“When a generational artist loses his way”

Kevin Parker, through his Tame Impala project, has proven to be a defining artist of his generation. The essence of his sound transcends genre, and Parker’s signature production has become a staple style of modern-day pop and alternative. Few artists have had quite the impact that Parker had on the 2010s and into the 2020s. As an artist, he has evolved from John Lennon-esque psych rock into dance pop and alternative. InnerSpeaker, his 2010 debut album, sounds like a lost recording from the 60s. Its follow-up, Lonerism, is one of the best records of all time, seamlessly introducing elements of electronics and pop into his rock sound. It is the peak of his lyricism and songwriting in my opinion. Currents, released in 2015, is Parker’s true mainstream breakthrough, containing many genre-blurring bangers. After a five year wait, we got The Slow Rush, a step down in quality but still a solid album with some great singles. Tracks like “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards,” “Let It Happen,” and “New Person, Same Old Mistakes” arrived as instant classics.

Now, after over five long years, we have the long awaited fifth album from Kevin Parker. To say the least, calling it a disappointment would be an understatement. Each Tame Impala record has propelled the sound of the project further, pushing different boundaries on each record. While The Slow Rush didn’t necessarily live up to the experimentation that Parker brings to the table, it was still a good album as it was. But Deadbeat just doesn’t match the standard of work that is fair to expect from Tame Impala, let alone any artist. A series of lackluster singles (with the exception of the excellent “Dracula”) already gave me low hopes, but Parker still managed to deliver even below those.

The record is lacking the typical production quality and entrancing sound of previous records. Any traces of guitar have been just about erased from the record (with the exception of 2 tracks) colorful, grand production of previous records has been traded for meandering, unremarkable dance beats. Deadbeat lacks the soul of past albums, feeling particularly empty after you get past the fourth track. Many of these instrumentals feel half baked: “No Reply” has a beat that feels like a demo (many tracks could be described as this); “Piece of Heaven” has plucked synths that sound like a lazy attempt at the sounds Aphex Twin worked with on parts of Richard D. James Album and Drukqs; and just plain goofy instrumental comprises “See You On Monday (You’re Lost).”This is a minimalist record from an artist that thrives in maximalism; but has shown less can be more on tracks like “Sun’s Coming Up.” Less is not more in this case. In fact, it feels like just a lack of trying.

The best moments of Deadbeat are those that don’t feel like they belong here. “Dracula” is an exceptional dance track, but its lush production doesn’t match the aesthetic of the record at all. Second single “Loser” is the only ‘rock’ song on the record, and I use that loosely. It contains these slick guitars that back a very despondent vocal performance from Parker. It works fine as a standalone track but sticks out like a sore thumb in the context of the record. “My Old Ways” is a really solid opener, but the rest of the record doesn’t live up to the precedent it sets. “Afterthought” is the only track that I think succeeds within the actual vibe of the album, having production that is a tad bit livelier. The sequencing of these tracks doesn’t help the record much either, as the best songs

I have always found the lyricism of Tame Impala to be underappreciated. Previous records created detailed visuals of loneliness and love (both the good and bad) that felt timeless but bold. Tame Impala could say a lot in a short burst and say so much with a little. Deadbeat lacks this lyrical complexity, feeling like a major regression. The lyrics paint a picture of a more reckless, self-destructive and isolated Parker, which initially seems interesting. This perspective works on certain tracks like the opener and “Dracula” but is just tiresome on others. It’s consistent, but just not engaging much. It feels like a major regression of maturity for Parker, especially the use of cursing on the record. I don’t have an issue with cursing in music at all – we are all adults and that is a stupid point to have an issue with overall. My problem is that I feel that Parker writes these words in a way to come off as edgy or cool and it just feels tacky. The lyrics of the record really offer no reason to return.

Deadbeat is the worst Tame Impala record in just about every single metric. The better tracks on the record – “My Old Ways,” “Loser,” “Afterthought” – would be filler tracks at best on any other record. Dracula is the only truly great song that came from this record. “Oblivion,” “Not My World,”,“Ethereal Connection,” and “See You On Monday (You’re Lost)” are just awful, and if I was to make a list of the 20 worst Tame Impala songs, 10 of the 12 songs would without question make the cut. “End of Summer” is a particularly frustrating song, as it is one of the most underwhelming lead singles I have ever heard and provides the album with an unremarkable end.

Deadbeat just makes no sense in the Tame Impala discography, and I think it will only grow worse with time. Lonerism as an album features very abstract song structures on some tracks and conventional rock bangers on others, but the lyrics paint a complex emotional picture. Its lyrics and instrumentals combine to paint a picture of acid washed depression, something warm but sad, with the later moments of the album especially showing this. Currents too features very dense melodies and verses that paint a picture of romance and breakups that is truly timeless. These lyrics combine with amazing synths, distorted guitars, and bold experimentation to create a one-of-a-kind album that has spawned countless imitators. There’s a reason that Tame Impala was the textbook example of indie music for years. Even the covers of every other Tame Impala album are iconic (especially Currents), and Deadbeat fails to even meet this standard. Deadbeat is a complete rebuke of that legacy and a true fall from grace. In a discography full of one-of-a-kind albums that only Kevin Parker could make, Deadbeat is generic, bland, and just unremarkable. I am left asking only one thing – how was this allowed to happen?

Best Tracks: “Dracula”, “My Old Ways”, and that’s about it

Worst Track: “Oblivion”? “See You On Monday (You’re Lost)”? Really just about any track here.