Tame Impala

it felt like a lot of the songs were a bit too similar

Tame Impala — Currents 9/10 There’s probably some bias built into this rating because I genuinely love Tame Impala and Kevin Parker’s music. But even acknowledging that, I think Currents is his best album. What makes it stand out is how completely Parker reinvented the Tame Impala sound without losing what makes it uniquely his. The psychedelic guitars of Lonerism take a backseat to synths, grooves, disco, R&B, and a much more polished, expansive production style. And somehow it all works. “Let It Happen” is an incredible opening statement, while “The Moment,” “Eventually,” “The Less I Know the Better,” and “New Person, Same Old Mistakes” make up one of the strongest stretches of songs in his catalog. There’s a consistency here that makes the album feel like one complete experience rather than just a collection of great tracks. What I especially love about Tame Impala is that Parker doesn’t seem interested in fitting neatly into a genre. He takes psychedelic rock, pop, electronic music, soul, disco, and a dozen other influences and turns them into something that sounds unmistakably like Tame Impala. Currents is the perfect example of that. It’s weird, catchy, beautifully produced, emotional, and completely its own thing. 9/10. Easily my favorite Tame Impala album — and probably the one I’d recommend to someone who doesn’t think they’re a Tame Impala fan.