Tame Impala’s opening line on “Patience” perfectly captures the long endured wait for the band’s fourth studio album: “Has it really been that long?” After the 2015 release of Currents, Kevin Parker took a strategic five year hiatus to craft and perfect the next project, while also releasing singles such as “Borderline” and “It Might Be Time” in 2019 to heighten anticipation for the album.
Tame Impala has made psychedelic-pop history once again with The Slow Rush. The hiatus was worth the wait as Tame Impala’s disco-funk essence is pushed forward as Parker looks to the past — focusing on the element of time as the overarching album inspiration.
The introspective lyrics on the album touch on the existential meaning of life and past experiences, while Parker also attempts to make sense of the death of his father. Compared to Currents, Tame Impala’s overall sound on The Slow Rush is not quite as memorable and hard-hitting. Tracks such as “On Track” and “Tomorrow’s Dust” are duller in sound texture while songs such as “Instant Destiny” and “One More Year” carry the psych-rock legacy onward. Nonetheless, Parker’s musical genius manifests into twelve tracks of smooth electronic sound with beautiful synth melodies. Here are the top tracks from Tame Impala’s latest album, The Slow Rush:
“Lost In Yesterday”
Out of all the teasers released for the album, “Lost in Yesterday” was the last single in succession and the shortest in length. During the four minute track, Parker dwells upon the past as he plays with the meaning of nostalgia as a drug. The song harps upon the dangers of over-romanticizing and over-regretting the past and being locked within the prison that is yesterday.
“The Less I Know The Better'' singer references Groundhog Day to further the consistent theme of time throughout the album. The 1993 comedy is used as a symbol to represent that people hold onto things connected to the past that keep them from moving on in life: “‘Cause it has to be lost in yesterday / And you’re gonna have to let it go someday / You’ve been diggin’ it up like Groundhog Day / ‘Cause it might’ve been somethin’, don’t say.”
Parker chronicles his own inability to make amends with the past with the grief and loss of his father on “Posthumous Forgiveness.”
“Instant Destiny”
While The Slow Rush vastly departs from previous albums in terms of guitar riffs and upbeat-pop synthesizers, “Instant Destiny” is the only track that closely embodies the vibes of Currents. Throughout past albums like Lonerism, Parker addresses his feelings of solitude and loneliness — using music as his coping mechanism.
However, the second track on the album is delivered with potent upbeat pulses and lyrical work that represents Parker’s relationship with his wife, Sophie Lawerence. After all this time, Parker thinks the idea of marriage and settling down seems “crazy,” but he can’t delay it any further.
“Borderline” (Album Version)
The album version of “Borderline” is a rework of the single that was released in April 2019. Initially, the track had a 4:34 runtime and the album version shaved off about 30 seconds of the overall length.
Parker decided to rework the song in December 2019 to make the bassline more prominent in the ears of the listener. The percussion-heavy track touches on the dark sides that come along with the glory of Los Angeles. The cynical beat embraces meaninglessness and pushes drugs, money and sex to the forefront of a motionless life.
“It Might Be Time”
Out of all the singles released prior to the album, “It Might Be Time” made the wait all the less patient. Parker dropped the single in October 2019, and it dials back to the merits of 2012’s Lonerism. The track features a variety of sound textures that make it a top track on The Slow Rush, including blown-out drums that are brilliantly mixed with ’70s psych-rock keyboard sequences.
“It Might Be Time” covers how time passes. Lyrically, Parker explains the struggles he endures as an artist in the spotlight — having to always compete with the past. The chorus, “It might be time to face it,” explains the reality of time constantly evolving and that people must choose to evolve along with it. Parker, along with his musical career, must move with the times and release himself from the past: “It might be time to face it / It ain’t as fun as it used to be / You’re going under / You ain’t as young as you used to be / It might be time to face it / You ain’t as cool as you used to be.”
“One More Hour”
Eight years later, “One More Hour” is a track that perfectly details Parker’s personal and stylistic growth since Lonerism. The closing song on The Slow Rush parallels the song “Keep On Lying” that speaks about unrequited love and describes the dead end of a relationship: “I guess I’ll go and tell you just as soon as I get to the end of this song.”
“One More Hour” addresses the unfinished business by ending the song looping on lyrics of love and hope: “Just a minute, baby, right before we go through here / All these people said we wouldn’t last a minute, dear / I’m with you and I can roll into another year.”
Before the album closes, Parker uses the last track as a vehicle to confess his intentions with music. He claims it was for “love,” “fun” and “fame,” while denouncing his intentions for money, houses or for his future children. However, Parker ends the first verse with the words “until now” which may allude to the fact that his intentions may be taking a turn.
Overall, ending the album on a hopeful note suggests that Parker is embracing a new chapter of his life that is no longer drowned in the loneliness of the past, but filled with optimism in looking to the future.
Rating: 4/5
