymore.
― AlXTC from Paris, Sunday, 2 December 2012 09:23 (eleven years ago) link
otm^
I wish they'd commit either going full-on psych or pop. As it stands, it's a bit unsatisfying. I do love a few of the tracks though.
― Darin, Sunday, 2 December 2012 18:32 (eleven years ago) link
I've only just heard this album, and this band, as of yesterday. It's still registering with me so who knows if I'll change my opinion in a few days/weeks/months. I like it. (Album of the year? No, but it's good.) It sort of scratches the same itch that Unknown Mortal Orchestra did last year. A lot of the comments above I would apply to them too.
― scott pgwp (pgwp), Sunday, 2 December 2012 21:54 (eleven years ago) link
Are these guys worth seeing live? They came through town a year or so back and I heard bad things. I could definitely see how they would be dodgy and not so good live. However, I'd be curious to see if they've stepped it up since they're getting more high profile. This stuff could be really interesting live if done right.
― global tetrahedron, Tuesday, 4 December 2012 19:59 (eleven years ago) link
Saw them a couple of months ago and I thought it was fine. I was afraid of something like 2 hours of psychedelic nonsense. But yes not everyone liked it.
― Shin Oliva Suzuki, Wednesday, 5 December 2012 00:53 (eleven years ago) link
feels like we only go backwards is a jam
― johnny crunch, Sunday, 9 December 2012 04:42 (eleven years ago) link
this reminds me of my youth. this is 70s prog-rock. i used to love that kind of stuff. but somehow i can't really take symphonic rock serious anymore.
― alex in mainhattan, Sunday, 9 December 2012 18:12 (eleven years ago) link
A Tampa lime.
― redress control number (_Rudipherous_), Sunday, 9 December 2012 18:22 (eleven years ago) link
This has got me going from suspicion to "hmm maybe" to, wow this is really great. Elephant hooked me in - sort of a cross between T-Rex and Canned Heat. But 'Feels Like We Only Go Backwards' and the accompanying video has hooked me. There are little moments in that track, particularly the harmony where the guys sings 'Every part of me says go ahead' that I keep wanting to skip back to.
― dog latin, Tuesday, 5 February 2013 11:05 (eleven years ago) link
The more I hear these guys the more I feel like they're really a seventies power pop band buried under a bunch of modern psychedelic gloss. That's not a bad thing! But half the time when I hear them I think they're Shoes or something.
― Uncle Sam is... ...No Daddy! (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Tuesday, 5 February 2013 11:14 (eleven years ago) link
dog latin, I had a similar experience. I went from occasionally streaming it on Spotify to buying the album and listening to it at least once daily for the last three weeks. It's great. "Apocalypse Dreams" is my jam at the moment. "Elephant" is great too, and "Keep on Lying."
― sctttnnnt (pgwp), Wednesday, 6 February 2013 05:00 (eleven years ago) link
So, this is basically Olivia Tremor Control for people born after Nevermind came out, mixed with a healthy dollop of Dungen, right?
Not hating on the retromania (been diggin' Unknown Mortal Orchestra a ton, and, err, Uncle Acid), but...I dunno, guys. Gonna give it a second spin. They've certainly done their psychedelic homework, I'll give 'em that.
― If Assholes Could Fly This Place Would Be An Airport, Tuesday, 19 February 2013 03:13 (eleven years ago) link
what's the link with "Nevermind" ?anyway, I haven't listened to this in a long time... and I don't think I will anytime soon.basically this album is: a good song + other tracks, for me now.
― AlXTC from Paris, Tuesday, 19 February 2013 12:10 (eleven years ago) link
Two good songs at least - Elephant and FLWOGB. Yes it's retro. It does fit into some sort of continuum that includes Dungen, OTC, White Denim, maybe a bit of Ariel Pink without the cloyingness. I like them when they rock out a bit too. Any "tsk retro" dismissals are pretty lame IMO. I was very suspicious at first, but the guy knows his way around a song when he can be bothered. Pity Lonerism suffers from having far too many aimless drifty bits.
― dog latin, Tuesday, 19 February 2013 12:27 (eleven years ago) link
See also "Apocalypse Dreams" - great song.
― sctttnnnt (pgwp), Tuesday, 19 February 2013 15:43 (eleven years ago) link
I was using Nevermind as a barometer of age, as in the people who will dig this most are the people for whom indie music began with, I dunno, Beach House or something. No aesthetic connection implied.
― If Assholes Could Fly This Place Would Be An Airport, Tuesday, 19 February 2013 15:44 (eleven years ago) link
I listened to this back to front the other day and, for the most part, it has held up really well. Fridmann's mixing saves it from being just another retro psych record and takes it to the next level.
I think this may be a case where this has crossed over to a more general public thus making some record nerds angry.
― kwhitehead, Tuesday, 19 February 2013 17:05 (eleven years ago) link
i can see the OTC connection (i'm a fan of OTC) for sure, but tame impala, especially on lonerism, dials down the longish/experimental passages between the poppier stuff.
― Z S, Tuesday, 19 February 2013 17:14 (eleven years ago) link
THERE ALREADY WAS A BAND CALLED POND
― congratulations (n/a), Wednesday, 7 August 2013 15:00 (ten years ago) link
Loved this album a year ago (ya'll crazy that there are only one or two good songs on it). Burned out on it, though.
― Rod Steel (musicfanatic), Wednesday, 7 August 2013 18:16 (ten years ago) link
n/a otm
― failed gravy (electricsound), Wednesday, 7 August 2013 22:18 (ten years ago) link
had that phase too (xpost), but i returned to it lately again. most of it is pretty fucking awesome.Be Above It and Nothing.. are the highlights imo
― nostormo, Monday, 2 September 2013 20:43 (ten years ago) link
listened to the whole album last night driving home from a friend's house. i think the drumming is what puts this over the top and separates it from other vaguely retro psych acts.
― Treeship, Monday, 2 September 2013 20:45 (ten years ago) link
i think the Rundgren's Wizard/star vibe in the production is what makes it special.
There's something quite strange about the drums:you can actually feel they were recorded separately from the rest.
― nostormo, Monday, 2 September 2013 20:49 (ten years ago) link
also, sometime i'm daydreaming of a good metal cover to Be Above it. someone gotta do it.
― nostormo, Monday, 2 September 2013 20:51 (ten years ago) link
that would be sweet. my jam on this album is "why won't they talk to me?" i'd be open to hearing all different sorts of cover versions of that song.
― Treeship, Monday, 2 September 2013 21:01 (ten years ago) link
heard this today in the hair salon. good stuff!
upthread matt dc said: "It's kind of a slavish recreation of a sound but they're pretty good at it"
just curious - what sound is that?
― the late great, Monday, 22 September 2014 18:47 (nine years ago) link
The tame impala sound
― zip it shrimpy (dog latin), Tuesday, 23 September 2014 00:42 (nine years ago) link
eh, I think about this album now and then because I work right in front of the garden on the cover !
― AlXTC from Paris, Tuesday, 23 September 2014 11:33 (nine years ago) link
IFLWOGB and Elephant still pop up on shuffle now and again and I always enjoy them. Don't much care for the rest though.
― zip it shrimpy (dog latin), Tuesday, 23 September 2014 11:37 (nine years ago) link
update !
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127354883@N08/15328528021/
― AlXTC from Paris, Tuesday, 23 September 2014 14:09 (nine years ago) link
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127354883@N08/15328528021/lightbox/
― AlXTC from Paris, Tuesday, 23 September 2014 14:11 (nine years ago) link
I was listening to some songs again (while taking the pictures) and IFLWOGB is still great. I can't shake the impression of hearing Lennon, though.His lost jam session with Pink floyd circa 1967 !
― AlXTC from Paris, Tuesday, 23 September 2014 14:14 (nine years ago) link
Nowhere near as sonically inventive or as expansive as '67 Floyd. I like them a lot, though. So glad they've eschewed the gigantic Fender reverb on the vox that so many bands use to mitigate lame singing these days. #getoffmylawn
― hardcore dilettante, Tuesday, 23 September 2014 14:25 (nine years ago) link